Shit. Friday. It was only Tuesday morning. How was I going to make it until damn Friday?
The rest of the week, I focused on learning about maintenance, construction, and anything I could get my hands on. I put all my energy into cramming as much knowledge into my head as I could and tried to keep my other head out of it.
It didn’t help one fucking bit. The week still crept by like a snail with a bad back. And every assignment we went on together was torture. The only upside was that Kara began letting me take on a few assignments on my own. That helped slightly.
When we worked together, I couldn’t stop myself from touching her. I tried to keep it light. I was ever aware that women didn’t always like men to be handsy. But Kara didn’t seem to mind when I brushed her wrist or put my hand on her shoulder. If I leaned in close to study some repair she’d made, I used the time wisely to bask in her delectable scent.
By the time Friday finally rolled around, I was nearly in a damn frenzy, and Kara’s unspoken clues told me she felt the same. Her heartbeat seemed permanently elevated and she’d begun touching me in the same ways I did her. A hand lightly ran across my back as she squeezed past me in a pantry as we repaired shelves. Her hand on my arm when she laughed at one of my jokes.
Small, seemingly insignificant movements that made my dick stand at half-mast all the time. My daily showers just weren’t cutting it anymore.
It was a glorious ache I couldn’t wait to relieve.
The thought of being mated still made me feel uneasy, but I wanted Kara on a primal level that I couldn’t deny if I tried.
We finished our last job of the day. Friday’s workload was pretty light, thankfully. As we packed up our tools and put them away at the shop, Kara cleared her throat. “I’ll see you later?”
“I’m really looking forward to it.” I smiled at her and had to remind myself we both needed time to freshen up before this happened. Neither of us would be as comfortable after a half-day of sweating and dirt.
She had a smudge of grease on her cheek that made me smile.
“What?” She shifted her beautiful eyes uncomfortably.
“You’re cute.”
Her blush was answer enough. “Oh, stop it. I’ll see you soon. Lock up for me.”
She practically ran from the room. I finished up and turned off the lights. As much as I was looking forward to tonight, something had me on edge.
Driving home, I went slow and dissected my feelings, trying to figure out why I wasn’t totally focused on the fun we were about to have.
You’re used to more excitement.
Valor’s words rang with a resonance of truth. This life, compared to how I used to live, was kind of boring.
I parked in the barn and trudged across the yard, listening for anyone inside. The house was totally silent. It was barely past lunchtime, so nobody expected me anyway.
As I walked up the stairs to my room, I had a moment of missing my old life. The excitement, the adrenaline. It was a head rush every day.
While I waited for the shower water to heat up, I thought about my old contacts. It wouldn’t have been too difficult to throw something together really quick. Pull off a quick get-rich-quick scheme on some wealthy woman. Maybe spend some time on a motorcycle, hitting bars all over the states.
Then Kara’s face flashed through my mind.
You’ve got something to lose now.
Mated or not mated, the last thing I wanted to do was let Kara down. Even if I managed to disappear for a week without my family suspecting, Kara would know something wasn’t right.
Guilt plagued me for even considering going back to my old ways.
You’re growing.
He was right again. A couple of months ago, I would’ve been gone before the plans were fully formed in my mind.
Hey. At least I was heading in the right direction, right?
I finished getting ready with a smile on my face. Shaving wasn’t as easy with a grin plastered to my lips, but I managed it with only one nick under my chin.
After the longest week of my life, it was finally showtime. I popped a strand of condoms in my pocket, adjusted my pants, and jaunted down the stairs to go find my mate.
Back and forth. Back and forth. Back, pause, and forth again.
The grin still on my face, I waited and listened to her being nervous as my hand remained poised to knock on Kara’s door, as it had been for the last five minutes. The anticipation was killing her, as it might’ve been me if I hadn’t found myself amused by her pacing when I arrived. What would she think when she saw the care I’d put into my appearance tonight? Was the rose too much?
Shaking my head, I finally let my hand fall in three quick raps. Kara’s footsteps stopped suddenly, then slowly approached the door. When it opened, I made sure to hold the rose out so that it was the first thing she saw. She gasped in surprise, an utterly delectable sound, her soft lips forming a perfect O as she plucked the rose from my fingers.
I took her in as she smiled, her eyes closed, nose buried in the fragrant flower. She was wearing—dear God—shorts. Small denim shorts and a green tank top that highlighted her eyes and made them glow. Her feet were bare, with dark pink toenails, and her golden-brown hair had been released from its usual ponytail, tumbling in loose waves that I longed to bury my hands in. The casual combo brought out her feminine beauty better than any expensive designer clothes could have.
Mine.
Valor surged us forward, and I went with him willingly, kicking the
