Page 54 of Tolerated By the Sigma (Mate Hunt 7)

Another snort escaped me. “Asshole.”

“You’re right, Kelley, I do like your asshole. Probably shouldn’t admit how many times I—”

I slapped a hand over his mouth, peeking my eyes open.

There was humor in his blue-eyed gaze, and he still looked so insanely relaxed that I almost didn’t recognize the gorgeous bastard. Seriously, his shoulders must’ve lowered two inches with all the stress he’d apparently relieved.

The humor vanished from his eyes, and they widened a bit as he pulled my hand away, setting me down on my back on the kitchen’s island. “Fuck, I’m a moron. We didn’t talk about birth control.”

“You’renota moron. You stopped overthinking shit, just like I wanted you to. And I didn’t bring up birth control because my overprotective sister made me get an IUD on my sixteenth birthday, and I’ve replaced it before it expired every time. So, I still have one. Kind of surprised it didn’t stab you or anything, considering how hard you were fucking me, but not in a bad way. That shit would probably hurt.”

“Don’t think I was even conscious enough to notice,” he admitted, smoothing a gigantic, inked-up hand over a few strands of hair that had decided to stick themselves to my face. I grabbed his hand and held it to my cheek, my eyes closing as I snuggled his palm.

“You have pianist fingers,” I mumbled to him. “Do you play any instruments?”

“Used to be a part of a band with some of my pack members, back before my wolf hunted. Played the guitar, but haven’t picked one up since I shifted back.” His second hand slid over my abdomen and captured my other hand, his fingers lacing between mine. “Do you play anything?”

“Only video games on my phone that I get way too invested in,” I mumbled.

He snorted, and I grimaced a bit. “Sorry, stupid joke.”

“Not stupid at all. I love your sense of humor.” He squeezed my hand lightly, dragging his fingers over my face. “The way you make fun of shitty situations makes everything more enjoyable, Kelley.”

I shrugged a bit, and we grew quiet. I continued to hold his hand against my face, and he brushed his thumb over my knuckles on the other one. A few calm, quiet minutes passed before I murmured, “Were you serious about the tattoo?”

“As the grave.”

My lips curved upward slightly. My thoughts started to go back to Lisa, but I forced them back to the moment I was living in. Lisa had made her choice when she pretty much attacked Ryder. “What will it be?”

“My name, in big letters, over your forehead.” He reached our hands up to drag our connected fingers across my forehead, and I laughed.

“Sure it will.”

He chuckled. “I want to get your input, but I was thinking a thin, stylized heartbeat, right here.” His thumb brushed over the inside of my wrist. “Or here.” He dragged our combined hands up so he could run a finger over my collarbone. “There’s so much sexy bare skin here, it’s hard to choose. Were you serious about wanting me to wear a ring?”

I didn’t answer right away, and he slid a thumb over the inside of my wrist again. “There’s a place here, on my left arm, where I could put a heartbeat too. Might be cheesy to get matching ink, but I don’t hate the idea. And it’s more permanent than a ring, if that’s what has you keeping those pretty lips closed.”

Said pretty lips curved upward slightly, and I left my eyes closed. “It’s just… I don’t know. I always look at people’s hands, I guess. I’ve always thought it’s romantic when guys wear rings, and it makes it easier for other women to know not to hit on them. You probably don’t even leave Moon Ridge that often, but the idea of it still makes me feel more secure for some reason. We’re not married or anything, though, so you should obviously wait a couple years, until we’re ready for that.”

His thumb continued stroking the inside of my wrist, and he remained quiet for a few minutes.

My stomach growled, and my libido flared at the same time. A double-reasoned groan escaped me. “Dammit.”

“What?” He lifted our hands, and pressed his lips to my inner wrist.

“I can’t decide whether I want to have sex with you or eat you. Literally; not blowjob-y. I’m just starving. And horny.”

“Sorry, Kelley. I should’ve started the stove by now.” He started to pull away from me, but I held him in place.

“But then you have to let go of me.”

He chuckled, and I finally peeked my eyes open. “Want me to order food?”

“Sure. I’ve got a membership to one of the biggest delivery apps—just grab my phone,” I mumbled. “Think it’s on the couch.”

“Where you were trying to seduce me with yourlounge clothing, you mean,” Ryder teased me, planting a lingering kiss to my lips before stepping away and striding off toward the couch.

“I did no such thing,” I protested half-heartedly, feigning offense.

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