Page 2 of Harbored By My Mate
The thought hits me out of nowhere.I rock back on my heels, frowning.
What the hell?I shouldn’t be thinking that about this girl.I should only want my fated mate.
She turns and spots me.“Fuck!”She stumbles back a few steps, tripping over her feet.
I reach out instinctively to catch her, and her scent hits me.
“You!”I blurt out in shock.
She stares at me like I’m insane, trying to tug her hand from mine where I steadied her.
My fingers close around hers firmly.Yeah, there’s no way in hell I’m letting her go.Not now I’ve finally found my fated mate.
Bite her!my bear roars.
I wince at the volume.“Not now,” I growl, realizing too late that I said it out loud.Shit.This is not going well.I scramble for something to say.
Just say something!You’re freaking her out!my bear snarls.
I open my mouth, determined to fix this, to be so charming that she falls for me in an instant, the same way I did for her.
But that’s not what happens because I open my mouth and the only thing that comes out is, “Mine.”
I’m so screwed.
TWO
Daisy
I’m so screwed.
That was my thought when my car started to smoke, then sputtered and died here in the middle of nowhere.But now things are worse because I’m stranded with this lunatic.
“Excuse me?”I ask, still tugging at my hand.
“I, uh…” He trails off.
I try to sound confident.“Listen, I need to fix my car, then I’ll be out of your hair, okay?”
The truth is that I have no idea how to fix a car.I don’t even know what’s wrong with it, but if I had to guess, the fact that it’s twenty years old may have something to do with it.
I can’t afford to buy a new one, not with me ghosting my job and being on the run and all.
I scan the road I just drove down, looking for signs of anyone following me, but it’s quiet.
Wait, does this guy work with Joe?
My eyes fly to the man in a panic, and he seems alarmed when he sees how scared I am.I try to back up a step, but he closes the distance between us.
“Whoa, easy.It’s going to be all right.I’ll fix your car, okay?Well, I’ll try to.It will be okay,” he promises.
I sniffle once, and the next thing I know, I’m plastered to the guy’s chest with his arms around me.
“Don’t cry.Please don’t cry,” he begs.“It’s okay, little one.I’ve got you.”
That seems to break the dam inside me.One second, I’m sniffling, and then I’m full-on sobbing in this stranger’s arms.
The stress of being on the run for the last few days has worn me out.I’m embarrassed to be crying in front of this guy, but I can’t seem to stop the tears.All the pressure has built up inside me, and there’s no containing it anymore.
