Page 70 of Beginning Fate

I wasn’t exactly known as the settling down type.

“She’s more than that.”

Lauren

Chapter 18

Denny was staring at me, making my insides melt.

She’s more than that.

Damn right I was. It was nice to hear him say it, though. I really hadn’t liked being relegated to girlfriend status even though it was just a fleeting comment to help a human understand that we were something to each other. But that something was far more than what I deemed a girlfriend.

I was surprised that it even bothered me. It wasn’t like we were bonded mates. Everything was still new and I could walk away and return home with little damage at this point.

A sick feeling landed in the pit of my stomach.

Lies.

Denny was mine, and there was no way I was giving him up. He was my mate.

I still had no idea how to make it all work, but I had to believe it would.

I’d never wanted or needed anyone besides Kylie until now. Now, I needed Denny like I needed air to breathe, and it terrified me. My entire being was fighting against it in a last ditch effort of survival, but that only put my wolf and I at odds.

This realization hadn’t just hit me. Ever since my breakdown at the hotel, I’d been thinking about it, wanting to push away while feeling like I was helplessly being pulled in deeper.

And still, it was so easy to just give in and let myself fall.

“Taste this one. It’s my favorite,” Denny said, holding out a stuffed mushroom.

I should have just taken it from him like a normal person. But it was so close that I just leaned in and ate it from his fingers without even thinking about it.

His eyes lit with desire that I felt it vibrate through my body.

Mmm. I moaned as the flavors hit my tastebuds and I licked a crumble from my top lip.

Denny was transfixed, watching me like we suspended in some sort of magical bubble where only the two of us existed.

“Damn, I’m gonna have to get the fire extinguisher for the two of you. That was hot,” Marco said, breaking the magic I felt flowing freely between me and my mate.

My cheeks flushed, unable to believe what I’d just done. When I managed to look towards our waiter, I realized he was delivering our meals.

I stayed quiet and kept my head down, not wanting to give any more attention my way.

Denny glared at him.

It helped to know my mate was just as frustrated by the interruption.

As soon as Marco left, Denny relaxed.

Then he smiled.

And then he started to laugh.

I couldn’t help it. I joined in and laughed, too.

We both seemed to relax and enjoy innocent conversation and really great food. We didn’t discuss anything deep and definitely not anything regarding our future. It was nice to just be normal for a change.

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