Page 45 of Betrayed Kidnapped Mate

“It smells amazing in here,” Bigby says, flipping Kaila and putting her on her feet. She runs into the kitchen, and she and Araya start chanting for food. Olivia and I quickly serve up the food. Kaila encourages Araya to try avocado on her tacos. Bigby takes the biggest bite he can to amuse the girls.

Byron and Olivia don’t speak a single word to one another the entire night.

Just when we’re finishing dinner, Aris knocks at the front door, and Bigby goes outside to talk to him. I strain to try and hear what they’re saying, but the girls are loud enough that it’s impossible.

Finally, when Olivia and I are doing the dishes, Aris and Bigby come back in.

“Alright,” he says, “should we do a sleepover tonight?”

“Yes!” Araya says, then, turning to me, “Please! Can Kaila come?”

“Will Linnea be with them?” I ask, looking at Aris.

“The whole night, she doesn’t leave Kaila’s side when she’s over.”

“Okay,” I say, which sends Kaila and Araya into a fit of giggles as they jump together, laughing. Aris and Olivia corral them to the car, and Byron crosses his arms in mock anger when he’s made to sit in the back with the two girls.

When Aris’s truck pulls away, I realize Bigby and I are standing alone on the porch. He takes his hand in mine, then pulls me until his arms are around me. He takes a deep breath like he’s trying to inhale me.

“Dinner was amazing, thank you,” he says.

“It wasn’t for you,” I say, smirking at him. “It was for Kaila.”

“Either way,” he says, running a slow circle on my back. “It was kind of a rough day, and those tacos made it better.”

We go back inside, and he tells me about the day as we clean. I tell him what happened with the antidote, and he reminds me of the time he accidentally blew up a chemistry lab in college, making me feel better.

When everything is tidied and put away, I hop up onto the counter, grab a bottle of wine, and try to get the cork out.

“Here,” he says, taking the bottle and taking a corkscrew from the fridge. He opens it for me, then pours it into a glass. I take a sip, savoring the flavor and letting it relax my body.

“You know,” he says, smirking as he pours himself a glass of whiskey. “That wine is bottled right here in Minnesota. 7 Vines. It’s the best wine in the region—and the vineyard is beautiful, I could take you.”

He steps between my legs, and I shift closer to him.

“I don’t know,” I murmur, “I’m more of a bourbon girl.”

“I’ll find you bourbon,” he says, determined. “I’ll find you whatever you want if you stay here with me.”

“Bourbon has to be brewed in Kentucky, you dork,” I mutter. “Have you ever seen me drink bourbon in my life?”

“No, but I could have missed a lot. I want to know every part of you, including the new parts.”

“Well, I still prefer wine. That’s what happens when you grow up around vineyards.”

Bigby drops his head, pressing his forehead to mine.

“Wine it is,” he whispers. “I’ll take you to every vineyard in Minnesota—in the Midwest altogether. Just stay, Rosie.”

“I’m thinking about it,” I say, finding it hard to focus on our conversation when he’s this close. “But it’s not just up to me. I won’t do it unless Kaila wants it, too.”

“I can respect that,” Bigby says, a growl low in his throat as he steps even closer to me. I can feel him pressing against my core, and I bring my body even closer to his.

“How soon do you think it’ll be until I can project to you?” I ask, tracing a finger over his chest. He inhales quickly when I pinch his nipple.

“I don’t know,” he says, closing his eyes. “It’s different for every couple. My parents weren’t mated, so I don’t know from them. I feel like Linnea and Aris got to that point quickly, but we were also in a high-stress situation; they were blood-bonded, and he’s an alpha, so it’s a different situation.”

“I’ll do it first,” I say, meeting his eyes.

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