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“No, I don’t wear cologne, but I’m glad you approve. I think you smell amazing too.”
Who just naturally smells like this?
He circles around in front of me, and my breath halts as I’m face to face with him again. “I’m sorry for the unconventional method of getting you here today, but it’s important that we talk about our future.”
“Who says we have one?”
He crosses his arms. “I do.”
“I don’t appreciate being deceived again.”
His jaw ticks and his biceps visibly tighten. “We were on the same page last night, Olivia. What happened? Was it him? Did he get to you and convince you not to see me?”
“Are you kidding me?” I say with a laugh. “Colin knows absolutely nothing about this. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to come here today. The guilt about what we’ve done is eating me alive.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty. He doesn’t deserve you, Olivia.”
“That’s beside the point. Whether he deserves me or not, I haven’t ended things with him, and I’m doing all this behind his back. It isn’t right, Ethan.”
His masculinity invades my space, and he takes my upper arms in his powerful hands. “No, what’s not right is that we aren’t already together right fucking now. You can keep denying it, but you’re wasting your time. You’re mine, Olivia. You’ll never belong to another man again.”
I tug myself out of his grip. “Excuse me, but I don’tbelongto anyone. I’m not your fucking property.”
“Is that what’s bothering you? The fact that I tell you that you’re mine? Well, baby…I’m yours too. I’m all fucking yours. I’ve been yours since I laid eyes on you. You’re my mate, and like I told you last night, when you’re mine, everyone will know it. I’ve been considerate when it comes to Burke, but my patience is wearing thin. It’s time that he knows it too.”
I can’t contain my sarcastic laughter. “You’ve been considerate? And, patient? Oh, please. Give me a fucking break.”
He closes in on me again, threading his hands in the back of my hair. “Yes, Olivia. I’ve been very patient.” He leans his forehead against mine and I swallow hard. “We’re done pretending. It’s time to talk about our future.”
As much as I try to tell myself I shouldn’t be doing this, I don’t want to pull away. I’m overwhelmed by his clean, crisp scent again. Every time I’m close to him, I can’t get enough. I know I have to back away before I completely lose myself in him.
He nods toward the living room. “Let’s sit. Can I get you something to drink? Glass of wine maybe?”
No alcohol, for crying out loud.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”
He pulls an ottoman over and sits in front of me where I’m sitting on his leather couch. Nick and Chloe move across the large open room to the kitchen island to give us some privacy. He takes my hands in his, looking directly into my eyes. “I know this has been a shock for you.”
I’m lost in his piercing eyes, and my body is relaxing inch by inch, beginning with my hands. “Yeah, shocking would be an understatement.”
“It’s time to accept what’s happening here, Olivia. Your life is with me now.”
“How can you possibly know we’re meant to be together? I feel like that’s something you could say to anyone.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I’m not saying it to just anyone. I’m saying it to you. If I wanted to choose someone at random and call them my mate, I would have done it long before now. I just know.”
“What if you’re wrong? What if it’s just a strong attraction?”
“I’m not wrong.” He shakes his head. His eyes are intense, and his hands tighten around mine. “We can use many of our senses as a wolf would. When I got close enough to take in your scent, there was no question in my mind I’d met my mate. I could sense your heart rate and feel the tingling of your skin.”
“You knew by smelling me?” I ask with a frown. “Okay, that’s weird.”
He chuckles with a nod. “I know that must seem odd to you, but in our society, it’s very normal.” He traces circles on my hands with his thumbs. “Olivia, you can’t deny you feel something for me.”
“I’m not denying it. I have an insanely strong attraction to you, but I’m not convinced it’s fate. I’m not ready to say I’m willing to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't know what kind of commitment I can give you, if any. I know nothing about this life, and I don’t know if I can be who you need me to be.”
“You’re already exactly who I need you to be.” He stares into my eyes for several seconds again. My heart flutters in my chest. “I already know I love you, Olivia. I don’t expect you to know you love me yet, but I can tell you have feelings for me, and these feelings will only strengthen once we complete the mate bond. Be with me. Let me take care of you.”
