Page 21 of Monster Mate

She’d heard stories about some women and their monster fetishes. But she was sitting right there! Didn’t they have enough self-esteem to not throw themselves at a man who was actively ignoring them?

A man who was clearly hers?

That thought cooled her boiling blood just a smidge. When had she started thinking of Riordan as hers? One hot kiss and a little finger banging didn’t mean she was ready to settle into a relationship.

She still didn’t totally buy into the whole fated mates thing. And she’d meant what she said about not wanting a commitment. In her experience, relationships generally ended with her filing a restraining order.

So why was she sitting here, ready to beat the ever-loving shit out of a couple of women for daring to look at her man?

Deep down, she knew the answer. She just hadn’t wanted to think about it until now. Even though she was still struggling to accept it, her brain had screamed mine at him the second he’d comforted her outside that hospital.

It helped that he was the most respectful man she’d ever known, and he hadn’t so much as glanced at anyone else since they’d walked into the diner.

Him saving her life (and Winston’s and Waldo’s) was also a plus.

But what really sealed the deal was the fact that he’d seen her at her worst, falling apart, broken and beaten, and he’d lent her his strength. That proved he didn’t just want to take care of her like a rescue dog from the shelter. He wasn’t looking for a shiny trophy wife. He wanted to be her partner.

She’d never had a partner in life before.

And then there was that kiss…

No one had ever kissed her like that. Like he could only breathe her air, and if he didn’t, he’d die. Like kissing her was the only thing he had to do in the world, and if he died doing it, he’d die happily.

She’d felt it, too. She wasn’t ready to admit it aloud, but she could admit to herself that when she kissed him, she felt…complete. As if a little piece of her soul had been missing her whole life, and the only time she got it back was when she was connected to him.

Roxie had never felt so conflicted. Her brain was telling her that Riordan was a stranger. He was a demon who used to reap souls, he was a billionaire, and he thought she was his fated mate. That’s all she really knew.

Other than the fact that he was really, really good with his hands. And mouth. And tail. Ahem.

But still…it would be stupid and reckless to let herself trust what she was feeling for him, mind-blowing orgasm or not.

Frankly, she wasn’t used to having so many feelings. She’d pushed people away for so long it felt unnatural to share anything with anyone. But she wanted to. She wanted to share everything with Riordan.

And that scared the shit out of her.

So, she was sitting here, eating a bacon double cheeseburger and onion rings, hoping that if she stuffed her feelings down and buried them under thousands of calories, she’d eventually forget how much she wanted Riordan.

The plan was failing miserably so far. Especially since she could still feel his skin under her fingertips and taste him on her tongue if she thought about it hard enough.

But on the flip side, she’d never felt better about herself, and that was thanks to him, too. There had always been a small, dark corner of her brain that thought she must be damaged on a soul-deep level. Why else would both her parents and so many foster families abandon her?

Riordan had put that fear to bed once and for all. His confirmation that her soul was fine and intact—bright and virtuous, even—had given her a kind of peace she’d never known.

If only she could kick her fear of intimacy in the ass, she could be having so much more fun right now.

Riordan took another bite of his own cheeseburger before turning his attention back to the list Winston had given him. “We managed to find everything on the list, except this one item,” he said, pointing to something on the middle of the page. “I’m not sure I’m reading that correctly.”

Roxie rolled her eyes when she saw what Winston had written down. “It says ‘weed’. We’re not getting him marijuana. He doesn’t have a prescription. He probably just wants to sell it, anyway. It was one of the reasons the nursing home was so willing to kick him out. I’m glad he asked for condoms, though. He got chlamydia four times at the nursing home.”

The look on Riordan’s face was priceless. She’d made the exact same horrified face when she’d first had to deliver Winston’s STI meds. Who knew that nursing homes were like an episode of Melrose Place? (And not the newer version. The old 90s one where everyone was banging everyone.)

After a long pause and a thousand-yard stare, Riordan cleared his throat and said, “Well, fine. In that case, we got everything he needed.”

“Thank you again for…all that.” Because seriously, at this stage in their acquaintance, he should not have to buy Winston boxer shorts, shaving cream, and Old Spice. Not to mention the old man black dress socks and sock garters. She shuddered.

He offered her a crooked grin that did things to her libido. Naughty, dirty things. Things that might be against the law in some states. “Winston is part of your family, so now, he’s part of mine. I’ll buy him whatever he wants. With your approval, of course,” he said, then glanced back at his list. “Now, I already bought Waldo some food, but what else does he need? A new leash? Bedding? Although, I think he was perfectly comfortable on the couch in the solarium. Maybe he doesn’t specifically need a dog bed? But I’m not sure. I’ve never had a dog before.”

And as he sat there, sounding excited to go buy stuff to make her dog more comfortable in his new home, after having just said he was willing to accept Winston—rude, uncouth, slovenly Winston—into his family, she realized something.

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