Page 83 of Chev's Mate

I nod, too busy checking the cheesy bread to inquire why she’s trying to run away from me so soon. I usually get two to three hours from her before she deems me annoying and insists I give her space.

Vanessa’s footsteps are light as she putters away, and I listen as she enters our bedroom and shuts the door. What’s shedoing? I want to know, but she doesn’t like when I follow her around.

The strings are just beginning to grow soft when I hear the door open, and I about knock over the entire pot of boiling water when she enters the room in her leathers. I’ve only seen her in them once, and I take one look at her exposed breasts before groaning and spinning away.

I face the counter to hide my reaction. I don’t want Vanessa to feel like the leathers are a sexual thing, and I want her to be comfortable in them. That’s not going to happen when I’m running around with an erection the size of my forearm every time I see her in them.

Vanessa walks up behind me and wraps her arms around my waist, and I resist the urge to cry at the feeling of her barely covered breasts pressing against my bare back. This is not good.

I grab Vanessa’s wrists and hold them against my abs, preventing her from wandering. She giggles, her soft body rubbing against mine as I shuffle to the side and continue cooking with one hand.

“What are you doing?” Vanessa asks, kissing between my shoulder blades. Why does she do this to me? “Turn around and look at me.”

I shake my head. I can’t do that. The second I do, she’ll see my erection and it’ll ruin the innocence of the leathers. Vanessa huffs when I don’t obey, and she pinches one of my abs between her pointy fingers.

I don’t relent. I want to see her so badly, but I can’t. I need time for my erection to soften, which is damn near impossible when she’s pressed against me like this. I’m going to die.

“Look at me, Chev,” Vanessa says. She sounds upset.

I squeeze my eyes shut before releasing her wrists and turning around. I can’t bring myself to look her in the eye, but after a long second, I give in to her orders and lower my gaze.

Vanessa is trying to kill me.

The leathers are dark, and she tied the top so tight, it pushes her breasts up. She holds my waist as I eye her belly and, eventually, her skirt. Her thighs look so soft. Are leather shirts always this short? I’ve never noticed. I don’t look at the thighs of other women.

“Come to the bedroom,” she says.

I swallow and point to the oven. “Dinner.”

My Vanessa smells of nerves as she leans around my torso and turns off the heat. I’m nervous too, but I don’t argue as she takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom. I think my heart is going to explode.

When she pushes open the bedroom door, I freeze. What is this?

I take three steps back, struggling to understand. There are two black silk ties on the bed, neither belonging to me. I’m not stupid, though. I learned a lot while living in the Wrath manor with Gray.

I once wandered into his bedroom and found Silas tied up with silk ties that looked exactly like this. It was a scary sight, one I wish I could remove from my memory. Does Vanessa want me to tie her up? I will not.

I’ve never asked about her past with the ogres, but they have specialized interests and I’ve drawn assumptions. They liked to tie up their females, and I will not do the same to my mate.

My heart pounds as I pick up one of the ties and bring it to my nose. It smells like the Wrath trio. I’m not sure which one of them gave these to Vanessa, probably Gray, but I’m sure as fuck going to figure it out. The bond between us burns as my anger grows.

“I will not do this,” I say.

Vanessa frowns and glances between the bed and me.

“Oh…” There’s a long silence. “You sat on your hands last time, so I thought you’d be comfortable… I’m sorry.”

I gulp.What?

“You want to tiemeup?” I ask.

Shifters don’t enjoy being restrained. My bear is on edge at the mere thought, the male angry and pacing inside my brain. I’d do it for Vanessa, but I don’t want to. I’d much rather sit on my hands or hold the headboard. Something I can easily break from.

Vanessa clears her throat and nods.

“I was talking with Charlie, and she said this might be a helpful way for us to be together,” she explains. “I liked it when you licked me because I was in control, and I thought maybe if I tied you up, I would be more comfortable.”

I drop the tie onto the bed. “Were you not comfortable that time?”

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