Part 15 (2/2)
”Roses are so common,” he offered. ”I figure you've received dozens from previous suitors. These caught my eye. They're a pitiful apology, but they're a start.”
Her anger dissipated. The tenderness in his voice struck her. He knew he'd done wrong. She wished it hadn't been such a devastating wrong.
”The pool man is going to have a fit,” she said, and bent to sit and dangle her legs in the pool. Lifting her toe, she caught a bloom on top of her foot and balanced it there. The bright yellow center winked at her as it bobbled. ”This doesn't begin to make up for what you did earlier.”
He knelt, one leg stretched out to the side, hands clasped between his thighs. He hadn't yet met her gaze, so she knew he was feeling remorseful. Good. Mr. Big Bad needed to be knocked down a few pegs.
”I should not have accompanied you to the audition. I'm sorry. I just...You can't understand what it's like for me to stand by and watch my mate interact with another man.”
”It's called dancing. People do it all the time without falling down and having s.e.x.”
He swiped a hand over his face and gritted out, ”But you're mine.”
”I don't belong to you. I don't want to be owned by you.”
”You're my mate, Bella.”
”Is that how it's supposed to be for a werewolf's mate? Secluded away from the rest of the world, never allowed to hold a conversation with another man for fear he may look at her the wrong way or, heaven forbid, shake her hand?”
”Please, Bella.” He clenched his hands into fists, fighting aggression. ”This is new for me. I'm trying not to be the he-man, as you call it, and to make this relations.h.i.+p work.”
”New?” She tipped the flower off her foot and cast her toe about in search of another. ”You've never had a mate before?”
”No.”
”But you've had s.e.x with women.”
”Doesn't make them my mate. I explained this. You are the only one for me. You've met the wolf, and it accepted you. No other woman has met the wolf.”
He was trying, she could tell. It must be killing him not to simply grab her, kiss her and drag her home by her hair.
Home. She'd just considered Severo's mansion to be home. She'd known him but a short while, and already she felt as if he was a part of her life. And some parts of life weren't always fun and joyous, but occasionally sticky and downright meddlesome. ”Severo.” She breathed out and closed her eyes, drawing in the lilies' scent. ”Despite the fact that this is the strangest relations.h.i.+p ever...and that you are not a gentle or compa.s.sionate person...and that you insist that everything goes your way...and that when you find someone you want, you take them, no matter their concerns...Despite all that, a part of me is in for the ride. I mean...”
She sighed. Was she going to admit this after only moments ago reveling in her anger?
It was futile to resist.
”This feels right. And I do love you.”
Smiling a careful smile, he reached in to the pool and plucked a blossom. He tucked it over her ear, and a few droplets of water ran down her cheek. He traced one droplet down to her jaw.
”And yet, I don't want to sacrifice my life to be a part of yours,” she added.
”You needn't.”
”But dancing means a lot to me. I had hopes of getting that apprentices.h.i.+p. It would have advanced my studies and allowed me to teach part-time.”
”I'll call the studio tomorrow. No, I'll go there and apologize in person.”
”No, don't. It's over. I'm sure Tony has already selected an apprentice. I don't want you going anywhere near the studio.”
”I will not, then. Good thing for Tony.”
She smirked. ”He's gay, big boy.”
”Really? But he moved so sensually with you. Ah, I don't have that...What is it they call it?”
”Gaydar?”
”Yes, that. I'm sorry, Bella.” He removed his hand from her cheek, but she took his palm in hers.
”Apology accepted. But I have a life, which you need to accept if you want me in yours. And I have a job.”
”You needn't work, Bella. I will take care of you.”
”But I like my job, and I like to work. It gives me a sense of purpose. Heck, it's a means of communicating with others.”
”I have an office at the estate. It is yours to use when you wish.”
”I know.” She sighed again.
She would get nowhere arguing about her need to keep hold of the real world. Not the weird, marvelous world at the bottom of the rabbit hole that Severo occupied. That world was interesting, and she liked being a part of it. But rationally, she knew she had to cling to her world as long as possible.
His presence, so immense and overpowering, was softened by the flowers' perfume. At once she hated him, and she did not. He was a lost soul, roaming the earth in search of another soul who could fulfill him, make him happy, erase his pain.
She hadn't thought she needed a relations.h.i.+p, but feeling needed did something to her idea of remaining single. It obliterated the idea.And if that didn't do it, Severo's kiss did.
He tilted up her chin and leaned in to kiss her. So gentle, lingering, not a hint of the intensity his kisses usually wielded. I'm sorry, the kiss said.
And then it was gone, and he sat next to her, stretching his legs out to the side so they wouldn't dangle in the pool. Bella snuggled her cheek against his chest. ”I want to make this work,” she whispered.
He stroked her hair and simply held her. His silence was the best thing he could have given her.
Bella hung up the phone and rubbed her palms along her bare arms.
”Something wrong, sweet?”
She turned to hug up to her lover on the bed. They'd retreated to the bedroom. Last night she had agreed her loft in the city wasn't safe and had gone home with him after they'd made love beside the flower-filled pool.
They spent most nights making love. It was as if they couldn't get enough of each other. He was her air, and she his. The man was insatiable.
”That was Seth.” She rested her head against his shoulder and stared up at the ceiling. ”He wants to talk.”
”And he couldn't do it over the phone? Bella, how did he sound?”
”What do you mean?”
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