Page 19 of Rescued

I look away quickly, but not before I catch myself envying Jojo. I know how those hands feel—just not as well as I want to.

“So…” I clear my throat, forcing my voice to sound casual as we head back toward the house. “Breakfast, I guess? Any preference? What do…uh…”

God, I’m fumbling. My cheeks burn as I stumble over the words, feeling like some awkward teenager trying to impress a crush.

Mika’s lips twitch, amusement lighting his face. “Shapeshifters?” he offers, his tone teasing.

I glare at him, but it only makes him smirk.

“Right,” I say, my voice flat. “Shapeshifters. So, uh…what do you eat? Regular food, or do you have some kind of special diet?”

The question feels absurd even as I ask it, and I know my face is probably glowing red.

Mika doesn’t seem fazed. He considers the question seriously as we step into the kitchen. “Pretty much whatever you eat, Gabriel—”

“Gabe,” I interrupt, stopping short to face him. “Just Gabe is fine. I mean, Ididjust have my hand wrapped around your cock and your cum on my fingers…and stomach…and…”

Mika’s eyes darken, the heat in his gaze slamming into me like a physical force. My words trail off as my brain grinds to a halt, my body reacting faster than my mind can process.

I lean into him, my palms finding his chest. The solid warmth of him steadies me even as confusion and fear swirl inside me. I don’t understand this pull, this need, but I can’t resist it.

My stomach growls, loud and insistent, breaking the moment. Mika lets out a breathless laugh, stepping back slightly.

“Come on,” he says, his voice rough as he takes my hands and presses them to his chest. “Let’s get you fed.”

His touch lingers as he pulls me toward the stove, and I know I’m in trouble.

“Breakfast, Gabri—Gabe. And maybe some kibble, if you have extra.”

The teasing warmth in Mika’s voice sends a flutter through my belly, though I narrow my eyes at him, pretending to take offense.

“I should give you kibble, just for that. And for backing away from that kiss. That was just cruel, Mika.”

I smile, softening the sting of my words. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. From what I’ve seen, someone else has already done that far too well. There’s a lost, hurt look in his eyes that tugs at something deep inside me, like a mirror to the way I felt when my parents kicked me to the curb.

If it hadn’t been for my grandparents…

I shake off the thought. I can’t leave someone else feeling like that. Especially not Mika.

“Let’s see what we have,” I say, tugging him by the hand toward the refrigerator.

I open the door and bend over, making a point to bump my ass into his groin. The sharp hiss of indrawn breath behind me makes me grin like a lunatic as I pull out bacon and eggs.

But before I can fully straighten, strong arms wrap around me, locking across my belly. The food nearly slips from my hands as Mika’s lips brush the side of my neck. The caress sends a shiver down my spine, but when he sucks hard and his teeth graze my skin, my knees nearly buckle.

“Gonna drop the…breakfast,” I manage to gasp.

Mika doesn’t seem to care. He tugs me toward the table, taking the bacon and eggs from my hands and setting them down. My head spins, my pulse hammering in my veins so hard it makes me dizzy.

Then I see his eyes.

The raw heat in his gaze sends need and panic tumbling through me in equal measure.

“No. I…can’t.”

I shake my head for emphasis, the words leaving my mouth before I can think. The effect on Mika is immediate. He freezes, his expression shifting as a flicker of pain cuts through his features.

I feel like shit.

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