Page 63 of Matched into the Mob

I hoped I was A, as I reckoned people would be more likely to choose that than option B.

“How do you propose we do this?” he asked.

“Are you saying?—?”

“Yes, Ranger, but unless you provide an answer, I might change my mind.” His lips bore a ghost of a smile.

There was more than a glimmer of hope in my voice as I suggested we go on a date. “Humans do that, right?”

He exhaled and put a hand to his forehead. “No. I mean yes, they do, but I don’t want that.”

Damn. I thought we were getting close, but we’d just reversed into not being mates but perhaps just friends.

“No dates. No more food deliveries, though thank you for those.” He beamed at me. “And I appreciated the socks.”

“No more stinky feet for you.”

He patted the left side of chest. “I can’t deny what’s in here.”

“Let me guess? A muscle that pumps blood around your body?”

Matt snorted. “You made a joke, Ranger.”

“I’ve been practicing.”

He looked at his mating hand. “I told myself many times how I never wanted to see you again, but I grieved the loss of our… what was it… two-day relationship?”

“I’d rather have had those two days than never having experienced love.”

Matt choked back a sob. “Don’t do that. You’re making me cry. Stupid tears.”

“Whatever you want, I’ll do.”

“I love you, but…” He scrunched up his nose before sticking his head outside. “Is there a dead fish in this teeny tiny car?”

That floored me. Why would I have rotting fish in my vehicle?

“It stinks in here.” He opened the door and gagged, though nothing came up.

I sniffed under my arms. It wasn’t me. Racing around to his side, I offered him a tissue.

“I’ll take you home, Matt.” And I’d put him to bed.

“I have my car.”

“Please let me do this.” I didn’t want to hurry him, but I had an appointment.

He sat up and fanned his face, wiping sweat from his upper lip.

“I love you.” He stroked my cheek. “Love doesn’t weigh up the pros and cons. It just throws itself in with everything it has, and that’s what I’m doing. I want to live the rest of my life with you… you shitter.”

I pulled him onto my lap, not caring that passersby could see us or that my bodyguards were watching our every move. We kissed and suddenly all was right with my world. His lips pressed on mine, his breath on my face, his scent teasing me as I put a hand on his mating mark.

“Would you like to come to the opening of a food truck?”

Matt cocked his head. “Weirdly, that’s not what I thought you were going to say. I hoped for, ‘I love you and you make me so happy. Let’s fuck.’ Though I’m not well enough for fucking.”

“I’ll say and do all of that but later.”

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