I shook my head. “I told them I’ll be out all week so I have time to bond with the dog I adopted.”
“According to your friends, he doesn’t make a very convincing dog.”
“Probably because he’s a wolf.”
Cucumber’s lips curved upward, just slightly.
I got the vibes that he didn’t smile much. Or laugh much. Though some stupid part of me itched to be the one who changed that, I’d dated enough men to be confident that guys didn’t change unless they wanted to.
“So how does this usually work?” I gestured between us, using the mirror so I didn’t have to face him. “Or I guess I should ask, do you want it to work? If you never expected a mate and still don’t want one, I’d get it.”
I was slightly self-conscious about the fact that I was still naked. Though I was proud of my body, we were obviously built very differently. He was athletic in every way, and I was… not.
I didn’t usually have a problem with that. But he hadn’t been able to reply when I told him he could take it or leave it. So, there was still a chance he wanted to leave it.
It, meaningme.
“I never thought I’d have a mate. That doesn’t mean I don’t want you, Abigail.” His voice was lower. Rougher.
The goosebumps from earlier returned.
“My family and friends call me Abby,” I said.
I should’ve come up with something more clever, but I had nothing.
“Abby, then.” Cucumber—Nico—took a step closer. He reached toward me, then stopped himself again and pulled his hand back.
I finally turned to face him. “You can touch me. I’m not uncomfortable with that. I am sweaty though, so try not to be disgusted.”
His warm, gigantic hand was on my arm a heartbeat later. His thumb smoothed slowly over my skin. “Sweat is natural.”
“So is death. And shit. Natural doesn’t translate directly to good.”
He snorted. The sound seemed to catch him by surprise. “Well, I don’t have a problem with your sweat.”
“I guess you wouldn’t, if you live in the middle of the forest.”
“In a house.”
“What?” I frowned.
“I live in the middle of the forest, in a house.”
“Oh.” Well, that changed things for the better. “You never answered about how this is supposed to work.”
He dipped his head. “There’s no telling how long your wolf will take to make up her mind about me. Sometimes it’s a matter of hours. Other times, it’s a year or two. Between a few weeks and a few months is the most common. Male werewolves are expected to abandon their lives completely during the hunt, and often during the chase as well.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
His forehead creased.
“I mean, what happens between us?” I gestured to his chest and mine again. “In the werewolf books, we’d fall in love suddenly. It’s called insta-love.”
The crease deepened. “That’s not real.”
“Then how do relationships usually develop between werewolves?”
“The same way they develop between humans. Shared experiences. Meals. Talking. Sex. Our wolves require us to live together during the mating process, which streamlines the relationships.”
