Dash shook his head.“He’snot your mate.”
Emerson eyed him, an almost giddy feeling bubbling up in his chest that Dash was playing protector. “I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”
“I don’t care,” Dash snapped. “If you’re dead set with it being this weekend, I’ll come.”
“Your case…”
“The case be damned,” Dash said, expression dead serious.
Emerson’s face almost hurt from the grin stretching across it. He was more important than the big case?
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re being my big, bad alpha protector. I think I kind of like it.”
Dash’s cheeks turned bright red, his lips quirking up at the corners. “We’rebothalphas. We both feel the protective instincts to take care of one another.Dealwith it.”
“Consider it dealt with,” Emerson murmured before taking another bite.
He chewed with a delighted smile plastered on his lips. The smile only grew as Dash appeared all the more agitated and embarrassed, mumbling under his breath before he took another bite.
“You reallydolove me.”
Dash’s gaze flew to his. “I think it’s a little early to be tossingthatword around.”
“You already tossed it this weekend, my darling.”
Dash’s eyes widened.“I was in heat.”
“Yeah…”
“Ome—Menin heat say a lot of things they don’t mean!”
Emerson’s smile faded and Dash almost appeared guilty after its loss.
“I saw the pain in your eyes when you asked me to breed you. That, I knew was false. Ididn’tsee pain when you said you loved me.”
Dash blinked a few times. “I… ah…” He shook his head, staring down at where he swirled his fork through the pasta.When he looked back up, worry seemed to fill his expression. “We haven’t known one another very long yet.”
“We’re mates.”
Dash nodded. “We are… but… love isn’t a part of that chemistry.Attractionis. Desire is. Need is. The bond? It’s pure animal lust. Love is something you get after giving someone your time and attention. Love is something you work towards. It’s not automatic.”
“If it’s not a part of the chemistry, why’d you say it?”
“I was out of my mind,” Dash snapped.
Emerson winced inwardly, his mind roaring to counter the argument further, but he struggled to find the right words to sway Dash’s mind.
“Fine… no love. Just lust.Noted.”
Dash’s shoulders fell, a glimmer of sadness shining in his eyes. It almost looked like he was upset Emerson had given in—but then why say all those things in the first place?
They returned to their food, quietly eating for a few minutes of silence. Emerson’s mind continued to roar, the quiet of the room filled by bits and pieces of things he’d wished he’d said.
“I was hungrier than I thought. I ate more than half—sorry,” Dash said before sliding his plate across the table. Emerson eyed the near full plate he’d be giving up, but he’d much rather Dash eat his fill than complain. It wasn’t like he couldn’t grab a burger on the way home.
Home? Alone?
