“We need to get going. We promised not to take too long.” Jamie leaned down and kissed his mate, Charlie. He continued talking, but only part of me was paying attention. The other part was trying to figure out how to get Isaac’s contact information without tipping off the other couple that something was going on between the two of us.
“I love you too.” Charlie beamed at Jamie, who returned the look of love. “Be safe at work. No distractions.”
“I promise I’ll keep him focused. My honorary niece and nephew are counting on me.” I clasped a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. I decided to just leave with my friend and get in contact with Isaac later. Since he was Charlie’s best friend, I knew I had a way to find him if he didn’t find me again first. I knew it was strange to not even speak to my mate the first time we met, but I just wasn’t ready. I didn’t want anyone else to know that we were mates yet. I was too overwhelmed at the situation to deal with all the questions my friends would have. I just hoped my mate would understand and wait for me to find him later.
We left Charlie and Isaac at the table as we went to get our coffee order from the counter. The guys at the station were waiting for us, and there were fires to be put out. I could think about my mate later.
“Wanna tell me why you were looking at my mate’s friend like he was dinner and you’re a starving man?” Jamie chuckled when we exited the building. “Need me to be your wingman?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, not ready to discuss the new discovery made today. “Let’s get back to work.”
“Whatever, man.” Jamie shook his head, but I knew he would let the subject drop for now. “But let me know if you ever need to talk or get information on Isaac. He’s a great guy.”
At least I knew my best friend liked my mate. Now, I just needed to meet him properly and decide if I liked him as well.
Want our mate,my dragon grumbled, his energy trying to force my limbs to turn around and go back to Isaac at the café.
Later. Now behave, or I won’t shift for a whole month,I warned my beast.Let me take my time with this. Besides, we have work to do.
Fine,my dragon grunted, and I felt a puff of his smoke roll up my throat. He was sending me a message of his unhappiness. He would comply, but not silently.
I coughed the smoke out into my arm discreetly as I walked down the street with Jamie. I hoped I would see Isaac again soon so that my dragon would calm down. I didn’t want to go too long without him either.
Chapter Four
Isaac
Our mate. Go get our mate.My bear had been grumbling at me for the last day and a half since we caught the scent of Thomas at the Pink Coffee Café. I’d almost followed him out of the café and begged him to bond with me right there and then. My beast didn’t mind that we were surrounded by our best friends and stay-at-home omegas meeting up forTummy Time and Teaplaydates; he’d only wanted to get closer to our mate and seal the bond between us. But something in my mate’s expression stopped me from making our connection known to the public just yet. I sensed I had to tread carefully and not scare my mate away.
I recognized the mixture of excitement and fear in his eyes. It was similar to one my friend, Anthony, had when he first met his mate. It was something that made me slow down and use caution. If I scared my mate, it might ruin what we could build in the future. So, I contained myself and let him lead our first meeting. But I would definitely at least speak to him the next time I saw him. There was such a thing as going too slow, after all.
We’ll see him again soon,I reassured my beast. Now that I lived in town and saw my bestie more often, it would only be natural to see their other friends from time to time.He’s Jamie’s best friend; he can’t hide from us.
I strolled through the aisles of the grocery store, replaying the meeting in my mind as I threw groceries into the cart. Spencer and Liam were going away with Cookie for the weekend, so I was going to have to fend for myself. That meant a bunch of frozen dinners and junk food were in my near future. It wasn’t that I couldn’t cook; I was actually pretty great in the kitchen.But I hated it. I would much rather spend that extra time doing things that were fun. I liked reading, binge-watching some K-dramas, or playing video games. If I had to cook for the family, I would. But when it was only me, I was going the quick and easy route.
I wonder if Thomas likes to cook. Or does he prefer eating someone else’s baking? Would it be fun to make a meal for my mate?
“Got enough microwaveable meals in your cart? If you ask nicely, maybe I could cook you a homemade meal instead.” A honeyed voice brought me out of my daydreaming. A sweet and seductive aroma wrapped itself around me, causing me to trip and stub my toe on the cart’s wheel.
“Ouch. Fuck.” I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I allowed the scent of my mate to calm me until the initial pain in my foot faded. When I regained my senses and no longer felt the throbbing pain in my foot, I opened my eyes to the beautiful sight of my mate standing before me, his brow wrinkled as he reached out a hand to my shoulder.
“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to startle you.” I could feel the energetic warmth of his concern leap off him and reach for me. A side effect of our bond as mates seemed to be that I could now sense the energetic signature of his emotions. Not all mates got extra abilities with their mates like this; the goddess had deemed us worthy of an extra-special bond. I felt my mouth form a smile as I processed that information.
“It’s my fault.” I chuckled, placing a hand over his on my shoulder. “I got caught up in my thoughts and didn’t expect someone to strike up a conversation. But I’m glad you did.”
“Well, I figured I’d better get to know my mate this time, since I sort of fumbled our first meeting by walking away without even giving you my number.” Thomas shrugged, a pink blush forming on his face. “Sorry about that.”
“Nothing to apologize for.” I took his hand off my shoulder but didn’t let it go, instead taking it between both of mine. “I could feel your anxiety and decided you would find me when you were ready. If you weren’t friends with Jamie and Charlie, I may have acted differently, but since I knew I could find you later, I let you guide how the interaction would go.”
“You could feel my energy, too?” Thomas’s eyes widened. Somehow he became even cuter with the expression.
“I can.” I nodded. “Our bond seems to have already grown stronger just by being in the same vicinity as one another. I could feel you had some complex emotions of fear and anxiety, with joy and excitement. I thought it would be better to wait until we could talk more privately, though.”
“I’m sorry.” Thomas lowered his head, and I sensed him blaming himself.
“No worries, mate.” I lifted his head with my pointer finger hooked under his chin so that he met my eyes. “You’re perfect just the way you are. Don’t feel bad for needing more time to process what meeting your mate means for you. Everyone has their own way of figuring out their feelings and thoughts. I understood you needed time, and so I didn’t force you to acknowledge our bond right away. And if you still need time before you want this to go public, I understand that, too. We can do this on your time. As long as you are willing to explore this connection with me, I don’t care if we complete the mating process next week or next year. Just don’t run away from me, okay?”
“I won’t do that.” Thomas stepped closer. “I promise I won’t run. Unless you give me reason to.”
