“And this is what you usually order, so I guess that point is moot.”
“Jasper told the cook,” he amended.
“Ha!” she pointed at him, “you brought up the dinner fare to prove I didn’t know you. But I sent Jasper because I obviously knew he would get the right thing.”
“Not the same thing.” He laughed.
“So? Will you make me guess again?”
“Good luck,” he chuckled again.
“You’re scaredI’mgonna hurtyou. Because I’m a Half-Blood and not a shifter, you’re scared the mate bond won’t mean as much to me, and I’ll leave. Is that right?”
He hissed out a breath. “How do you do that?”
She shrugged. “No fucking clue. I justknow. The thoughts just pop into my head, fully formed like I already know they’re true. Is that a mate thing?”
Atlas licked his lips and sighed. “Maybe. Probably. I never really thought what it would be like for you. How it would change who you are and what you want.”
“Okay. We’re not having this useless conversation again.” Lilliane stood and went over to him. Using all her strength, she pulled his chair away from the table. Confused, he just watched her work, only helping her by moving his legs. She straddled him on his chair and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“What are you doing?” his voice was rough, his eyes full of want.
“Look into my eyes, Atlas. Stop overanalyzing everything and spinning out about Victor. Take a breath and look at me.”
His jaw ticked, but he did as she asked. With a relieved sigh, he gripped her hips and rubbed circles with his thumbs. The tensions slowly eased out of his features as if her proximity alone made him feel better.
“What are we doing again?” he whispered.
“YoufearI would walk away. Look at me, and tell me if that’s what you think.”
He licked his lips and met her gaze. He studied her face as his hands moved from her hips to her back, through her hair, and down to cup her ass.
Lilliane’s entire body was on fire wherever he touched her. It was hard to wait for him to speak. She wasn’t exactly a patient woman, but this was too important. She didn’t know what it meant to be a mate, but she couldn’t see herself slipping out of Atlas’s life without a warning. The mere thought made her shiver.
“Ah,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple. “See, this is what I was afraid of.”
“What’s that?”
“Already, you can’t even bear the thought of leaving me, can you?”
“Not really.”
“You’re sure it has nothing to do with Victor?”
She smacked his shoulder. “Remember what we’re doing? What do you see when you look at me?”
Love. Happiness. Future. He saw all of it, and he was the one who shivered. She noticed and rubbed her hands up and down his arms.
“You feel safe with me,” his voice was gruff, barely a whisper. “You wanna be here.”
Her smile widened. “Finally. You get.”
Atlas was still terrified, but she wanted to be there. In his arms. It was all he wanted now, and he was sure he would find a way to fuck it up. Later, though. Tonight, he would treat his mate the way she deserved to be treated.
NINETEEN
ATLAS
