Page 199 of Bride of Choice

I knew right then and there, exactly who Kooky was. “You dick! This whole time?” I felt so stupid for not realizing it, I laughed even as my face reddened.

Kooky rolled me over to frown down at me. “What do wrong?”

“What did you do wrong? Monster bait, were you ever going to tell me you were my mystery mate?!”

A heavy grunt left him. He was genuinely curious as he mumbled, “What give ‘way?”

Gripping the fur on his chin, I jerked him towards me and nipped the tip of his nose, an action that had his purr rumbling on full blast. Eyeing him, I leaned back in to nuzzle my nose along his.

“We go slow,” he whispered as his eyes squeezed shut tight, signaling I needed to ease up as his big body started to tremble horribly. I knew the signs from Gopher.

“Sorry,” I whisperingly apologized.

Shaking himself out, he took a deep breath. “No be sorry. I like. Like too much.” His face pulled into a frown but I reached out and smoothed out his puckered brow.

“It’s okay. It’s kinda hot.”

A groan left him and he dropped down atop me, mashing his face into those big boobs he seemed quite attached too.

“I bet that’s not helping, either,” I muttered, to a head shake from him within the cavern of muh girls, and then another groan from him.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” I admitted.

“Need go back. Jo has things work out with Rek.” He said this so calmly and matter of fact. Like it just was what it was.

“Rek’s going on the hunt with you, and he made himself pretty clear he was done with me when he said as much, last time we had an actual conversation.”

“He challenge Doog for Jo.” His voice was muffled in my breasts but his point still stood.

“I’m not with Doogie. He can’t challenge him for me. That’s bananas.”

Lifting his head, holding himself up by his arms, he quirked an eyebrow at me. “Rek do, though.”

“I don’t know what to say to that.” My hands shot out and up, then fell to the bed on either side of me, arms outstretched.

“No need say anything. Jo know.” His head cocked to the side, blue-grey eyes studying me.

Unwilling to meet his gaze, I muttered as I stared at the wall, “I don’t know anything anymore.”

Picking up on my tone, he nodded and dropped it. Lifting up off of me, he pulled me up along with him.

“Jo want more take to village?” Jerking his chin at my things, he waited.

“I’m mad at Gopher and Odix. They just stood there and watched.”

“Keep Jo safe. Them no like Rek.” He was simply stating facts.

Huffing and puffing as I redressed, accepting his help in lugging the items I pointed out to the door, I finally grumbled, “Quit being so reasonable! Let me be the bat shit nutbag you fell for!”

“Yes’m,” he rumbled out with poorly muffled mirth.

“Thin ice, buddy,” I tsked as he Yes’m-ed me like Dorothy’s mates do her— the turd, “skatin’ on thin ice.” Face washed, makeup redone, some cuddle time with Kookypants under my belt to hold me for a while, I felt marginally better.

Why, though, like with Gopher, Odix, Rek, Bum-bum, did I feel like we still weren’t truly mates? I had the bite mark, the fluffy blanket coat, yet I hesitated to give us that title. It felt… half finished.

“The more I think on your hijinks, the more I wanna smack you in the face,” I muttered as I sashayed my generous rump right out the front door, leaving him to play bag boy.

Baby was waiting and hitched, feet stamping impatiently.

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