you.”
She pulled her hands free. He sensed irritation and unrest from her as she walked away from him. He gave her a moment to cool off while he put his shoes on.
“ I don't get you, Simon,” she said as she faced him. “You get upset if another man touches me and then you ditch me with two horny guys at your family barbeque. You avoid me for days and now you say you missed me and think about me all the time. What is wrong with you? Are you just playing with me? Because if you are…”
“ Absolutely not. I’ve had issues that until now I couldn’t control. I was sick, okay? Until the day you walked into Cade’s house, I was nothing, simply existing. I got up, I ate, I worked, and I went to bed. Now… I want more, you make me want more.”
“What kind of issues?” she asked quietly.
He ground his teeth in anger, wishing he could tell her the truth and have her believe it. But he couldn't. Not yet. “Someday I’ll tell you all about it. But right now, I think we should see Cade and Anna.”
He held the screen door open for her to precede him onto the deck, and then slid his palm down her arm to grasp her hand.
She stiffened for a second as she gazed at his face before looking away. Even though she obviously wanted him, she seemed uncomfortable with caresses and touching. I’ll have to delve into my mate’s past, learn her secrets, and rid her of these physical uncertainties. At least she hasn’t pulled her hand away, he thought.
The two houses were on the same section of the plantation, just acres from each other. Too soon he released her hand to hold the door for her.
“Anna, we’re here,” Rose announced . Billiar d balls cracking greeted them so they headed for the game room.
“Hi , guys,” Anna said cheerfully as Cade growled at the solid that slipped into the side pocket. “Why, thank you, honey.” She kissed his cheek as she passed him.
“I take it, you’re stripes?” Simon asked .
“Yeah, Cade is getting his ass kicked by a girl,” Stefan laughed.
“Oh, shut up.” Cade snapped at him.
They all burst out laughing at his surly behavior over losing to his mate.
Anna polished off the eight ball and put her cue in the rack. “How are you feeling, Simon?”
“I feel amazing! I can’t thank you enough.”
“I’m still unclear about what illness you had,” Rose chimed in.
Anna jumped in to cover for the men. “Sorry , Rose, that’s kind of a private matter.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” She looked mortified by her question.
“It’s okay, cher. I’ll explain it one day soon,” Simon said, taking her hand, his wolf wanting to sooth her as much as the man did.
“Thank you , Simon.” Rose stretched on tiptoes and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. As she pulled back, she saw the way he savored it.
He picked her hand up and brought it to his lips, and placed a hungry kiss on her knuckles.
Rose glanced at the clock above the mantel. “I have some things I need to do in my room, so I ’m going to call it a night. I’m glad you’re feeling better, Simon. Goodnight everyone.” She made a hasty exit to the safety of her bedroom.
Simon frowned as he watched her leave. “What the hell did I do now?” he asked Anna.
She shook her head and patted the couch cushion next to her. “You need to understand a few things about her.”
The men gathered around Anna and waited for her to continue.
“She ’s had a rough life. Her parents died when she was so young, she doesn’t remember them. During her years in foster care, well, let’s just say she had some horrifying experiences. She doesn’t trust men easily and hasn’t had many relationships. I won’t tell tales out of school, those are her stories to tell when she’s ready. Just be patient with her and she’ll come around as far as the physical aspects. She already desires you and has feelings for you. She hasn’t had a lot of self-esteem until recently, you seem to have changed her
She pulled her hands free. He sensed irritation and unrest from her as she walked away from him. He gave her a moment to cool off while he put his shoes on.
“ I don't get you, Simon,” she said as she faced him. “You get upset if another man touches me and then you ditch me with two horny guys at your family barbeque. You avoid me for days and now you say you missed me and think about me all the time. What is wrong with you? Are you just playing with me? Because if you are…”
“ Absolutely not. I’ve had issues that until now I couldn’t control. I was sick, okay? Until the day you walked into Cade’s house, I was nothing, simply existing. I got up, I ate, I worked, and I went to bed. Now… I want more, you make me want more.”
“What kind of issues?” she asked quietly.
He ground his teeth in anger, wishing he could tell her the truth and have her believe it. But he couldn't. Not yet. “Someday I’ll tell you all about it. But right now, I think we should see Cade and Anna.”
He held the screen door open for her to precede him onto the deck, and then slid his palm down her arm to grasp her hand.
She stiffened for a second as she gazed at his face before looking away. Even though she obviously wanted him, she seemed uncomfortable with caresses and touching. I’ll have to delve into my mate’s past, learn her secrets, and rid her of these physical uncertainties. At least she hasn’t pulled her hand away, he thought.
The two houses were on the same section of the plantation, just acres from each other. Too soon he released her hand to hold the door for her.
“Anna, we’re here,” Rose announced . Billiar d balls cracking greeted them so they headed for the game room.
“Hi , guys,” Anna said cheerfully as Cade growled at the solid that slipped into the side pocket. “Why, thank you, honey.” She kissed his cheek as she passed him.
“I take it, you’re stripes?” Simon asked .
“Yeah, Cade is getting his ass kicked by a girl,” Stefan laughed.
“Oh, shut up.” Cade snapped at him.
They all burst out laughing at his surly behavior over losing to his mate.
Anna polished off the eight ball and put her cue in the rack. “How are you feeling, Simon?”
“I feel amazing! I can’t thank you enough.”
“I’m still unclear about what illness you had,” Rose chimed in.
Anna jumped in to cover for the men. “Sorry , Rose, that’s kind of a private matter.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” She looked mortified by her question.
“It’s okay, cher. I’ll explain it one day soon,” Simon said, taking her hand, his wolf wanting to sooth her as much as the man did.
“Thank you , Simon.” Rose stretched on tiptoes and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. As she pulled back, she saw the way he savored it.
He picked her hand up and brought it to his lips, and placed a hungry kiss on her knuckles.
Rose glanced at the clock above the mantel. “I have some things I need to do in my room, so I ’m going to call it a night. I’m glad you’re feeling better, Simon. Goodnight everyone.” She made a hasty exit to the safety of her bedroom.
Simon frowned as he watched her leave. “What the hell did I do now?” he asked Anna.
She shook her head and patted the couch cushion next to her. “You need to understand a few things about her.”
The men gathered around Anna and waited for her to continue.
“She ’s had a rough life. Her parents died when she was so young, she doesn’t remember them. During her years in foster care, well, let’s just say she had some horrifying experiences. She doesn’t trust men easily and hasn’t had many relationships. I won’t tell tales out of school, those are her stories to tell when she’s ready. Just be patient with her and she’ll come around as far as the physical aspects. She already desires you and has feelings for you. She hasn’t had a lot of self-esteem until recently, you seem to have changed her
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