It took everything I had not to look over at her again.
“How long were you with Carly?” she asked.
“Not long. My wolf only hunted for about a week. I was young, and she seemed enthusiastic about having a mate. Never mentioned that she’d only ever been interested in women. I guess she thought fate’s interference might change that.”
“Oof.”
“Yeah. I stayed with her for a few days after my wolf bit her, but it was clear to both of us that she wasn’t interested in me.”
“She wore a shirt, huh?”
“Yeah.” I grinned at Stella’s clear attempt to lift my mood by referring to her own partial nudity. My mood was already lifted. I wanted her and our bond too much to dwell on the past.
“What was the rejection like?” Her bluntness was refreshing.
“Painful. The pity in her eyes pissed me off enough to maintain my grip on sanity.”
“I can’t imagine you angry.”
I chuckled. “I feel anger. It just doesn’t control me.”
“That sounds pretty ideal.”
“I guess.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
I glanced over at Stella and found her playing with the ends of her hair. Her eyelids were heavy, but she was still solidly awake.
“Does it matter if I did?”
“Of course not. I was with human guys before my ex. I was just curious.”
She wanted to know if I was a virgin.
And maybe, what my experience had been.
The answer wasn’t a good one.
“We were together twice. She thought it would help with her attraction to me somehow. Neither time ended well.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was bad for her, not me.”
“Having sex with someone you knew didn’t want you would mess with anyone’s mind.”
I wasn’t sure how she’d realized that so quickly. I’d thought I would have to explain it at some point. Apologize for being awkward about intimacy. Ask her to be patient with me.
“Is that why you keep looking away from my tits?” she asked.
I blinked. “I was being respectful.”
“You can respect me by looking when you feel like it. I like feeling like you’re attracted to me.”
Feeling likeI was attracted to her?
“Iamattracted to you.”
