Leaning his forehead against hers, he let out a sigh. “I’m too broken for you,” he said. “We shouldn’t do this. I’m a mons—”
“Stop saying that.” True anger bubbled in her. “And so that’s it?” She slid out of his grasp but didn’t back away. Instead she stood toe-to-toe with him. “You get to decide all this? What about what I want?”
“And what do you want?”
“I …” She took his hands in hers. “I want you, too, Damon. I’m not a shifter, I don’t have an animal inside me, but I do know I want you. I can feel it in my soul, you and me. This is how it’s supposed to be.”
“But I could hurt you.”
“You can’t.” Gripping his hands tighter, she pulled them to her lips and kissed his fingers. “I’m your mate, right? Why would your bear hurt me?”
He stiffened. “What do we do now?”
What indeed? “Why don’t you … walk me back to the diner? We don’t have to go out there,” she cocked her head toward the crowded Main Street, “but maybe we can just talk.”
“All right.” He took one of her hands and threaded it through his. “Lead the way.”
They walked hand in hand, through empty parking lots, making their way back to the diner.
“Anna Victoria … will you have dinner with me? Next week?” he asked.
Her heart fluttered in her chest. “Yes,” she agreed. “That would be nice.”
“There’s an Italian restaurant in town, or we could check out one of the newer places in South Blackstone,” he said.
“Will you be okay going out?” she asked, squeezing his hand.
“A restaurant on a weeknight should be fine,” he said. “Just … no clubs or crowded bars.”
“Whatever you decide will be fine,” she said. “Oh, here we are.” They arrived at the lot behind the diner. J.D. and the other girls were still sitting at the table, though there were more people with them now. Gabriel was there, but she also recognized Matthew Lennox, and the man beside him was definitely his twin.
“Anna Victoria!” J.D. waved at them. “What happened? You were gone so long and … Damon?” Her eyes practically popped out of their sockets when her gaze landed on their linked hands. “Guys?” She smirked at them. “Care to tell us what’s going on?”
Her cheeks warmed as several pairs of eyes fixed on them.
“It’s all right,” Damon began. “Anna Victoria is my mate.”
“You’re shitting me, right? She’s your mate?” J.D. exclaimed. “I had a feeling there was something special about her since you’ve never shown an interest in any female in forever, but I didn’t think it was that.”
“Congratulations, Damon,” Matthew said. “A mate and the bond is a special thing.” He looked at Catherine, his face completely lighting up.
Everyone offered their congratulations as well, including Gabriel. “Well, I’m glad it didn’t take you another week to get your head outta your ass,” he said, clapping him on the shoulder.
“Gabriel knew?” J.D. shot Damon a look of betrayal. “Before me?”
“I only found out about an hour ago,” the lion shifter said defensively. “And that was after I cornered him back at the station. So,” he turned to them. “What’s next?”
“Next?” Damon’s brows drew together.
“We’re going on a date next week,” Anna Victoria offered.
“I want it to be special,” Damon admitted.
“Next week?” J.D. tsked and shook her head. “What the hell are you waiting for? Spring?” She slapped Damon on the shoulder, then gestured around them, “This is a winter carnival. It’s snowing. They have hot drinks and sweet junk food you can feed each other while you canoodle. How much more special can you get?”
“Well, I—”
Gently, she turned them around and pushed them away from the picnic table. “Here. It’s your first date. Now, go and be romantic, make out in public until everyone around you is sick, and,” she winked at Anna Victoria, “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Which isn’t a whole lot, by the way.”
“J.D.,” Damon warned.
She rolled her eyes. “You guys deserve this. I won’t wait up.” She wiggled her eyebrows at Anna Victoria. “Now go.”
She looked up at him. “We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.”
And then he surprised her, as a smile lit up his face. It was a true, genuine one and sent her heart aflutter once again. “I want to.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on her palm. “There’s nothing else I want more.”
Chapter Nine
Damon couldn’t recall the last time he’d enjoyed himself. Or had been this happy. And he knew, it was because of Anna Victoria.
It wasn’t just because she was his mate, it was everything about her. The way her pansy-blue eyes sparkled when she laughed. Or how she gestured with her hands when she talked. Simply put, being around her made him happy.
The Demon, too, seemed content. In fact, except for a satisfied chuff here and there, it was mostly quiet, staying out of his way.
“Are you okay?” she asked, her face full of concern. “Is this too much? Do you want to move somewhere else?”
Since the crowds on Main Street were too much for him, they decided to go around the shops and stick to the less crowded backstreets. The library was located at the far end of Main Street and had fewer people, but they had kept the lights on so people could sit on the benches in front of the building. Anna Victoria had volunteered to get them food and drinks, insisting that he needed to stay and “save their prime spot” under one of the street lamps, but he knew it was her way of not making him feel bad about his anxiety in crowds.
“No, this is fine.” He reached over and plucked free a snowflake stuck between her lashes. “But you must be freezing.”
“Then keep me warm,” she said saucily.
He put his
