Hungry Like the Wolf(84)

“I love you.”

She held her breath, waiting for him to say something. And waited…and waited…and waited.

But Gage just stood there still as a statue, his face unreadable.

“Um, Sarg. I’m not real familiar with this part, but I think you’re supposed to say something,” Cooper said softly.

Gage still didn’t say anything. Instead, he took her hand and led her across the room toward his office. Before she had time to think, they were in his office and he’d closed the door behind them. He was standing so close to her that it was almost hard to breathe.

“Just like that?” he asked hoarsely. “You’re going to just spring that on me in front of everyone?”

Was he angry? Her stomach lurched at the thought. But she’d said it, and there was no taking it back. “I wanted to talk to you privately, but you wanted to talk right there in front of your pack, so I said it in front of them.”

He slipped a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “And were you telling the truth?”

Mac pulled away from his finger. He might be the injured party in this whole thing, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t hurting, too. And right now, his attitude was annoying. “Of course I was, but I doubt you’d believe me no matter what I said.”

He slipped his finger under her chin and very gently lifted her face up again. “Try me. Say it again—just to me.”

His eyes were glowing that deep gold-yellow they’d been back at the barn. It was hard to look into those eyes and not be drawn in. She licked her lips. It had almost been easier to say those words with a crowd around her. But it was impossible to be this close to him and not say what she felt.

“I love you,” she told him softly, not pulling away this time. “Is that so impossible to believe?”

“Impossible? No,” he murmured. “But surprising? Yes. Just a just a few hours ago, you were ready to expose my secret to the world. Now you’ve decided that you’re in love with me?”

Before dropping his finger, he let it trace down the line of her throat just a bit. She tried not to let herself shiver at his touch. She’d never expected to feel it again.

“Can I ask what brought on this epiphany?” he said.

“I’d like to claim that I figured it all out on my own, but to be honest, it was Zak.”

Gage frowned. “You told Zak about us?”

She took a step back so she could think straight. “That you and the rest of the SWAT team are werewolves? No. But I did tell him about you and me. It didn’t take him long to point out that I was destroying the best relationship I’ve ever had, with the only man I’ve ever loved.”

Gage smiled just a little, but it felt like the sun finally coming out after a really long rain. “Pretty perceptive…for a guy.”

“True,” she agreed. “He’s good at seeing the things I frequently miss, and he’s never afraid to tell me when I’m being stupid.”

Gage was the one to close the distance this time, and she sighed when she felt his big hands slide down her arms to pull her even closer. “So you love me, huh?”

She dropped her head. “I know you don’t have any reason to believe me, but it’s true.”

“I believe you.”

She looked up at him. “You do?”

He nodded. “I’d know if you were lying. When a person lies, their pulse races, their breath hitches, their muscles tense. They even release certain pheromones. You’re not doing any of that.”

She frowned. “You can smell if a person is lying?”

“Uh-huh. And hearing you say those words and knowing you aren’t lying…that means a lot.”

Her pulse kicked into high gear. “Does that mean you won’t be leaving?”

His mouth curved. “I suppose I don’t have a reason to leave now, do I?”

She shook her head, fresh tears forming in her eyes—the happy kind this time.

Gage searched her face, his yellow gaze bright. “Does it bother you when my eyes are like this?”

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak, afraid she’d say something wrong again and destroy everything.

“And is it hard for you to be this close to me—to have me touching you—knowing what I am?”

“No.” She gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m just glad you’re still willing to touch me.”

He pushed her hair back, gently cupping her face in his hand. “I never wanted to stop.”

Mac caught her lip between her teeth. As much as she loved hearing him say that, it only reminded her that even though they were standing close together, and even after all that had been said—the apologies and declarations of love—there was still a tremendous yawning chasm between them. There was one more leap of faith she’d need to take before they could completely close that gap. If she didn’t make the first move, he might always think she feared what he was.