Page 44 of The Bear's Mail Order Mate

“Take all the time you need.” He reached out and covered his hand with hers. As warmth spread along his fingertips and traveled up his arms, he relished the connection between them.

But did Cassia feel the same?

He got his answer, when she cupped his face with her free hand, and whispered, “I don’t need time. I need you.”

Chapter Sixteen – Cassia

Being around Kris was more intoxicating than any wine she had ever tasted.

Perhaps that was why she had told him, with a breathless whisper, that sheneededhim. It would also explain why it felt as if the world was spinning, like she was teetering on the edge of a precipice, swept away by some invisible force—by fate, as he’d called it.

The same force that had drawn them together, in the most uncanny way, now seemed to be urging her to take the next step forward. And the next.

And who was she to argue with the pull of destiny?

She exhaled, letting the tension in her limbs melt away under Kris’s intense gaze. “So, this…this mate bond,” she whispered, voice catching on the words. She could hardly believe she was saying them, but everything about this felt more vivid, morerealthan anything in her previous life. “It explains why I feel like this is more than just a rebound relationship. Why I feel…certain.”

The admission left her breathless. She met his eyes and saw the same fierce longing mirrored there. An unspoken promise passed between them, drawing her closer. Before she could second-guess herself, she leaned in, pressing her mouth to his in a slow, intimate kiss. Electricity seemed to spark between them as Kris’s arms encircled her waist, gathering her tight against his chest. She let out a quiet gasp of relief as she leaned into him, and their kiss deepened.

My mate,a voice whispered inside her, a voice she could no longer deny. She pictured the powerful creature he could become and felt the raw, primal magnetism that pulsed beneath his skin.

Suddenly, she pulled back, her breath coming in ragged puffs. She bowed her head, inhaling sharply to gather her nerves.This is happening.She couldn’t stifle the wave of nerves and excitement that swirled in her stomach.

Kris loosened his hold, just enough to see her face. “You all right?” he asked, concern lacing his words.

She nodded, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment before she lifted her gaze to his. “Promise me,” she managed, “promise me this is all real and you’re not…playing some trick on me.”

His eyes shone with earnest emotion, and when he spoke, his voice was low and hoarse. “I promise. I could never lie to you, Cassia. You’re my mate.”

Those final words unlocked something in her, and she pressed her forehead against his, her heart drumming in time with his.Yes. This is real.She kissed him again, slowly, sensuously—pouring every ounce of trust, every fragile piece of her heart into that moment. He answered with a low growl, his arms pulling her closer again, and she knew beyond a doubt that this was not some fleeting indulgence.

Whether it was fate or something else, she didn’t care. All she knew was that it was real, and she trusted it.

And trustedhim.

When they finally broke apart, Kris’s eyes were molten, and a rumble of satisfaction vibrated through his chest. The sensation sent a delicious shiver down Cassia’s spine.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life for you,” he murmured. “Even when I didn’t know who you were, I was waiting.”

“I never believed in this kind of thing,” she admitted, leaning into his touch. “The idea that someone could be meant for you...it seemed like a fairy tale.”

“It’s not a fairy tale,” he assured her. “This is real. In some ways more real than anything I have ever experienced in my life.”

“I feel it, too,” she said, then she glanced around the barn. “Did you mean it when you told me you couldn’t lie to me?”

“Yes, it’s true,” Kris said warily. “Unless it’s to protect you.”

“Protect me?” Her eyes narrowed. “From what?”

His brows knitted together as he mulled the question over. She sensed he was choosing his words carefully. “From hurt. Not just physical...”

“You mean you would lie to me if you thought it was for my own good?” she asked, an edge to her voice. If there was one thing she wanted from Kris, if there was one thing she needed to be sure of, it was that she could always trust him to tell her the truth.

“Not exactly,” Kris said. “It’s more like… If something happened and you were in danger…”

“You would lie to protect me.” Cassia nodded slowly, processing this new information.

“Yes,” Kris murmured.

---