Page 41 of Pretty Little Shadow
"Don't apologize. I want you in ways that would probably horrify you."
"You'd be surprised."
His lips curved, just a little. "I left your drink in the hallway when I was looking for my keycard, but I don't want to let go of you."
"I like chai. I could piggy-back on the way there."
He let go long enough for me to climb onto his back, and he held my thigh as he opened the door, bent down, and grabbed the drink.He shut the door with his foot afterward.
"How pissed are you that we're mates?" he asked, as he carried me to the couch.
“I’m not sure.”
It was hard to mind the mate bond while he was right there, with his throat only inches from my throbbing fangs, giving me a drink he'd stolen from another woman. While the lunch he'd ordered for me sat steaming in a box on the coffee table.
Darius carried me to the couch, sat down, and set me on his lap, so I was straddling him. Our faces were only a few inches away from each other when he put the drink in my hand.
I leaned back a little and took a sip, but didn't try to get off of him.
His hand was still on my thigh.
I wanted it to stay there.
"Thanks for the drink," I said.
"Any time." The words weren't sarcastic. His thumb was rubbing slowly over my thigh, back and forth.
I took another sip."Maybe I should thank…" I looked at the name on the cup. "Marisol."
"Nah. They'll remake it for her."
"She probably wanted one you touched."
He grimaced. "Probably. What do you usually get when you go to coffee shops?"
"I don't go to coffee shops. Too many people. The drink is lukewarm or the ice is melted by the time the food delivery sites drop it off."
"What do you order when you do?"
"Chai."
"Then Mary planned her drink perfectly."
I bit back a snort."Marisol."
"Right."
Dare's eyes were brighter than I'd seen them. Hell, his entire face had basically transformed since he put his hand on my skin. He lookedalive.
"You wanted to talk?" he asked.
I made a face. "No. Callum showed up and told me about mate bonds, so I figured we should talk about it."
"What did Callum say?" Dare's voice was dangerous.
I eyed him. "I wasn't supposed to tell you he was here. Don't make me regret it."
"Shadow, if anyone tells you to keep a secret from your mate, you should fuck them up. Badly. Mated pairs are a team. What did he say?"
