Page 53 of In Your Eyes
“I wish I had been there for you,” I said as I twisted sideways and cupped his cheek.
“You were.” He turned his head into my palm and licked it. “Those few times we saw each other and played together were what got me through day after day.” He smiled, the expression genuine and relaxed. “I know you keep beating yourself up about not realizing I was your mate, and believe me, I remember how prickly you were in those days.” He combed his fingers through my hair. “But we had a lot of fun together back then, and I knew someday I’d get to have that all the time.”
He clasped the back of my head and tugged me forward for a kiss. “And now someday is here and you’re mine.” He nipped my chin and then faced forward and turned on the car. “Let’s get going before my uncle and my father pull those curtains off the rods.”
Jerking my gaze toward Dennis’s house, I said, “Your father was there?”
“I’m pretty sure he was, yeah.”
“How do you know? His scent was all around, but that doesn’t mean he was there today. It could be that he’s spent a lot of time there.”
“It wasn’t because of his scent,” Korban said as he pulled away from the curb. “Like you said, my father is there so much it’s impossible to know from the scent outside if he’s inside. But from the way my uncle was acting all twitchy and nervous, I’d bet a pretty penny my father was in the house listening to our entire conversation or waiting for Dennis to come report every word.”
After giving myself a moment to feel proud that I’d been right about Dennis acting nervous, I refocused on the conversation.
“Do you think that means your father isn’t as injured as everyone was led to believe?”
“Huh.” Korban flicked his gaze toward me and then back to the road. “I hadn’t thought of that. It isn’t like my father to admit to any sort of weakness, though, so I don’t know why he’d pretend to be ill.”
“Hmm.” I considered what would lead a proud-to-the-point-of-arrogant man who relished power more than anything else to fake being powerless. “Your uncle mentioned something about expecting your body to be delivered. He said your father told him that’s what would happen.”
“Right.”
“He also said you were pretending to be my mate in exchange for your life.”
Korban scoffed. “He’s a fool if he thinks you’d do something like that. Anyone who knows anything about you knows you’re honorable and by the book. Besides, what would be the point?”
My heart warmed at my mate’s praise. Of all the reasons his uncle’s accusation made no sense, he focused on my good character as the main point. I gazed at Korban’s handsome profile—his defined cheekbones, straight nose, freckle-smattered ivory skin, and plump lips. The man looked like an angel, all innocence and light. With what I’d just learned about his family, his upbringing, and his struggles, I was in awe of his ability to maintain that sweetness and joy. He was remarkable.
“Korban?” I said hoarsely, my throat thick with emotion.
“Uh-huh.”
“I love you.”
Jerking his gaze toward me, he opened his mouth in surprise and then turned back to the road and smiled. “I love you too. And wow.”
“Wow?”
“Samuel Goodwin just told me he loved me in broad daylight with his clothes on and no orgasm in sight.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Wow.”
Had I only shared my feelings for him when we’d been in bed? I would do better.
When I was younger and my mother had forced me to sit and listen to her advice about courting girls, there had been firm suggestions about using words and giving praise. I had done my best to be patient while she spoke without actually listening to anything she said because I had been so uncomfortable, but maybe if I focused I could recall some of it. If not, I was certain she’d be willing to tell me if I asked again. It’d be shameful to admit I didn’t know how to treat my mate, but the alternative was not giving him everything he deserved, and that was unacceptable.
“Stop doing that thing where you beat yourself up for no reason,” he said, reaching over to rub my arm with one hand, keeping the other on the wheel. “We’ve known each other most of our lives, but our mating is very new and we’ve spent almost all our time together with our pants off. So, really, outside of this little excursion, you’d be hard-pressed to find more than a few combined minutes when we weren’t about to get off, getting off, or recovering from having gotten off.”
I had no idea how to react to his crude language. Or why it had my cock filling.
“You’re blushing right now, aren’t you?” he said.
And now my mate was teasing me again. If I didn’t enjoy it so much, I’d definitely put a stop to it. “Keep your eyes on the road,” I grumbled.
Throwing his head back, he laughed. “Okay, okay. Just tell me this.”
His tone alone was enough to put me on guard. I knew he was up to no good.
“Are your cheeks the only place blood is flowing, or is it also moving south?”
