“It was no problem at all.” Unless you count the fact that your daughter is my mate as a problem since I’m twice her age.
The dark-haired man reached out a hand. “Todd Davis. You probably don’t remember who I am.” He grinned and stepped aside to force his daughter to the forefront. “And you’ve met Kathleen.”
Gabe nodded at her. She stood with her lips pursed together, her gaze not quite reaching his. Was she holding her breath? Hmm.
Todd began to ramble about medicine and the economy. Gabe nodded appropriately while keeping half an eye on his mate as she attempted to stand still next to her father.
He almost chuckled when she crossed her legs and squeezed them together. The girl was not unaffected. She might not know she was fated to be his, but she did show signs that her body was reacting to his presence. How had he not noticed this earlier?
Because you were too concerned with your own cock to notice what was happening to your mate’s precious pussy.
When Kathleen twisted her head behind her to take a breath, he knew. She squirmed in discomfort. Todd welcomed another man into the conversation and introduced him to Gabe. Gabe flicked his gaze toward Kathleen and let it land on her chest. Her nipples were pebbled under the thin sundress and what must have been an equally thin bra.
He didn’t realize how long he’d been staring until she gasped and folded her arms across her chest.
He smirked and glanced back at the men. Let her squirm. He was enjoying her plight so much it overshadowed his need to flee the room and give her time and space—like five years and two states. Ugh.
How long had it been since he’d made a woman squirm with just his stare alone? He shook the thought from his mind and stood taller, straightening his facial expression. Stop it, Gabe. She’s too young for this line of thinking.
Eventually, Kathleen squeezed her father’s arm, leaned up on tiptoes to whisper in his ear, and fled the room as though she were late for someplace she just remembered she had to be.
Gabe counted slowly to five to keep from being obvious and then casually excused himself from the conversation he’d not paid one moment’s attention to and followed his tiny sprite out of the room.
Her scent lingered in the hall, making it easy for him to choose heading left. Only a few people meandered in the entryway. Several nodded at him, but he paid them little attention.
Why on earth was he following Kathleen? He needed to stop this madness and leave her alone.
Hell, she was probably in the restroom and if she knew what was best for her, she’d stay there and not come back out.
Except Gabe was currently ruled by his cock instead of his big head and he had no intention of letting her escape him again this evening.
If she knew she was meant to be claimed by him, he wanted to confront her on that now. No sense spending several years staring at her from the sidelines if she was already privy to the notion. Might as well get the initial confrontation over with and assure her he intended to be a gentleman while she finished high school.
He doubted he could wait much longer than that since his heart was pounding out of his chest, his palms were sweating, and his dick was leaking precum inside his pants. His demise was worsening by the minute, and he was perpetuating the state with his insistence on following his tender mate.
That thought made him moan inside. Gabriel Albertson was no ordinary lover. He was a Dom. Had been for years. Early in medical school he’d met a woman who was submissive in every way. He’d learned quickly that he loved ruling her, commanding her, making her beg for his touch. He’d never go back to vanilla again.
And now? Holy shit. Kathleen Davis was a sweet innocent girl. Even in a few years she wouldn’t be ready for his kind of dominance. The simple commands he placed on her in the den had flustered her. She’d smelled of arousal though. Did she have a submissive bone in her? Only time would tell.
Gabe leaned casually against the wall around the corner from the bathroom, pretending to check messages on his phone. He didn’t even know if the device was upside down or not. Nor did he care.
Since no one was looking, he adjusted his cock and squeezed it tight for a moment. He needed to come so bad, he wished he could stop time for a few minutes and hold the rest of the planet in limbo so he could jerk off without moving from his position in the hall.
With his eyes closed for a brief moment of respite, he was startled by the small voice that interrupted him. “Are you following me?”
He whipped his gaze toward Kathleen and smiled. “I . . . Yes.” No sense lying to her. That was no way to start their lives together.
“And why would that be? Are you still worried about Marcus? ’Cause I heard he left with his parents.” She tipped her head to one side, but her smile was coy. She was teasing him.