Page 179 of His Sunshine Baby

He’s getting impatient, but I just keep avoiding his eyes and trying to come up with something.

“Elena, I can’t go on like this!”

“I told you I’m fine, Nate. Stop asking, please.”

Can’t you give me a second to think, to figure out what I want to say to you?

“I don’t believe you! You’ve been avoiding me for days; I can’t take it! Do you think I haven’t noticed it? You’re pale, you lost weight... Elena, are you sick?”

“What?”

Oh gosh, why does he have to be so observant about those kinds of things? I barely lost a couple of pounds! Guess what? Your daughter only likes freaking pizza and lemon tea.

“No, I’m not, I swear, Nate. I’m fine, okay? I really am.”

“Then why…!”

“I’ll tell you later, okay?” I just say, shaking my head.

“Later? What do you mean later! Elena… When?”

When your brother and half of your pack’s leaders are not freaking next door, for a start! I’m not ready, for Moon Goddess’ sake.

“After the pack meeting. Once it’s over, we can talk,” I stutter. “I promise, but not now. It’s not the right time, with all that is going on. Nate, please.”

He keeps staring, and Moon Goddess, he does look worried. Well, guess what, I’m freaking out too, and scared like I’ve neverbeen before. I just… I’d rather fight a thousand vampires than tell Nate the truth right now. It’s so fucking scary. I’m doubting his response, how he’ll react, what he’ll say, what he’ll do. It’s like a fucking void scaring the hell out of me.

“Okay, but… you have to stop avoiding me, please… I miss you.”

I take a deep breath. Damn, there’s so much weight in those three words.

“I missed you too,” I confess in a whisper.

I see Bobo leave the room in silence, giving us some space, but right when my eyes are back on Nate, he pulls me in for a passionate kiss.

Oh, Moon Goddess, this feels so good… I don’t even resist and respond right away, grabbing his shirt, his hair, any part of him I can claim. I want him. I’ve missed him, oh, so bad… We keep going, kissing each other, our lips and tongues going crazy, my skin burning under his touch, my blood rushing. I want more, it’s like a drug. It tastes sweet and addicting.

His hands glide on my skin, under my shirt, on my neck… I shiver a bit. I had almost forgotten what his hands feel like. I feel my desire growing, like ash burning underneath the long-extinguished fire. A small, shy flame, as the kiss keeps going… It’s Nate, my man. Mine. The only one I want to allow on me, the only one that can touch me. My wolf softly growls.

“Nate… Nate, wait…”

He keeps going. He doesn’t want to stop. Frankly? Me neither. I just want more of his lips, more of his skin and smell on me. It’s driving me crazy. My wolf growls again. We are in his brother’s apartment, damn it.

“Nate, stop.”

This time, I put my hands on his chest, pushing him away, taking a deep breath in.

“Elena?”

“Give me a second. I have something I really need to tell you.”

He raises an eyebrow, a bit surprised.

“Well, that’s a first. Everything okay?”

“No. I mean, yes, but… Moon Goddess…”

I take a step back, a deep breath, trying to think. How do you say it? How do you announce this kind of thing? What’s the right word? Damn it. Breathe, Elena, low blood pressure. Nate is staring at me, confused, a bit worried. He puts his hands on his hips, waiting. Fuck it.

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