Page 46 of Destined Mate

This time, when his eyes focused on my mouth, his thumb pressed gently into my bottom lip, tugging it down slightly. The world tilted.

A heavy breath escaped me before I could hold it back and appear unaffected. I desperately wanted him to kiss me, more than I had the other day when we’d been close like this.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered and closed the distance between us, his lips touching mine as lightly as a feather. They were soft, warm, and inviting, and I leaned forward, wanting more of him.

I had to take my chance. With the return to my pack hovering over my head, this could be the only chance I’d ever have to kiss him.

He growled faintly and nipped at my mouth, making me moan. His breath caught, and I parted my lips, allowing his tongue entry.

His faint peppermint taste washed into me, and I answered each stroke with vigor. My hands wrapped around his neck and slipped into his hair, and I pulled him closer. I didn’t want any distance between us.

He leaned forward, his hands gripping my hips and pulling me on top of him. I straddled his waist as our kisses became more desperate, more urgent.

He hardened underneath me, and I trailed my hands down his chest, reveling in every inch of him. The sweet scent of arousal swirled between us and mixed as he slid his hands under my shirt and over my ribs.

A slight ache coursed through me, catching me off guard, and I stilled.

He pulled back, his face creasing with worry. “Shit. I’m sorry. I hurt you.”

“No, it’s okay.” I didn’t want him to stop. I needed to taste and touch him more. “It didn’t hurt that much.” I moved forward, not wanting to waste time talking.

But he leaned back, cupping my face again. This time, his face twisted into a whole different expression…one I couldn’t read.

“I’m seriously okay. I promise.” I bit my bottom lip. “It’s not hurting anymore. Problem fixed.”

He hung his head. “That’s not it.” He glanced back at me, his eyes darkening. “It’s just…this shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry.”

My eyes stung, and my throat thickened. “Uh…yeah. Clearly.” I sniffed and jumped to my feet, my ribs aching. “You’reyou, and I’mme. Like, why would you be interested in me?” My pack thought I was weak and worthless, so this wasn’t surprising. “You made me forget that no one like you would—”

“No, stop. Don’t finish that thought.” He stood and took my hands. “That’sdefinitelynot the problem. You’re amazing, and I’d be so lucky to be with you.”

I snorted. I’d heard it in shows and movies, but I’d never thought people used that cliché line in real life. “So it’s not me, it’s you?”

“Sort of, but not really.” He blew out a breath and held my hands more tightly. “I’ve felt something for you all along, even that first day when you were attacked. I’ve been fighting my attraction to you because if I allow myself to act on it, you will get hurt.”

I blinked viciously, determined not to let the tears fall from my eyes.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

Silence stretched between us,and even though we were so close, we might as well have been miles apart.

My heart pounded, wanting—no,needingan explanation.

He grimaced as if he were searching for the right words and they were evading him.

“If it’s Zeke, it’s fine. I can survive that.” I hated that I’d broken the silence, but I couldn’t remain quiet any longer. I wanted to get this conversation behind us and pick up where we’d left off. My lips still tingled from where he’d touched and kissed me.

His face creased. “I wish that were it. That prick doesn’t even factor into this equation.” He squeezed my hands. “If Zeke were the reason, there would be no problem. Nothing would keep me from you. Not only because of how deeply I care for you but because that would be the easiest way to get you out of your shitty pack.”

Instead of making things clearer, he’d just blurred the lines more. “If you feel even remotely how I feel for you, then what’s the problem?”

“I…I don’t know how to explain this without sounding foolish.” He released my hands and took a step back, averting his gaze to the woods behind his house. “Though I’ve never met her, I know my fated mate is out there.”

My breath caught, and my chest squeezed. “What? How’s that possible? I’ve never heard that before.” If he’d met his fated, he wouldn’t have been tempted to kiss me. There was one couple in our pack that was fated, and they looked at each other as if they were the only two people in the world. Not even chosen mates, despite their genuine love, gazed at each other quite the same way.

“I know. It doesn’t make sense, but Callie, for as long as I can remember, I’vefelther out there.” He pounded his chest. “My heart and wolf belong to someone I haven’t met yet, and I promised myself years ago that I would find her…that I would wait forher.” He dropped his head and turned back to me. “And I’ve never questioned that decision untilyou.”

The world shifted under me, throwing me off balance. I planted my feet to make sure I didn’t topple over, though that was exactly what I wanted to do. “What if you don’t find her? Will you spend your entire life alone? Because I’m here, standing right in front of you, andshe’snot.”

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