me too far—even Dare, although I feel the memories of our first meeting hovering over nearly every interaction we have—so I haven’t kissed any of them since the day Trystan pressed his lips to mine in this very kitchen.
But they let me touch them all I like. They encourage it even, and I can practically feel how it soothes them the same way it soothes me.
It awakens something in me too. A heat and a need that refuses to be satisfied with little touches and chaste kisses.
That feeling still isn’t drawing me toward one of the men over the others though, and it’s starting to make me question my willpower and my sanity.
They told me. These men and the elders—they all told me that my wolf would choose.
So why hasn’t she?
Where is she?
Those thoughts swirl through my head as I work beside Ridge. Our elbows touch as we chop, and I can feel the warmth rolling off his skin.
We continue our dinner prep in silence for a few minutes, though he keeps shooting glances at me, his brow furrowed. He always seems to know when something’s weighing on me. I don’t know if I’m just that easy to read, or if Ridge has a stronger intuition than anyone I’ve ever met.
Finally, he asks, “What’s wrong?”
“How do you know something’s wrong?” I toss two halves of a potato into the pot of water with a soft splash.
He puts down his knife and turns to face me, one eyebrow lifting. “Is there not?”
Letting out a sigh, I put my own knife down and shrug. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just worried the elder was wrong.”
“About what exactly?” Ridge steps closer, reaching out to squeeze my hand.
“About me being a shifter. If I’ll ever shift. Maybe I’m not really one of you,” I say, voice small. Until saying it out loud, I never really gave that particular fear too much power in my mind. Now that I have, I realize I really am worried this is all a fluke. Maybe it’s been nothing but a huge misunderstanding.
I’m not a shifter.
None of these men will ever belong to me.
All of this is just a brief moment of blissful peace and happiness, a short interlude before I’ll have to figure out what to do with the rest of my life.
How to survive on my own.
But Ridge shakes his head adamantly, his other hand lifting to touch my chest, right over my heart. “You’re wrong about that, sweetheart. She’s in there. I can feel her, and I know she’ll come out soon.”
His smile is so gentle, so kind. Just as he’s been every step of the way with me.
There’s something else there too, beneath that comforting relationship we’ve formed. The thing that always lingers between us, demanding more.
More.
Our fingers are still entwined, and his palm rests between my breasts. Amora was so generous to give me clothes for this adventure, but she only gave me one bra. And it’s hanging over the shower curtain rod to dry after I washed it in the sink this morning.
If he moved his hand just a couple inches…
Desire swirls inside me, and I blush at my own wantonness. Step away, I tell myself, trying to force my feet to move, but it’s too late. I watch, mesmerized, as Ridge smells the change in my body chemistry.
He stiffens, his hand hot on my chest. His pupils expand, and his lips part.
I’m too attracted to him to care that he knows my inner desires, too swept up in the heat building strong and fast inside me. I can’t stop imagining his hand shifting to the right, our bodies coming together, and dammit, I want him to make the first move because I’m a coward.
But he won’t. I know he won’t, because he’s Ridge.
He’s a good man.
Too good.
It’s that thought that unsticks my feet from the floor. He is good, and that’s why I’m coming to care for him so much. But right now I want him to let go of that goodness, that protective worry he has for me, just a little bit.
I want to be bad. And I want him to join me.
I take a small step toward him, angling my body just enough that his hand slides over my breast. The moment he realizes I’m braless, his expression darkens with unfiltered desire.
“Sable…” He mutters gruffly, letting my name trail off. I love the sound of my name on his lips.
Arching my back, I close my eyes against the way