Page 23 of Rubber Duckie Shifter Next Door

Rachel stares up at me, her lips forming a sexy ‘O’, her eyes wide. “We’re really fated mates?” she repeats. “Like in books?”

“Depends which ones you read.”

Her cheeks flush an adorable pink, and she licks her lips as her gaze drops to my tented swim trunks.

I give her a slow grin. “I’m going to need to read whatever you’ve been reading.”

Her blush deepens. Called it.

She shakes her head, and her eyes get a faraway look. “Fated mates…”

It’s kind of adorable, how she repeats things to process them. I like knowing that about her, and I can’t wait to learn all the little things that are uniquely Rachel.

“I know you might not believe me yet,” I tell her. “But I plan to spend every day proving to you that we’re perfect together. I’ll wait for as long as it takes for you to accept it.”

I’ll wait forever for you, Rachel.

Rachel stares up at me, and I get lost in her hazel eyes. “I already know we’re perfect together.”

This time, it’s my turn to be surprised. “You do?”

She nods. “I felt it the moment our eyes met.”

I gape at her. “You felt the mate bond?”

“Kind of…” Her cheeks flush. “I was drawn to you. Physically, at first. But as I got to know you…” Her blush intensifies, and I realize she’s not ready to admit her feelings for me.

So I cup the back of her head, loving the feel of her wet hair against my palm, and kiss her.

My first thought is that I could drown in Rachel’s lips, and this is coming from a man who can’t drown. No joke.

I plan to take advantage of that particular talent by using my tongue on my mate while she’s in the tub. Or in one of the VIP pools. Or on an inflatable duck in the lazy river, if that’s where she’ll have me.

Because I’ll take Rachel however I can get her. I just have to get her naked first.

We kiss until we’re both breathless and panting. I’m so hard it hurts, and my hand has somehow found its way beneath her bikini top. Her sweet moans echo around us, and I want to take her on the spot and duck her till she comes.

Now that everything’s out in the open, the urge to claim her is overwhelming. She’s my fated mate. I’ve accepted her, and she’s accepted me. All of me. But fucking her on the scalding hot sidewalk is a painfully bad idea. And I don’t want to rush her and scare her away.

I should take her on a proper date first, complete with candles, Champagne, and music. But it’ll have to wait because I want her too much to stop.

The duckie in my pants begs me to set him free, and I plan to—as soon as I get my mate good and ready. And I know just the place.

I force myself to pull away. She starts to protest, but I silence her with another kiss and whisper an invitation against her lips. “Join me for a bubble bath?”

The smile she gives me is breathtaking. “I’d love to.”

And I love you. I just don’t say it out loud. Not yet.

Chapter 10

Rachel

Sig threads his fingers through mine and leads me toward the hot tub. It’s shaped like a giant bathtub and filled with bubbles and dozens of rubber duckies.

My heart thunders loudly as I stare at the tub. “Seventy-five duckies, right?”

“Fifty, actually. Seventy-five is the lazy river.”