Page 15 of Simon's Runaway Mate

Cecilia glanced away, watching out the window as I drove. I wasn’t sure she was going to answer.

“No.”

One syllable but so much emotion conveyed in it. I reached over and took her hand with mine, twining our fingers together and giving hers a squeeze. She glanced over, flicked her gaze back out toward the passing scenery and kept talking in a voice so rife with pain, I was hard pressed not to pull over and take her in my arms, instead.

“When I think about having children, I can’t imagine a greater joy than carrying this little piece of me…” She paused as she glanced at me again. “Of me and you inside my body for forty weeks. Feeling this new life grow from a tiny seed to a tiny human, or I guess shifter in your case or our case. You know what I mean.”

“Have to admit the thought of you carrying our baby makes me eager to get you pregnant.”

She laughed. “We can talk about that later. My point was the emotion I feel when I think about it. The pure joy that fills me up inside. I’m not a mother, yet the thought of being one brings nothing but complete joy.”

“I want children, too. I think I’ll be a good dad.”

“I think you’ll be an amazing dad. Look at how you saved me.”

I squeezed her hand again. “I’ll always protect you. I know it’s too early for you to believe me, but I’m going to love you with all I am for the rest of my life. There will never be another woman for me.”

“I want that. I want the husband, the kids, the dog. Though, I guess in my case, the husband and the dog are all rolled into one.”

“What the hell, woman! I’m not a dog!”

“Dog. Wolf. Same species, right?”

I growled, and Cecilia’s giggle filled the car.

“Anyway, the point is, I want it all.”

“I’ll give you anything you want,” I vowed, but I thought I knew what she was getting to.

“I’ll get it all for myself, Simon.”

“We’ll get it,” I corrected.

She opened her mouth, probably to argue, then nodded instead.

“What if my mother had thoughts like that before she had me? What if she wanted it all then got it and found out she wasn’t cut out to be a mother?”

Meaning she worried she would decide she wasn’t cut out to be a mother, too.

“Your dad stayed,” I reminded her, and the worry on her face was replaced with a smile.

“Dad never seemed to miss a beat. He was a deputy sheriff, made sure I got to school on time and was there to pick me up. Hell, I spent as much time hanging out at the station as I did at our house. He went to every event I had in school. He was overprotective and at times overbearing. Still is, but he loves me unconditionally. He’ll like you.”

“I hope so.”

“Simon.”

“Yes?” I brought her hand to my mouth and brushed a kiss across her knuckles.

“Don’t let me leave.” Her voice was small and rife with fear. I turned off the highway and pulled into the first place we came to. I shoved my seat back, unclipped both our seatbelts, and tugged her across so I could hold her in my lap. I took her mouth, needing the taste of her on my tongue. I held her hip with one hand and stroked my other palm up and down her back. I only let her come up for air when she was moaning and wiggling against my erection.

“Do you really think you have to worry about me letting you leave?” I teased.

She smiled and shook her head. “Why am I so comfortable with you so quickly? I don’t really know you, but I feel like I do.”

“You’re my mate, and the bite I gave you is building a bond between us. It’s a connection unlike any other.”

“Does that make it real then? Or did your bite make me feel this way?”

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