Page 109 of I'm Not Your Pet

And he told me he loved how protective I was.

That he could see how much I cared because of it.

My greatest insecurity. The part of me that I knew could be the darkest, and ugliest. And Huu-goh told me helovedit.

Most important of all, however, I told Huu-goh that I had never been happier in all my life.

And he fluttered my face with kisses and told me, “Same.”

I understood what Huu-goh meant now, about being invisible. Because with every chortle, every smile, every kind word, I felt myself solidify. With every silent story I’d kept to myself, shared, I felt real in a way I never had before.

It was funny how it had taken me this long to realize just how desperately lonely I’d been all this time.

But I wasn’t lonely anymore.

I had my mate beside me, and he was remarkable, clever, and vibrant.

When the ballroom emptied and the orchestra packed up their instruments, despite the fact we’d been dancing off beat for hours, Huu-goh and I continued to spin. My hearts thumped and thumped andthumped. In the silence, as everyone else left, Huu-goh laid his head on my chest, toying with the collar of my shirt, and I thought…

I thought?—

You are what I’ve been waiting for.

All of my life.

Roark and I talked until we both went hoarse. It was funny, really. I’d been silent for so long that I hadn’t known what it felt like for someone to really listen. I mean, the guys in the chess club listened to me. My teachers listened. My guidance counselor listened. But…it wasn’t the same.

They weren’t special and pink and squishy.

Theyhadn’t looked at me like I meant something.

“Are you hungry?” Roark asked, his voice quiet and sweet as he cradled me against his chest while we finally rode up the elevator, long after the party had ended. My stomach growled, and he huffed in amusement. “I’ll order room service.”

It was later than late and I was honestly surprised he was still awake considering how busy he’d been this week—and the fact he’d been the one doing all the legwork for our date, literally.

How was he still standing?

“Thank you,” I nuzzled under Roark’s chin. He did that purring thing I loved as the elevator dinged open and he walked us down the hall to our room. Once inside, the blast of cool air soothed my flushed skin as Roark locked the door and led me to the bed.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing,” he said, his voice all nervous again.

“We always share,” I chuckled as he laid me down on the mattress, then adjusted the strap on my dress where it had fallen again. His gaze snapped to my thigh, and the lace stocking that adorned it—visible through the slit in my skirt.

His eyes flickered black for a moment.

“We do,” he agreed, blinking back to blue. “And you…like that?”

“I love it,” I reached out, catching his hand with mine, my heart pounding as the night and all its intimacy burst inside me all at once.I love you, I wanted to say but didn’t. “It’s my favorite part of the day.”

Surprising me, the usually stoic Roark made a joke. “Don’t lie. You prefer your time in Ushuu’s lab.”

“Not true,” I laughed incredulously. “Though thatisa close second.”

“A very close second,” Roark huffed, still playful.

I licked my lips, spreading my legs a little so he could get a better peep of what was between them, encased in sparkly white fabric. “Thank you for that by the way. He’s already taught me more than I could’ve ever dreamed of learning.”

“He is a smart man.” Roark said with pride.

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