“You saved my wife and children, Valerie. And Leigh adores you. You’re family now.”
“Oh.” She stared at him nonplussed, wondering if he meant that.
“I mean it,” he said firmly. “Leigh has decided it’s so, so it’s so. She’d be disappointed if you didn’t become one of us and I won’t have her disappointed.”
Valerie scowled slightly. The last part sounded like a threat.
“As for Anders saying you could have time to decide,” Lucian continued. “What do you need time for? The nanos have paired you, you’re meant to be together.”
“You make it sound so simple,” she said wearily.
“It is simple. Don’t make it hard.”
“Great, the nanos paired us. But what about love?” she asked.
Lucian shifted impatiently. “Do you like him?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“Respect him?”
She nodded.
“Trust him?”
“Of course,” she said without hesitation.
Lucian nodded and said dryly, “I don’t need to ask if you want him sexually.”
Valerie flushed and raised her chin.
“All those things combined make up love,” Lucian assured her. “Whether you realize it or not, you already do love him.”
Valerie swallowed, knowing in her heart he was right. She bit her lip, and then blurted, “But does he love me?”
“Ah.” Lucian nodded. “So that’s the holdup, is it? He hasn’t said it yet.”
Valerie sighed and looked away, muttering, “When he asked me to be his life mate he went on about finding peace and being able to relax and be at peace. It was all peace, peace, peace,” she added with frustration and glanced to Lucian, eyes narrowing when she caught his lips twitching. If he laughed at her, she would—
“Don’t you feel at peace with him?” he asked, and then added, “When you’re not hot and bothered, I mean.”
“Well, yeah, but—”
“But you want to hear that he loves you,” Lucian said and shrugged. “I guess you’ll have to ask him then.”
“Ask him if he loves me?” she asked with dismay.
Lucian sighed with exasperation. “You took on Igor and staked him, saving yourself and six other women in the process—”
“Four,” she corrected unhappily. “Two died, remember.”
“And then,” he continued heavily, ignoring her interruption. “You took on Ambrose and saved my wife and unborn twins by crashing the van you were all in and repeatedly bashing the man over the head until help got there. You are not a coward, Valerie, so stop acting like one. Ask him. And when he says yes he loves you, I will personally oversee the turning and pay for the wedding.” On that note, he turned and strode toward the house.
Valerie stared after him with amazement, then turned and glanced at Igor, and back. “Hey! What about—?”
“Anders will watch him,” Lucian responded, not slowing.
Valerie glanced around just in time to see Anders coming around the garage. Lucian had heard him approaching, she realized.
“Most of it came out,” Anders said as he approached her. “I’ll take it home with me tonight and give it a quick sanding and repaint for Leigh. It should be fine.”
“We’re going to your place tonight?” she asked with surprise.
Anders lowered his hand to his side, the stake dangling from his fingers. Expression solemn, he said, “I am. But I think you should stay here. I think that’s probably best until you make your decision.”
Valerie frowned. “What do you mean?”
Anders grimaced and glanced away, “Well, I’ve been thinking that life mate sex is pretty mind-blowing and addictive.”
“I’ve noticed,” she admitted wryly, bending slightly to pat Roxy, who had been lying down beside her, but now stood and pressed against her leg.
“That being the case,” he continued gently, “I thought perhaps it might be best if we abstain until you’ve made your decision.”
Valerie straightened slowly to stare at him. “Abstain?”
“Yes,” he said solemnly, and then added, “You need to have a clear head to make a decision as big as this and constantly being bombarded with pleasure, your body and mind crying out with it . . . well, it will just muddy your thinking and delay your decision.”
Valerie frowned. “But—”
“It’s for the best,” he added solemnly.
Valerie narrowed her eyes. “How long are we supposed to abstain?”
“Like I said, until you’ve made your decision,” Anders answered.