Page 39 of Sigma
He says nothing. He stares at the floor.
“Get washed up everywhere…” I add.
He swallows and rolls his eyes like he finds me annoying. But I know different.
“Everywhere,” I drawl.
Nothing.
“You put that cold river between us after you mated me. Because he hates the water? Or hates cold water?”
“I was trying to buy you time, figuring a swim would slow it down.”
“He wouldn’t get in the water to go after the council alphas either. He either can’t swim, is afraid of water, or hates it enough he won’t go into it even if he’s acting rabid, wanting to attack.”
He doesn’t know this about his own wolf, which is so strange. I can’t imagine being disconnected from mine.
“How about if we run a little experiment?” I try.
He’s frowning.
I wait.
Finally, he answers, “I’m not taking a chance with your life.”
“What did my father say to you?”
He flexes his jaw, not answering.
I wait.
Nothing.
I shrug. “A shower sounds heavenly, actually, so I’m gonna go take one now. Maybe you wanna put that mask on and join me. I’ll take the guns Linc left me. If you shift, you can’t bite me with that thing on your face. I’ll zap you, call the alpha and beta that are stationed just two minutes away and then they can come drag your wolf back out here and put the restraints back on.”
Not only is his heart beating faster, I eyeball his crotch and see a prominent dick print in his sweatpants. I bite my lip, keeping my eyes pointed there. He wants this. I know it; I feel it. And I want him to know I want it, too.
And now I’m wet, and I’m sure he knows it. He’s going to fuck me. He’s going to fuck me, and I’ll be pinned under his weight, feeling that knot again. Yeah. I’ve just made myself wetter.
I’m so fucking glad I get an alpha, get the knot. Because it’s the thing girls like me dream of having and the reality is even better than the fantasy.
He flexes his fingers before balling both hands into fists before he grabs the leather mask and puts it on.
A long moment of watching and listening to him deep-breathe passes before I walk away, leaving the door open and adding extra swish to my walk.
***
I lather up my hair and scrub my body everywhere, frantically, my heart beating hard with excitement. I’m feeling certain he’ll come in here, so I want to be clean and free of suds. He’ll come in and we can have what we both need. It’s a small shower, but we can start it here and take it to the bed.
He’ll have that thing on his face so even if he shifts, he won’t be able to bite me. It’ll be okay. It’ll be okay, and it’ll be good. To touch him, feel him, hear him moan.
***
The water doesn’t take more than five minutes to run cold. And still, I wait another few minutes until my teeth are chattering.
He didn’t come in. He’s out there torturing himself instead.
After wrapping myself in a thick wine-colored towel and putting my hair in a matching one, I walk into the bedroom area and survey the laundry basket of clothes Ivy and Amie brought me. I stare at the bed. Jared’s bed. Did he lie here thinking about me once he knew I was his fated mate? Did he dream of me? Would he secretly enjoy that my scent is now on his new sheets?
