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A man, a shifter, his hair streaked with silver and glitter in his eyes, was in deep conversation with Kyle. I froze, and he looked up. Emotion flashed across his face: confusion, anticipation, anxiety, and gratitude.
Neither of us made a move until Darcy nudged me forward, saying she had work to do. Kyle grinned and whispered in the guy’s ear.
But he wasn’t any guy; he was the mate I’d been searching for, and now that I’d found him, I had no words. I’n rehearsed what I was doing to say in the grocery store baking products aisle or as he uncooked his post office box. If he’d been shoving the gas pump in his car, I’d have made a joke about holes—no, maybe not, that would have been inappropriate.
We were face to face. My search was over, and my mind was blank. I wished I could rewind time because the knot of anticipation in my belly had dissolved, and I was left wondering what now? There should’ve been fireworks and a choir singing, but we were on a landing dock assessing one another.
“Hi.”
He speaks. My snow leopard was overjoyed. Mark him.
Slow down. He’s said one word. While two fated shifters often marked and then introduced themselves, I wasn’t about that. I couldn’t ignore the mating pull, but I expected more than exchanging one word.
“Hi again.”
That’s two words.
Repeating a word doesn’t count. It’s still one.
And you’ve said none. My beast was having none of my ridiculousness.
“Hello.”
Kyle excused himself and went inside, leaving me and my mate regarding one another.
“Brett.”
“Anders.”
We’d staggered over the first hurdle, but I was balking at the next stage. Which was what?
“I’m a unicorn shifter.”
Oh, that was different. I’d never met a unicorn previously. That explained the silvery streak in his hair and the twinkling eyes. Interesting.
“I’m not.” My brain needed recircuiting. He had every right to reconsider what fate had handed him and say no thanks.
But Brett grinned. “Snow leopard. Most people in Snowford are.”
“Yes.” Oh gods, I needed to spit out something other than one syllable words. “You’re my mate.” There, I did it. Maybe I could lie down and gather my strength now.
“You are, and I’m so excited to finally meet you.”
He didn’t run away as I struggled to speak, and his smile lit up his whole face. Damn, it wasn’t the only thing “lighting up” because my dick was engorging. I was wearing my work clothes and not tight jeans or shorts. There was room to expand.
Not knowing where Brett lived, I suggested he come to my place. “We can…” I lowered my voice, “fuck and mark one another.” I was so proud of myself for going from zero to sixty in… not a minute but a tad longer.
Brett smirked and folded his arms. “I am hungry.”
“Great.” We were thinking alike.
“And as much as I’d like to see you naked,” his gaze fell to my crotch, “I’m here to eat.”
“Exactly. There will be eating, I assure you.”
He chuckled, a sound that tickled my heart. “I look forward to it. But I want food. Maybe pasta or curry—I hear Kyle’s curry is excellent.”
“Not the duck,” I blurted out. “Or have the duck. My friend enjoys it.” Why did I care if my mate wanted duck? We could have different likes and dislikes.
