Page 13 of Because You Rejected Me

Chapter Eight: Ace

It was a fucking miracle that I ever got Matt into my truck. I couldn’t believe it. Not only did he let me buy him ice cream after I surprised him on the beach, but he was letting me drive him back to the hotel. My heart was pounding a mile a minute with him sitting only a couple feet away. Not to mention, his rich, cinnamon scent had filled the cab, and I was doing everything I could not to smile like a complete idiot. Thankfully, I’d wrapped a towel around my waist, claiming my shorts were wet from swimming, so that covered up the massive boner I had snaked down my leg.

Of course, I never intended to run into Matt on the beach. I’d gone there to think and swim. The last thing I expected was to catch his scent on the wind and find him splashing around in the waves like a pup. It was probably the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. Sure, I’d sat at the beach watching hot guys before. Who hasn’t? But watching Matt was something else entirely. Just seeing a smile on his face made my heart sing. It made me want to be the reason he smiled someday.

However, he was pretty pissed when he saw me. That much was painfully obvious. I don’t think I’d ever had someone try so hard to piss me off. But honestly, nothing he said could get under my skin. Just the fact that he was speaking to me made me happy. That felt terribly pathetic, but it was the truth. Matt could’ve told me to go fuck myself, and I would’ve smiled the entire time.

Did the mate bond make everyone this fucking weird?

“So, Sam said you’re a farmer,” Matt said, completely unprompted.

Oh fuck. He was talking to me. Be cool. Be social. Neither of which I was good at.

“Yeah.”

Great. Some conversationalist I was.

“Do you raise cattle or something?” He gestured toward my hat sitting on the center console.

“No. Just vegetables.”

“Oh.” He turned back to his window, staring out as we drove slowly down the dirt road to the park exit.

“Do you… like vegetables?”

The moment the words left my lips, I wanted to kick myself. What a stupid fucking question. Why was I so goddamn nervous around this guy?

Matt, understandably, raised an eyebrow in my direction. “They’re okay, I guess. I eat them if that’s what you’re asking.”

“My favorite are tomatoes,” I added for some unknown reason. “I like the way the little ones pop between my teeth.”

Matt just stared at me. “You’re weird.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t… talk much.”

“I can tell.”

Silence.

“So… is Ace your real name, or is that just your cowboy fursona?”

“It’s the name I picked when I came here to start a new life.” I hesitated for a moment, trying to stop myself from dumping all my trauma on him in one go. “I had it legally changed three years ago.” Then it finally hit me. “Fursona?”

“I was wondering if you’d catch that.” A grin pulled at the corners of Matt’s lips and my heart did a backflip. “It was just a joke.”

I nodded. “It’s funny.”

The one time in my entire life that I actually wanted to be a better conversationalist and I was biffing it so fucking hard.

“How are you liking the hotel?” I asked, unable to stand the silence any longer.

“Well, my entire fucking life went down the drain a week ago, so it’s better than being homeless, I guess.”

“Sorry. Stupid question.”

“It’s fine.”

Silence again.

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