Page 61 of Tolerated By the Sigma (Mate Hunt 7)

“I don’t know. Trying on rings feels sort of final.” I shrugged a bit.

“Then you’re definitely trying on rings. I’ve decided for you.”

He opened the door as I snorted at him, and he flashed me a possessive smirk before we stepped inside. Someone greeted us, and immediately began showing us around. Ryder didn’t even mention himself to the man, and I tried on about a thousand rings at both his and the jeweler’s instruction.

I didn’t hate it, though.

Not at all.

Ryder noticed me gravitating back toward a certain section of the rings, and led me back over there, where I proceeded to (reluctantly) admit which one I was in love with. He made me go look at rings for him while he got shit figured out with the jeweler, and my face was hot while I scanned the men’s display for the fifteenth time.

I liked a black ring that had these little engravings to make it look like a tree trunk, but I wanted Ryder to choose since he’d practically forced me to do the same. And I mean, yeah, I had enjoyed choosing. I just wasn’t mentally prepared, and I was wearing a shirt that said, “I’m fluent in fowl language,” and my hair was French-braided so I kind of felt like I was back in high school or middle school or something.

At least, until Ryder came back and slid his arm around my waist. “Which one do you like?”

“Whichever one you like. It’s going on your finger.” I shot him an emphatic look, and he gave me an amused one back.

“I’m covered in tattoos that I chose, Kelley. I want to wear a ring thatyouchose.”

Damn him for being unintentionally and roughly romantic.

“You’re so damned stubborn,” I grumbled, but pointed to the tree-trunk ring. “That one.”

Ryder nodded his approval, and a few minutes later, we were walking back out to the truck.

“You could’ve warned me,” I complained to him.

He flashed me a smirk. “You’d have stressed about it.”

“Well, yeah. But…” I sighed dramatically. “Fine, I’m glad you didn’t tell me.”

He laughed as he opened my door, grabbing me by the waist and lifting me into the truck with one arm. Then he leaned over my seat, his arm resting on my thighs as he lifted his face toward mine so our noses touched, just barely. “I can tell this is important to you, and that makes it important to me too. Thank you for letting me bring you here—and for humoring me, and letting me claim you publicly like this.”

My face warmed, but not out of embarrassment this time. “It’s going to take me time to get used to being part of a couple. I didn’t think to dress nicely, or put on makeup or anything—I’m wearing a chicken shirt, for fuck’s sake.”

He grinned. “I love your chicken shirt. And you don’t need makeup; you’re gorgeous just like this.” His hand lifted to my face, and he tilted it so he could kiss me lightly on the mouth.

The kiss intensified, growing more passionate until another car in the parking lot honked at us. I pulled away, a bit dazed, and Ryder chuckled against my lips. “I love the way you look, Kelley—and I love you. This is perfect; don’t let yourself worry that it isn’t.”

He loved me?

Shit.

Fuck.

I was right… and ridiculously, insanely happy about it.

I nodded, biting my lip to hide a massive grin that wanted to stretch across my face.

Ryder tugged my lip out out with his thumb, then nipped at it before he finally stepped back. “I promised you a tattoo, didn’t I?”

“You did,” I agreed, feigning seriousness.

“Let’s get moving, then.” He flashed me yet another grin as he shut my door, and my eyes followed him as he strode around the truck.

Hot damn.

I was a lucky woman in so many ways.

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