Page 28 of Rejected Pregnant Mate

I didn't expect him to walk out with me, but the solidarity would have been nice. Oh well.

Joe was resigned, waving me towards the door without saying a word. I didn't spare any of them another glance as I stormed out—I just didn't trust myself. Not with Jayce, and especially not with the fucking spell bond messing with my sense of control.

It wasn't until I was back in the Land Rover and halfway home that I realized I hadn't even gotten a donut, and I was starving.

Oh well. I wouldn't be going back for one.

The ride home was filled with the same thoughts as usual—anger at Jayce and annoyance at Samson—but this time there was something new. I couldn't stop thinking about Nayeli and how she'd looked when I kissed her. The way her body felt under mine as I lifted her onto the counter, and the soft noises she'd made when I ran my tongue along her neck.

There was only one solution—I needed to see her. Talking to her wasn't enough. I needed to have her in my sight, to be near her. To touch her, maybe.

The thought should have shocked me, considering I'd spent years avoiding contact with her, but I'd given up on understanding why in the hell I wanted her so badly now. All I knew was that I couldn't get enough of her.

There was a way to solve both my problems at once, and I made the turn to head downtown instead of back home. Today was the soft opening of Howler's Coffee, and Nayeli would be working. I could go in under the guise of observing the workers, get something to eat, and be near Nayeli all at the same time. It was the perfect plan, really. I could have everything I wanted without looking like I was going out of my way.

The cafe was nearly empty when I got there. It was a decent size, with pale wooden floors and matching tables. In the corner was the coffee counter, complete with a pastry display. The walls were painted a light gray color, and the atmosphere was clean and welcoming.

Nayeli was helping another customer, but she gave me a quick smile and a wave. Once it was my turn to order, I got an espresso and a blueberry scone, but I was really hungry for something else entirely.

My mate.

She was dressed in the standard uniform, a white button-up shirt with a black apron. Her wavy blonde hair was pulled back in a loose braid. The outfit was fairly simple, but it still hugged her body, showing off her generous curves and ample cleavage. I found myself staring at her for several moments before I came back to my senses, ordered, and then moved away.

I took a seat at one of the tables and pulled out my laptop. I did actually have some work to do, so I got to it, but I couldn't focus. There were other things on my mind—namely, Nayeli. She was flitting around the shop, cleaning tables and helping customers, and I couldn't help but watch her out of the corner of my eye. It wasn't just the bond. It was...everything about her. Her kindness and generosity, the way she was always ready with a smile and a joke, the way she worked hard no matter what she was doing.

And God, was she gorgeous. Even the thought of her was enough to make me hard lately, and watching her bend over to clean or stand on her tiptoes to get something down from a high shelf had me going nearly crazy. I'd never wanted anything more in my life than I wanted her, so much so that I'd happily claim her right there in the kitchen, feet away from everyone else.

I could have had her for years at this point. I was the stupidest motherfucker on the planet. How had I given her up?

Eventually, she made her way over to me, and I shifted to hide my erection. She gave me another bright smile as she leaned forward to clean the table next to me. Her scent flooded my nose.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked, a little breathless from her work. "Another espresso, or...?"

"I'm fine," I said, my voice rough. Her eyes flitted to my throat, and I swallowed hard as she watched the movement ofmy Adam's apple. I had the distinct feeling that she was just as affected by this bond as I was.

"Well, then," she murmured, looking away from me. "Let me know if you change your mind."

She turned to leave, but before I could stop myself, I grabbed her wrist. "Nayeli—"

"Yes?"

I'd grabbed her without knowing what to say once I did, and the feeling of her smooth skin against my palm made my head even emptier. I floundered for something to say, anything to keep her close to me for as long as possible.

"I'm having a grand opening party for this place tomorrow night," I blurted out. She surely knew about it already, considering that she worked at the damn cafe, but it was all I could think of at the time. "Come with me."

She half-smiled. "I was already going, despite the urge to stay home and read."

"No, I mean...come with me as my date. What do you think?"

I'd always had trouble keeping my mouth shut.

She froze, her eyes widening, and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. "As your..."

"Yeah. As my date. To the party."

Nayeli's cheeks were pink now. "I don't know if that's a good idea. I mean, we've only just started getting along, and..."

"We have," I agreed, forcing myself to keep calm. "But we're still mated. Still bound together."

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