Page 67 of Chev's Mate

“I don’t think we’d get much work done if we shared an office,” I say.

Chev’s lips twitch, and only once I repeat the words in my head do I realize how they can be taken. I’m sure he knows I didn’t mean it sexually, and I don’t bother trying to correct myself. Either way, what I say is true.

If Chev’s not trying to start a conversation, I am, and the few times we aren’t talking, it’s only because we’re staring at one another. We won’t get any work done.

“Do you think the pull of our bond will ever lessen?” I ask.

Chev physically recoils. “Why would you ask that?” He steps back. “Do you want it to?”

I shake my head. “Of course not.”

I like our bond—a sentence I never thought I’d say—but I don’t know much about it. I’ve not spent much time with mated pairs, and I don’t know what to expect. I know our bond will always exist, but will I always be so distracted by Chev? Will it always be so consuming?

“You grew up in the shifter lands surrounded by mates,” I say, “but I hardly know anything about them. I’m just curious.” I clear my throat before continuing. “I was taken from my parents when I was a child, and ogres don’t have mates.”

Chev relaxes, his tense muscles softening. “The bond will never become less intense. We’ll learn to grow comfortable with it, though…” He trails off, his eyes narrowing. “But I’ll make sureyou never become too complacent. I’ll keep you aching for the rest of our lives.”

My lips twitch.The rest of our lives. I have a mate I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. What a peculiar thought.

“I’ll always ache for you, Chev,” I promise him.

I rise and walk around my desk, eager for physical contact. Chev doesn’t hesitate to open his arms and pull me into a hug, and I bury my face against his neck the way we both like. Despite how complicated I sometimes feel he is, he’s easy at his core.

He just wants to be loved.

So do I.

Chev squeezes me, and his fingers trail over the back of my bra. He lingers on the spot where the skin indents around the elastic.

I’ll never understand the male desire for breasts, and I hold in a laugh as Chev pulls back and stares down at my chest. His smile as he does so is infectious, and he makes brief eye contact with me before cupping one.

“If you’d like,Ican be your bra.”

He looks at me with earnest, wide eyes, and I feel only slightly bad for how I swat away his hand. He immediately steps back and puts space between us. He’s always doing that, physically removing the entirety of himself whenever I ask him to stop. I appreciate it more than he knows.

I see the effort Chev puts into ensuring I always feel comfortable around him. The more time I spend with him, the more I’ve noticed it, and he’s slowly chipping away at the protective barrier I’ve built around my heart.

I’ve been the only person I can rely on for as long as I can remember, the only person I knew had my best interests at heart, but Chev’s worming his way in. I have a feeling this man would die for me if it came down to it.

“Is that ayesto moving into my office?” Chev asks, returning to our earlier conversation.

I hum, debating it.

“We really shouldn’t,” I say.

“I won’t bother you,” Chev pleads, lifting his skirt to show his mated mark.

He gives me a sly look as he teases the black line, once again trying to tempt me. I don’t have the heart to tell him that, while I love seeing his mark, it’s not nearly as alluring as he seems to think. It’s the easiest way to tell when he truly wants me to do something, though. I’ve grown to live by the rule that if Chev tries to seduce me with his mark, he really wants me to sayyes.

“I’ll do it under one condition,” I decide.

Chev nods so fast, I’m surprised he doesn’t give himself a headache. “Anything,” he promises.

My smile grows. “I’d like to see your home.”

Chev stares, his eyes wide with shock. I’ve never asked to see the shifter lands before, but he’s always bragging about the large trees and changes he’s been making to his home. I know he’s eager for me to visit.

He’s been keeping me updated on the progress of his kitchen renovation, and he’s just about finished. The exterior walls are completed, and all that’s left to do is build in the center island and put up cabinets.

---