“Youscentedme? What do I smell like?”
“Raspberries, blackberries, jasmine, and a hint of vanilla.”
“That’s very specific. You smell... fresh and manly.”
He chuckled. “When you get your animal, you’ll see what I mean. You’ll be able to pick out more nuance.”
“Don’t potential mates smell good too?”
“Yeah, but I’ve been compelled to care for you since the first moment we met. I should’ve realized when I brought you a fish and weed,unprompted.”
She laughed delightfully, scooting further onto his lap so her ass settled sideways between his thighs. “It was pretty easy to get you to stay and help me unpack my apartment.”
“Exactly. Or you know—my bear taking over, chasing you down, and wanting to bite you should have been a giveaway, but it wasn’t. I didn’t consider that we could be true mates, especially not since Beck and Liv found each other. It’srare, or it’s supposed to be, to find them. Most people pair up with potential mates.”
“But here we are.”
“Here we are,” he agreed, reaching up to trail his finger over the shell of her ear. “I— You’re perfect for me.”
He stumbled over his final sentence, rethinking things as “I love you” almost rolled off his tongue. Ten days was far too soon to be saying that. Right?
Technicallyhe’d first talked to her nine months earlier on a double phone call. He’d been chatting with Ben while Fern was on the phone with Liv. That had to count for something. Nine months was a reasonable timeframe for emotions to develop. And hedidlove her.
But ten days of in-person activities wasn’t much, and that was Fern’s lived experience. Knowing they’d inevitably end up together as true mates and telling her he already loved her were two very different things.
He exhaled through rounded lips, deciding to chew on the confession a while longer, to savor it every time he thought of her, and to hold off on speaking up. It could wait until the perfect moment, until she’d had time to digest. It didn’t matter where he said it; it mattered when. He’d know when the time was right.
“Are you okay?” She tapped the tip of his nose, and when he smiled, she leaned in to give him a peck. “I want to stick my tongue in your mouth, but I’m trying to be good.”
“You’re being averygood girl,” he rumbled, trying to stay serious and sexy despite wanting to laugh.
She squirmed, settling further between his legs so her butt hit the stone as she sat across his lap. “So, um... how long do people usually wait beforemating in this sort of situation? Are we talking months or minutes?”
“That’s up to you.”
“Up tome? You’re the one who said life wasgoodbefore you met me.”
“I clarified that it was goodenough,and now it’sgreat. Don’t act like you didn’t hear all of that.” Teasing, he slipped his hand down her back, under her ass, and pinched.
“This week is going to be so busy. Could we do itnow?”
“I’m not fucking you for the first time in a cave, Fern.”
She grumbled and moved to stand. “Then let’s go—”
“Ah, no.” He tugged her back down. “I think we should wait until after the wedding next weekend. Isn’t Ren coming in on Thursday? And all the guests get here Friday?”
“Yes. Whyyy?” she lamented.
“Because Fern, as true mates, when we have sex with the intent of mating, we’re going to be thrust into the super compelling.”
“Such a fancy name.”
“It is, isn’t it? But we’ll be insatiable.” With a hooked pointer finger, he urged her to look at his face rather than his hand she’d been studying. “We’re going to want time alone. And I don’t want you to rush into something you’ve onlyjustlearned about. It’s permanent, Fern.”
“I know.” She captured his gaze, eyes glossy and crinkled at the corners. “Don’t think I’m being impulsive here. I’m known for it, a little bit, but I’ve thought a lot about this, about you.”
“We’ve only known each other for a week and a half,” he tossed out the obvious with little conviction. The short timeframe didn’t change his opinion of her, why would it change hers of him?
