Tave Part 3 by Erin Tate Page A

her need for him rose hot and fast, her body preparing for him between one heartbeat and the next. Her blood heated with his nearness. Her nipples hardened, and her pussy grew heavy and ached for his touch, for his length.
    Of course, that growing ball of craving had to be popped before they could go past kissing. Someone nearby coughed, the sound deliberate.
    Tave lifted his head with a low growl, turned his attention toward her bedroom door, and she followed the path of his gaze. He snapped out a single word. “What?”
    His mother— dam —stood framed in the doorway, her face impassive, though a hint of happiness filled her eyes. “We’re ready when you are.”
    With that, his dam disappeared down the hallway and Rina refocused her attention on her mate. Because he was her mate. She’d experienced their connection, embraced it, and couldn’t wait to bind themselves to each other.
    “Tave?”
    “Come. We are gathered in the living area. We have decisions to make.” He stepped away from her, heading toward the room’s exit, only to pause just before they entered the hallway. “Everything is at your desire. I do not want you to feel pressured no matter what others say, Rina. Everything is your choice and nothing you decide will change my feelings for you or alter my desire to claim you as mine. You must understand this.”
    Rina nodded—what else could she do—and he must have taken that as permission to continue. They strode toward the living room and she realized several people were in her home. How long had they been inside while she slept blissfully ignorant in her room?
    Her mom was resting on the love seat, Tave’s dam at her side. The head of PR was in another chair, and Vados and Niax stood guard near the front door. A glance toward the back of the house revealed two other guards stationed there.
    “Rina.” Her mom rose from the couch and then rushed forward to give her a hug. “How are you?”
    She frowned. “Uh, fine? Or I’ll be fine once I know how bad it is and what we’re gonna do to limit the damage.”
    Her mate’s objection was immediate. “There is no damage because our mating is nothing to regret or be afraid of.”
    “My son…” His mother sighed.
    “No. I refuse to placate or play to the media. If they do not like my choice of mate, the Ujal shall leave Earth and let them destroy themselves as was their objective so many decades ago.” His tone was unyielding—firm—and she had to admit that it was pretty damned hot.
    His plan had a lot of flaws, but his passion was sexy as hell.
    “Tave,” she whispered his name, drawing his attention. “Relax. Let’s sit down and discuss this.”
    She knew he didn’t want to. It was in his eyes, the lines of his body, but he finally nodded. “Fine.” He tugged her toward the couch, but instead of allowing her to sit beside him, he pulled her onto his lap. “I will discuss this, but it shall be with you in my arms. It will keep me from hunting down the males who caused these problems.”
    Rina listened patiently, as her boss laid out the issues, handing over copies of the images and the accompanying articles that seemed to inflame the protest groups.
    Once she’d heard it all, she spoke. “So, it boils down to these pictures hitting the press and celeb sites, which has the anti-Ujal groups up in arms. How are we doing with the equality sectors?”
    “Good. Better.”
    Rina raised her eyebrows. All business. “And our statement?”
    When Rina received a copy of the statement, she scanned it quickly. It was clouded and colored with thoughts of her relationship with Tave. “I want to personalize it a little more, add some emotive sentences that will bring us closer to a ‘couple in love and couldn’t help it’ type of scenario.”
    She ignored his stiffening and wondered if she’d made assumptions she shouldn’t have. Of course she did. It wasn’t like they were in love after a day. Or were they? Because Ujal mates had that