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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."
glance in his direction again, only to be caught by
"I don't want to."
do what
want to ha anave, ahout it to then a fit and damand haalaan an
17:09 y
Humans
sort of sound and watch the ceiling in the
like that
and
I'm sure they are.
voice has all my
Lisa. Bad! He thinks you're his mate and he's being all caveman about it. Don't
the subject from the tension simmering between us. "It's only right to give the newly mated
nods, his intense gaze softening slightly. "Absolutely. Ava and Lucas need to
piques, momentarily overriding my
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. The mate bond is similar." I let out a little hum. "So, they
time together. She'll feel wrong and
thing is kind of bullshit. It's a lot less romantic when you
studying Kellan's face in the dim light, noting the strong line of his jaw,
you something?" I venture after a
"Anything," he replies immediately.
with us? With this
It's like he isn't even breathing, until he
up
Lisa. I know this is a lot to take in, and I don't expect you to just fall into my arms and
if... if I decide I don't want this? The mate thing, I
He's quiet again.
aren't going to force me, are you? Drag me into
he responds, "Of
sigh of relief, my body relaxing into the mattress. The tension that had
Humans
I don't-" I stumble over my words, trying to backpedal. How do I
Lisa, I know you're an independent soul.
that mean you are going to do
His gray eyes lock onto mine, intense and
days, the whole mate situation
a shirt on, which is far too enticing for a woman like me. Especially when I'm trying so hard to not fall into
you need."
ask
"Of course."
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
gone."
stomach. It sounds
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