Page 69

I was sitting at a table in Mummy Mocha waiting for Chris. He’d insisted on another run after his team workout, something I was sure his coach would call reckless and dangerous, but Chris had refused to be swayed. Once he was done, we were going to work on Hamlet for a little bit, then go to dinner. Unfortunately, my thoughts were locked on one thing.

Did Chris finally like me?

It had been a couple of days since he’d mentioned not letting me go, but I’d been unable to gather the courage to ask him exactly what he’d meant and he hadn’t said. Still, it picked at me. I needed to know. I loved Chris, and I wanted him to love me in return.

A bright green coffee slid in front of me. “Coffee for your thoughts?” Seth asked.

I just flushed, my throat becoming strangled. I might have “known” Seth for over a year, but I still couldn’t talk to him.

“Maybe just coffee?”

I averted my eyes.

“Hey, Seth,” Chris called as he bounded over to us. He plopped onto my lap without preamble and pressed a sweaty kiss to my face. “Hey, sweetheart.”

I squeezed him in greeting.

“What’s up, Seth?” Chris asked.

“Just wondering what Jaxon was thinking about so hard,” he replied with a huge grin.

I reflexively tightened my arms around Chris, who glanced at me. My main focus was on Seth, though. I didn’t care for him smiling at my mate so broadly. He could go smile at someone else. Fingers threaded through my hair, and I finally turned my attention to Chris. His brows were furrowed; I didn’t like that expression.

“I’m okay,” I whispered.

“Okay.” Turning toward Seth, Chris said, “I’m dying for a coffee.”

He snorted. “You mean sugar with caffeine you can’t taste.”

“My favorite.”

Seth chortled and moved toward the counter. Chris kissed me. “I’ll be right back, alright?”

I nodded.

I kept my eyes on Chris as he made small talk with Seth and with Tanner when he came in. The entire time, I wanted to walk over to him and draw him into my embrace. I needed to find out how he felt, but I was too much of a coward.

Chris returned and sat back in my lap, completely uncaring about the sweat coating him or the people around us. I held him close. I didn’t care either. I just needed him to be as close as possible at all times. I was sure that was completely practical and doable. I wanted to snort, but instead, I gave Chris another kiss.

“I should probably shower,” Chris commented, then took a long drink of his coffee.

My cock twitched at the thought of a naked, wet Chris. We’d had sex this morning, but apparently, I needed more. I nodded. “Yep, shower.”

His dark brown eyes twinkled. “Hmm, does that mean you’ll be joining me?”

This time I did snort. The Creelin U showers were not built for people my size, let alone the two of us together.

“Fine,” he sighed, then pressed his forehead against mine, staring at me. “Does that mean you’ll put off Hamlet for a bit after my shower?”

I pursed my lips in mock thought. “I mean, he is already dead.”

“And fictional.”

“So I guess he can wait.”

He grinned, sending my heart racing. Chris muttered right against my lips, “Damn right he can, the whiny bastard.”

My resulting laughter was cut off when Chris sealed our lips together, claiming me.