Page 64 of Never Flirt with a Dragon
“Just tell me the truth—you don’t want the bond,” I said.
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“I don’t think it is. I heard your friend offer you his condolences on the balcony.”
“He shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why not? What’s the point in dancing around the truth?”
“Being considerate isn’t dancing around the truth. He should have considered your feelings.” Jasper’s voice was lowering and getting more gravelly as the conversation went on.
“He didn’t know I was listening.”
“He should’ve considered my feelings, then. I don’t need his condolences.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want a mate bond, but I do want you. The thought of watching you walk away from me, or into another man’s arms, makes me lose control.”
“That’s because of the bond.”
“It’s because you’re mine. And you were mine before heat ever started.”
He’d brought it up again.
The thing about watching me during the wedding.
Though part of me wanted to shut up and let it go, I was too frustrated by the knowledge that he was probably lying to me about it. I wasn’t one for starting fights, but I could stand up for myself when there was no other option. Growing up with a twin sister as strong-willed as Vi had forced me to learn that.
“I never caught you staring at me, and I looked at you pretty frequently. If you were really attracted to me before heat started, I would’ve noticed.”
He finally turned toward me, abandoning his pancakes though his spatula was still in his hand. “You don’t believe me?”
“Not really.”
“I don’t lie, Miranda.”
I didn’t know him well enough to believe that.
He must’ve seen it in his expression, because his jaw clenched. He worked it back and forth before he finally turned his back to me.
A moment of silence passed before he said, “You tripped when you stepped up beside Vi during the ceremony. She caught you, and you laughed quietly together. Everyone else was staring at Elodie; I was watching you.”
I swallowed roughly.
He and his brothers had been standing across from us, seeing as they were the groomsmen. He could’ve noticed that from the corner of his eye.
“You had four glasses of wine. Made five trips to the food table. Liked the vanilla macarons more than any other flavors. I tried them, by the way, and wasn’t impressed.”
“They were amazing,” I protested weakly.
I’d eaten at least a dozen of them. Eating had kept me from having to participate in Vi and Eli’s disagreements.
“You ate twenty-three of them. I saw nearly every bite.”
Shit.
“You danced twice. Talked with Elodie’s family for a few minutes. Hugged her parents. It took a lot of effort to stay in my seat when her dad’s arms were around you, though it only lasted a few seconds.”
