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Only he wasn’t mine, and I needed to stop allowing my brain to wander to scenarios where he was.
I shook my head. “I already had my cup for the day.”
His brow furrowed. “Just one?”
“That’s all I need. How much do you drink?” The way his eyes went wide, I was anticipated double digits. Or maybe instead of measuring in actual serving sizes and to be fair, by that model, I had about triple the amount I stated, he’s say a bit.
By that standard I had more, too. Not my fault I got a huge-ass mug at a Secret Santa one year.
He chuckled. “Way too much. I like to try out different flavors, too. Is there a coffee shop in town? I like lattes.”
I wasn’t even sure how they were different from au lait, but they both had milk. That was something, right?
Gods, I longed to get him one, to show him I was worthy. It was dumb. Getting a latte because someone said they liked it only meant you did a nice deed one time, nothing more. Still, if I could manage it, I would’ve.
Instead, I shook my head. “We’ve talked about opening one, but so far no one has stepped up to run that endeavor. Everyone just makes their own coffee at home.”
“Oh,” he said. “Maybe I’ll see about getting one of those fancy machines for here then.”
Not me, standing there trying to follow the promise I gave his brother while at the same time calculating if I had enough money to buy Corey a top-of-the-line fancy coffee maker. I was screwed. There was no way I was going to make it through today at this rate. None.
“Right, so how about I give you a tour of the town.” And do it walking and outside in the hopes a breeze will sweep your delicious scent away from me. “Then I can get back to work.”
Or let my bear out. He was even more on edge than I was. He needed the time to run.
“We’re not going to talk about this?”
I stiffened. “I don’t know what to say, Corey.”
He smiled. “I like the sound of my name on your lips.”
Corey wasn’t helping.
A shudder went down my spine. I pinched my eyes closed. “You can’t say things like that.”
“Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry. His grin was downright mischievous, and it made me want to chase him around the kitchen until I finally caught him and pulled him into my arms.
“Your brother has talked to you about his plans, right?” I didn’t see him as someone who would lie about that, but given the situation, I wasn’t so sure. Shouldn’t he be concerned for the same reasons I was?
Corey nodded.
“I’ve been given strict instructions that came directly from Aydan. He’s my Alpha, the Alpha of this den. I’m his second-in-command. I cannot disobey him.” Gods, I sounded like a jackhole.
“Surely, Aydan—”
I cut him off. “We don’t know anything about what we are.”
Lies. All lies.
Corey’s brow rose. “You would deny it? Deny me?”
I grimaced. I couldn’t fathom the idea of denying my fated mate. But wasn’t that exactly what I was doing?
I licked my lips, still not able to look directly at him. “I don’t know,” I said. “I know that you have been promised to another. You’re practically engaged to another alpha.”
Engaged, what a human word. But then again, what they were doing was taken directly out of the human playbook.
“Surely if we tell Aydan and—”
