He scrunched up his face, half considering letting her go to her shop after all. But that wouldn’t change anything. Maybe if he showed her around, she would see his way of thinking.
Right.
Chapter Fifteen
Melinda sat on her hands as Keegan drove. The drive to Sojourn would take almost half an hour.
“You’re nervous,” Keegan said.
“A little. I don’t want to pick a fight with you twelve hours after mating.”
“I appreciate that.” He glanced at her, smiling. “Look, this is my job. It’s what I do. It won’t always be this particular site, however. And I wouldn’t ask you to go with me if it weren’t important. You were the one who insisted something felt off. You should be glad I’m open minded enough to bring you with me and see what it leads to.”
She looked out the window, watching the world go by, seeing nothing. “I am.” There was a war of emotions going on inside her. On the one hand, she was glad Keegan was trying to take her seriously. On the other hand, she didn’t want to go anywhere near the casino project or its developers.
They hardly spoke during the rest of the drive. An amazing feat for two people who just fucked more times than she could easily count.
She stared out the window as Keegan jumped down from his truck and rounded the hood.
The air caught in her lungs as she looked around at all the employees working in the area. She couldn’t do this. She didn’t have the brave, fake face she needed to put on in order to pretend she was who Keegan needed her to be—his sweet loving mate. No part of her screamed sweet and loving in the vicinity of this casino.
And she wasn’t accustomed to doing “fake.”
He opened her door and reached for her.
She brushed him off, crossing her arms. “Might be better if I wait here. I can get plenty of vibes from the car, and it will keep us from arguing.” Now that they’d arrived she was even more concerned about losing her cool. She didn’t think she could descend from this truck and traipse around the framework of this monstrosity without sticking her foot in her mouth.
He furrowed his brow. “That’s crazy, Melinda. It’s going to be a long day. And it’s too hot. Besides, half the reason I brought you is because I want you with me.”
“Why? So you can point out the merits of destroying this beautiful land all day? No thanks, Keegan.” She was being overly harsh, she knew that. It wasn’t his fault he’d been working somewhere she didn’t approve of when they met. And, he had a point. She couldn’t sit there in the truck. She wished she didn’t have to play nice. His friends were in for a rude introduction—literally. How many mates started World War III the morning after the claiming?
Surely not many.
And the worst part? She was horny from sitting in the cab with him for the last half hour.
Frustrated beyond belief both sexually and emotionally. It was like a war going on in her head between her environmental stand and her libido. She couldn’t win if she tried.
At least they were in public now, so she wouldn’t have to worry about having sex with the man she currently wanted to scream at.
“Melinda, honey…” He set a hand on her thigh.
“Scoot back. I can get out of a truck without help.” She immediately winced.
He looked like he’d been verbally slapped.
And he had. But he stepped back as she climbed down from the cab.
She avoided his gaze, hoping they wouldn’t have to spar right then. She didn’t think she could take fighting with him. What she really wanted to do was remain mute the entire day and leave this subject for some other time.
Apparently that wasn’t on Keegan’s agenda. In fact, he stepped into her space as he shut the truck door, pinned her to the warm metal at her back, and set a hand on both sides of her head. “Look at me, hon.”
She lifted her gaze, pretending to squint even though the sun wasn’t directly in her eyes. She tried to look bored.
“You’re my mate. I know we don’t see eye-to-eye on this project, but please do me a favor and keep that to yourself this morning. Try to be cordial to my men. I’ll be the laughing stock of the job if they catch wind that my woman doesn’t agree with my beliefs.”
She narrowed her eyes further, this time for real. “Keegan, step back. You’re crowding me with your insults.”
“Melinda.” He moaned around her name. “Hon, I’m not trying to be a jackass.”
“Good to know how little effort it takes. At least now I know it comes naturally.” She shoved his chest, mostly to get his scent out of her face. If she breathed in one more whiff of him, she would lose all her resolve and haul him close for a kiss instead of pushing him away.