“I live here.”
“Oh, wow. That must be nice. Easiest commute ever.”
“I hate it.” She wagged her eyebrows and smiled. “This is not my thing. The entire… Never mind.”
He froze. What? What wasn’t her thing? Should he push her? He waited for her to say something else.
“Could we just sit right here? Maybe talk?” She fiddled with the hem of her sweater as she spoke.
“Of course. Anything you want.”
“What if I don’t want anything?”
That question was loaded. Proceed with care, Drake.
“You are a conundrum, my dear.”
She looked down at her lap. “Yeah, sorry.”
It was getting hot in the cab. Drake flipped on the air conditioning and glanced at the gas gauge. Good. Half a tank. That was plenty.
“I’ll start. Let’s see if I can read you correctly.” He waited a beat, but when she didn’t reject the idea, he continued. “You don’t like to come to these gatherings. I’m cool with that. I don’t either.”
She nodded.
“You are leery of men…”
She raised both eyebrows and tipped her head briefly to one side in agreement. “Well, not all men, just wolf men.”
“So, you don’t mind human men, but wolves… Those are scary?” He smiled. He didn’t feel it, and it didn’t match his light tone, but what the fuck?
She sighed. “I don’t want a mate. It’s barbaric. Old world. The entire mating dance is such a crock.”
Oh. This is worse than I thought. “Okay. So, you want a human man?”
She shrugged. “I want no man, really. But human ones are easier to deal with. They don’t need as much … maintenance, in my opinion.”
Whoa. I have my work cut out for me. Let the convincing begin. “Especially if they’re gay.” Fuck. I did not just say that.
She flinched and leaned back. “That was a low blow. Unnecessary and the perfect way to substantiate my point.”
“And what point is that?” Don’t get defensive, Drake. You’re treading on very thin ice on a steep mountain with a crest so far up you can’t even see it yet.
She grinned as though she’d gained one up on him. “That wolf men have only one thing on their mind. Fucking.”
Oh, God. This was getting worse. Right this minute, she was practically correct. He could hardly refute the need he had growing inside him. His cock had been rock hard since he’d bumped into her in the hall. Well, it might have shriveled a smidge at her declaration of detest, but only by a hair.
Choose your words carefully…
On the flip side, this mate of his may be in denial about their connection, at least verbally, but she was at least as aroused as he was, if not more. He could smell her pussy and repeatedly licked his lips in anticipation of the future when he would lick a path between her legs until she begged him to fuck her. Her words.
Eyes on the prize, man.
Instead of maintaining the banter that lead him down a path he would regret later, he decided to be serious and honest. But he’d drag her with him. “Okay. I can see you have reservations. That’s good. I wouldn’t want a mousy mate who followed me like a lost dog. I love your spunk and personality. Yes, I want you. There’s no denying that. My body reacted to yours two years ago even from a distance. And then again this morning in the hall. Sorry about knocking into you, by the way.”
She nodded.
“By now, I’m in a knot. My body has aligned itself with yours on every level possible with clothes on. However, I would never pressure you in any way. I will not force you to allow me to claim you. I respect women, especially female wolves, way more than any man you seem to have met in your life.”
She interrupted. “I never said I had any bad experiences—well except for that Marcus guy from the last gathering—I just don’t want to succumb to the absurdly barbaric idea that two wolves are destined to mate and can’t control their hormones when they meet, that’s all.”
“That’s all? Honey, that’s the entire package. It truly is that simple.”
She looked out the window, shutting him out.
“I didn’t believe it myself until about an hour ago, but there’s no refuting it now. And you can’t deny it, either. You’re so aroused you can’t sit still. I can smell you from here. Your pussy is soaking your panties right now. Right?”
She gasped and scooted closer to the door. She was going to bolt.
Fuck. If he could just shut up.
He lowered his voice. “Please don’t run. Just … stay. Talk to me. I’m not that bad a guy. Contrary to what my lips may be demonstrating right now.” He tried for lighter, witty.