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310 Lisa: Humans Have Pheromones?
LISA
Kellan's stare leaves me unsettled. It's been intense ever since our reunion.
I'm grateful for the space he's given me-this whole fated mate business is like being slammed into by a rogue freight train-but there's a whole lot of little things that keep throwing his feelings into the foreground, making it impossible to ignore. Like how he touches me a little too often.
How he watches my every move.
He hasn't kissed me again, but it doesn't make the current situation any less awkward.
"Can't sleep?" he asks, as if us sharing a bed and him lying on his side to stare at me for the past hour is somehow conducive to falling asleep.
"Nope." The word pops out with a little more sass than I intend, but damn it, does he have to
stare at me like that?
"Oh."
And awkward silence again.
"So, why couldn't I just bunk with Dr. Blackwell?" My question breaks the uneasy tension
between us.
"They don't have an extra bed," he explains easily.
"And no empty beds anywhere else? At all? Just-none?"
"None."
"No sleeping bags?"
"No."
"Extra blanket?"
"Not even one of those."
He's lying through his damn perfect teeth.
"You have a couch," I point out. I saw it. I know it's there.
"People come in and out at all times of day. It isn't the safest place to sleep. Better to be in bed."
and warm and smelling like Downy-I dare to glance in his direction again, only to be
"I don't want to."
course he doesn't. These wolves just do what they want
ahout it to then a
17:09 y
Lisa: Humans
in the darkness.
like that
Ava and Lucas are
I'm sure they are.
huskiness of his voice has all my lady
Bad! He thinks you're his mate and he's being all caveman about
from the tension simmering between us. "It's only right to give the newly mated couple their own space, don't
Ava and Lucas need to be around each
overriding my
taking on a lecturer's tone. "Especially in the beginning stages. It's like... imagine a sapling that's just been planted. It needs constant care, water, and sunlight to grow strong roots.
She'll feel wrong and anxious
More reasons this whole mate thing is kind of bullshit. It's a lot less romantic when you suddenly get slapped with
but it feels different now. Less awkward, more... contemplative. I find myself studying Kellan's face
you something?" I venture after a
"Anything," he replies immediately.
with us? With this
like he isn't even breathing,
up
I don't expect you to just fall
if I decide I don't want this? The mate thing,
He's quiet again.
to force me, are you? Drag me
when he responds, "Of
body relaxing into the mattress. The tension that had been coiling
Humans Have
how my words must have sounded. "No! I mean, I don't-" I stumble over my words, trying to backpedal. How do I explain that it's not him specifically, but this
you're an independent soul. The last thing I want to
does that mean you are going to do
half laugh. "No, Lisa. I would never do that to you. Never." His gray eyes lock onto mine, intense and sincere in the dim lighting. "I want you to
days, the whole mate situation being dropped on me like a
so hard to not fall into his arms. "I know this is a lot to take in," he says softly. "Hell,
you need."
ask you
"Of course."
explain things, I may as well ask all the questions we humans want to know. "What exactly does being mates mean? Like, practically speaking. Is it just... attraction? Or is there more
though that's certainly part of it. It's a deep, instinctual connection.
gone."
flutter through my stomach. It sounds romantic, sure, but also
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