Page 24 of Their UnBearable Destiny

Yet.

“So that’s what your father told you I wanted?”

“And what you needed. I’m too opinionated. Too masculine for a mate like you. You need-”

He silenced her with a kiss. Slanting his lips over hers, swallowing her complaint.

A moment later when he felt her shoulders loosen, he stepped back. “Besides knowing her name, what do you know of Salvatore’s mate?”

“My father said she was the perfect mate for him.”

He nodded. “I would say so,” he began and hurried to continue to avoid the argument he knew was brewing, “but she is also the head of Durante Fashion. She’s a designer,” he said the words with pride and meant them, “and yes, she can cook a dinner, but that’s not why she’s perfect for him.”

He watched her tension slowly bleed from her body, before she seized on her next question. “And Allegra?”

He could almost hear hope in her voice. Almost.

“Allegra, well she might qualify for hero status. Blinded by an old boyfriend,”he shook his head, “she not only learned to read and navigate New York city sidewalks, she’s performing with a local Chamber Orchestra and coordinating a program to bring musicians and artists to underprivileged schools in the city.”

He felt Ana’s hand on his arm and he savored the subtle dance of her fingers through the fabric of his shirt.

“You like her.” Uberto heard the longing in her tone.

“I love her, and Natale as sisters and my friends, but you’re my mate, Ana. You are the woman I crave beside me. The one I want to lose myself inside. And if you wanted cubs, I would give you anything you wanted.” He leaned closer and brushed a kiss on her forehead. “And I may surprise you with a meal or two that I not only enjoy making, but that I’m told people don’t die from eating.”

She gave him a questioning look. “I never know when you’re telling the truth and when you’re making fun of me.”

Uberto shook his head and gave her a lopsided grin. “You must be confused if you don’t know that I’m making fun of me, Ana.”

He took a step back to put some distance between them, not because of her, but because of him. Being so close to her may not be just clouding his own thoughts but hers as well. If her bear was riding her as hard as his was riding him, she needed the space to think, too.

“I’m not expecting you to fall into my arms… or my bed, Ana. I need you to know that I’m not going anywhere.”

“I don’t know,” she shook her head and one arm crossed over her chest like a shield as she grabbed on to her opposite shoulder, “if I can ever give you what you want from me.”

“I hate to contradict your father, mia anima, but I think it needs to be said that I don’t have a check list, nor do I have a list of requirements for you to meet.” His smile was barely a soft curl at one side of his mouth. “All I want to do is try,” he told her. “Try to be with each other. Try to enjoy what we can have between us. I’d like to deepen our bond, not drive a wedge between us.”

She was silent before him, but thoughtful.

“I’m going to my room, Ana.” He let his eyes drink her in and felt his bear call to hers. “If you want me, for any reason, come and find me.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

#

Watching him walk away twisted her up inside. It was exactly what she’d wanted him to do. From the moment she knew he was back in Santa Biago she’d wanted him to leave. Leave and go back to New York City.

Well, he said he wasn’t going to leave Italy. He wasn’t going to leave the town. He wasn’t even going to leave the house, but maybe… just maybe she was a little bit happy that he was staying.

That he wanted her to come to him.

Her bear was busy sunning herself in the heat of Uberto’s touch.

Traitor. She tried to scold her bear, but the furry turncoat wiggled her back in the grass and let her tongue loll from her mouth.

And that’s what galled Emiliana. It was so simple for her bear. The bear wanted his bear. It didn’t matter that his bear had been a chauvinistic jerk when they were younger, that he could still be a chauvinistic jerk now… just with a better cover. The bear wanted what the bear wanted.

All Emiliana wanted was someone who could understand what it was like for her.

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