Page 11 of Castaway Heat
Shiloh searched his face. “The last time I saw you, you glared at me like I was the worst person on the planet. I guess I’m a bit confused why you’d want to have dinner with me now.”
“I’ve never thought you were the worst person on the planet,” Ronin murmured. “Far from it.” He closed the small gap between them. They’d already been apart far longer than he’d intended. He wasn’t going to play games or dance around the subject. Ronin went straight for the heart of it. “Do you feel our connection?”
Shiloh looked around, appearing a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Ronin grasped his chin and forced him to look up.“Do you feel it?”He searched Shiloh’s face. “An undeniable attraction.”
“Yes,”Shiloh whispered.
“As do I,” Ronin replied, his voice sounding strange to his own ears. “And I felt it back then, too. When you were far too young for me.”
Shiloh’s eyes widened as he gasped.
“I had to fight the need. I distanced myself intentionally. If I looked angry or hurt you in some way—I’m sorry. It was unintentional. I was clinging to the edges of my control.”
Shiloh’s lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
“Talk to me,” Ronin murmured.
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner? It’s been years since we last saw one another.”
“I heard you’d gotten a scholarship, and I wanted you to get your education before I intruded on your life,” he replied. “Then you continued on for your Masters, so I waited. I wasn’t aware you’d decided on more. Sage hadn’t told me that.”
“You talk to Sage about me?”
“I check in on occasion, yes,” Ronin answered.
“You should’ve told me,” Shiloh said, frowning. “What if I’d met someone else?”
Ronin brushed back a stray hair from Shiloh’s forehead. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
“You wouldn’t haveletit?”
“You’re mine,” Ronin said, his voice raw. He closed his eyes and inhaled, but that only made it worse. Shiloh’s scent was overwhelming after waiting so long. When he reopened his eyes, he captured Shiloh with his gaze. “I had to trust fate. We belong together. So I sat back and watched… and waited.”
“Is that why you’re here? On this ship? You’re ready to pounce and claim yourproperty?”
“You’re not my property.” Ronin could see indignation in Shiloh’s eyes. “I was honest when I said my father wants to purchase the company. I had no idea Sage was here or that you’d be with him.”
Shiloh searched Ronin’s gaze, as if trying to decide if he believed that.
“Fate brought us together again,” Ronin said. “And this time there’s nothing stopping us.”
His omega’s eyes grew heavy lidded. Need shone in Shiloh’s eyes. Ronin considered kissing the man then and there and seeing where that led them, but he didn’t want to push too hard, too soon. While Ronin had known what they were when they’d first met, Shiloh had been young enough to possibly not realize his crush had been more than that.
It had been recognition of his mate.
“Will you have dinner with me?”
Shiloh nodded silently.
Ronin turned and ushered Shiloh ahead of him. As they walked, he placed his palm on Shiloh’s lower back and felt theomega jolt at the touch. Luckily, he didn’t pull away. He leaned back against Ronin’s hand, instead. Ronin smiled to himself, the tiny flash of surrender a positive sign.
As they were led to their table, Ronin noticed how empty it was inside. It seemed most guests ate at the ship’s buffet or in the dining room, not the restaurants. From a service aspect, it seemed a waste, but he didn’t mind given the privacy it allowed them. It was quiet. There were only two other tables occupied, and they were far from them.
Once the hostess left them to peruse the menu, Ronin struggled to keep his attention on the words on the page. His gaze flicked to Shiloh over and over above the top edge.
“Can you stop?”
