Page 111 of Rescued By the Beast
"And then... when your collar led me to you again, when I sensed your fear and ran to find you... Instead of the cat, I sawyou." His thumb slides across my cheek in a reverent caress. "And you didn't run away. You came back into my arms." At that moment, I had hope... hope that deep down, you wanted to stay. And then you appeared to me again and flirted with me... Damn, Kitten, I wanted to kiss you so badly that day.
"I wanted to too..." I confess breathlessly.
He smiles and finally the air returns to my lungs.
"I thought you hated me," I murmur, smiling back.
Mark frowns, looking surprised.
"Never!" He shakes his head. "Why did you think that?"
I let out a nervous laugh and touch his face, my finger sliding gently over the crease between his eyebrows. The feeling is comforting, as if all I needed to do was touch him and the fears would dissipate.
"Because you had this closed, scary expression, your claws came out, your face turned red with anger..."
"I didn't turn red with anger... I..." He hesitates for a moment, and then, as if the mere mention of the subject brings the feeling to the surface, his face turns a deep red. "I blushed with embarrassment," he admits.
I can't help it, I start laughing, feeling a wave of relief and amusement.
"You? The Beast? The baddest man in our community blushed because of me?" I raise my eyebrows.
He smiles, a bright smile, completely surrendered.
And by the stars...
How could I ever have thought he was dangerous?
Looking at him like this, all I want is to throw myself into his arms and ask him never to let me go.
Ask him to be mine, forever.
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life."
This takes me by surprise. I gasp, feeling a mixture of warmth and excitement. He puts his hand on the back of myneck and pulls me closer, his lips brushing lightly against mine before he speaks again.
"You were made for me, Sandra. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were my fated mate, as if my heart was drawn to yours." His voice is soft, but each word hits me hard. "All this time, I could only watch you from afar, unable to touch you, unable to have you. But now... now that I know you want me too, there's no turning back. I won't let you get away. You're mine, Kitten.
My heart stumbles in my chest, missing a beat.
Fated mate.
The words seep into me, awakening feelings I fought to deny and opening a door I kept closed out of fear.
Fear of giving myself away, of revealing my heart, of being rejected.
My fear of being abandoned is rooted in my chest.
I should question, protect myself.
But instead, a pleasant shiver runs down my spine, hot, fierce.
I am his...
The idea should scare me, but everything in me leans towards him, my body, my breath, even my soul, as if recognising an ancient, undeniable truth.
"And you are mine?"
He smiles, a possessive gleam in his eyes.
