Page 62 of Brambles and Bellflowers
“Where?” I asked, sitting up so fast that dots flashed across my vision. I was starving. I hadn’t been hungry last night, but it was probably for the best. I might have been sick if I’d eaten anything.
But now? It was a new day.
The dragon’s eyebrow rose as he reached out and dropped a wad of beef jerky in my outstretched hands.
My heart sank at the sight. I was so tired of jerky, granola, and fruit bars. Maybe we should have asked Finn to come with us. “We had this for lunch yesterday. How about eggs?”
“It’s fall,” Titus said with a shrug. “Do you expect to find any around right now?”
I sighed. No, I didn’t.
“Thanks…” I muttered and began to nibble on the peppered teriyaki.
Titus didn’t respond. Instead, he reached behind him and pulled out a thermos, handing it to me without a word.
I hesitated before taking it. The container was warm, and even through the closed lid, I could smell the life-giving goodness.
“I brought coffee,” Titus grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know you like it.”
Like it? I couldn’t survive without it.
“There’s powdered cream and sugar in it,” he continued, dropping his hand. “I took it from my office.”
“Thank you,” I said, fighting and failing to keep the heat from my face.
“Anything,” Titus said with a nod. “Just don’t tell anyone.”
Why not? I glanced at him. “Did you steal it?”
“No, it’s my office,” he said, somewhat sulkily. “Maria can’t tell me what to do. Especially if it has something to do with my mate.”
That word again.
My mouth went dry and I swallowed.
“You keep bringing that up…” I ventured. “Why?”
He studied me with a terrifying intensity. “Because you’re my mate,” he said.
My breath caught—would it ever stop surprising me? He was still observing me, clearly expecting a response.
“And I like to say it because I’m reminding myself,” he said, his voice low, gravelly, and even slightly lost, “so I don’t make a mistake.”
I blinked at him. “What kind of mistake?”
“There’s only a fine line separating the human from the shifter,” Titus replied, gaze moving to some point over my shoulder. “The human side of me knows you’re my mate, but it’s not sealed yet.”
“But…”
“The dragon in me wants to rage,” Titus said. “He considers us to be mates already, and he wants to forget Miles so we can obliterate anyone linked to Eric Richards. But”—he frowned, clasping my hands to steady my drink—“we’re more logical than that.”
We?
“You need me here,” Titus concluded with a nod. “And we need to find Miles for you to be happy. Then I can continue my search.”
How was I supposed to respond? “Titus…”
He put the canteen aside as his expression shifted from severe to shy. “Want me to help?” he asked, holding a foldable hairbrush. “While you drink your coffee and wake up?”
