Page 10 of Daddy's Mail Order Mate

I hear him sitting down on my couch from the way it creaks and whines under his weight. And I don’t even need to look to know the grumpy face he’s making right now.

“I dunno how you drink it black. You could use at least a bit of creamer.”

“Some girl’s gonna find your sweet tooth really charming one day.”

“Plenty of girls find me charming for lots of different reasons, Gwen.”

My trip over to the couch is spent rolling my eyes and taking my first merciful sip of coffee for the day. It’s a cheap bulk blend, but it’s not too sour and gets the job done. When times were better, I’d splurge on getting nice batch roasts. But this was not one of those times.

Lucas watches me carefully as I sit next to him. I just nurse my coffee in silence, even when he pats his hands rhythmically on his jeans.

“So… Hey, at least you don’t have to deal with your shitty boss anymore.”

“Yep,” I admit, nodding wearily. “I’m not much of a silver lining sort of girl, but that has been nice to think about.”

“Any luck finding something else for work? Or a new place before the eviction date hits?”

“Nope.”

“Well, fuck.”

“You’re telling me.”

He chuckles a bit, and I huff under my breath, both of us savoring the humor for a moment.

“You can always just load up your stuff and we can head out today. Got plenty of room with my new truck; the bed’s huge. We could fit this couch and then some.”

“Nah. The place came furnished. Besides, I hate the color.”

“So… is that also a no to going with me?”

“It is.”

He sighs, leaning back and stretching out his legs in a weary repose.

“I keep telling you Gwen. My new pack’s a good place. They keep telling me that I should at least bring you through to visit.”

“I’m sure it’s a wonderful place,” I reply dryly, “For you.”

Lucas’ mouth tugs to the side, and he stares at me for a long beat.

“I just don’t like that you’re out here on your own, Gwen. And you have to believe me, Elm Wood’s different. But if you won’t join a pack with me, maybe you might be able to, I dunno. Find someone and a pack that suits you out there. But pretending you’re a human for the rest of your life is just…”

He sighs and crosses his arms. I know he thinks the masculine posturing makes him look powerful and mature, especially with how much he exercises. But to me, I just see the lanky little kid he used to be puffing himself up and playing at being an adult.

“It feels wrong.”

I shrug, chewing on my gum slowly.

“It really isn’t pretending, Lucas.”

“What?”

With a sigh, I turn to him, my own arms crossing.

“I’m practically human. I haven’t been able to shift in years. How am I supposed to make a life with a pack?”

“It’s not just about shifting, Gwen—”

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