Page 15 of Emberly

His eyes narrowed. “Do what now?”

“Bind us together.”

“We don’t have to do it right now,” he said. “I’m still yours and you’re still mine, with or without the mating mark.”

“I want you to.”

She scooted back on the bed and pushed the sheet aside, baring herself.

He put one knee on the bed and paused. “Are you sure? Once I mark you as my mate, I can’t take it back. We’ll be bound as if we’re married.”

“I know. I want that. I want you. All of you.”

A purr filled the air, his eyes that pretty, golden color once more.

“Me too, sweetness.”

Chapter Seven

Diesel looked toward the window, able to see the sun rising through the half-open blinds. Emberly was snuggled against him, breathing deeply in sleep. He’d dozed for a while, but he’d felt like the entire night had been a dream and he kept waking to make sure the petite brunette was still in his arms. Which she was, of course. He thanked his lucky stars that she’d been willing to look past his injury. And he’d realized something as he’d witnessed her acceptance. She honestly didn’t seem to care. Maybe because she was human, she didn’t put as much stock in how fast he could run in his shift. Whatever the reason, he was glad for it, and promised himself that he’d stop thinking he was flawed.

If Emberly could get over his injury, then he could, too.

It wouldn’t be easy to get past so many years of feeling less-than thanks to something he couldn’t control, but he wanted to be a good mate for her, and she wouldn’t want to be with a male who couldn’t move forward.

Speaking of moving forward, he wondered about their living arrangements. And work. He didn’t have to worry about the bar until Tuesday night, so at least they had a few days to get to know each other. But she probably had to go to work at some point. And shit, he’d have to meet her parents. And didn’t she have a wedding to go to?

He closed his eyes and focused on the sound of her breathing, matching the slow inhale and exhale, feeling drowsiness take over.

“Ah, damn it.”

Diesel’s eyes popped open and he sat up abruptly when he realized that Emberly wasn’t laying on him anymore. She was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at her phone. She met his gaze and made a face. “I was supposed to be at a bridal breakfast twenty minutes ago. I just got a nasty text from the maid of honor.” She typed swiftly and then set the phone on the nightstand. She crawled back into his arms and snuggled close with a sigh.

He stretched out and held her close, slowly stroking and down her back. “Do you need to leave?”

“I told Kathy that I overslept so they should go on without me. I just have to be at the church by three. The wedding is at four.”

“I would have set an alarm if I’d known you needed to be somewhere.”

“Meh.” She yawned and rubbed her cheek on his chest. “I totally forgot about it. Chloe left in such a rush at the bar – otherwise I might’ve remembered it. But honestly, I was way, way too tired to get up any earlier than this. We were having too much fun last night.”

She smiled at him, tilting her face up to his for a kiss, which he willingly gave, then she settled against him with a yawn. They talked quietly for a while then showered, and while he was drying off and looking for his clothes out in the family room, he heard her answer the phone.

“Hi Mom. What’s up? Um, no, I don’t need a ride to the wedding. Why? What? No, I told you I didn’t need a date, for crap’s sake, Mom!”

Diesel’s cat sat up, half-curious and half-willing to go on a killing spree for whoever Emberly had been set up with. He tugged on his clothes and jammed his feet into his boots, then sat on the couch and waited for her to finish the call so he didn’t intrude on her conversation.

“As a matter of fact, I met a guy last night, okay? And he’s really great. And no, you can’t meet him right now. I’ll bring him by the shop on Monday for coffee. Yes, that was my way of saying I want to take off a couple days. You’re the best, thanks. Love you!”

She let out a sigh and then called for him. He joined her in the bedroom.

“I wanted to ask if you’d like to be my plus-one to the wedding?”

He’d hoped she’d ask. He really didn’t want to have to sit around his place all night wondering how she was. Now that they were mated, he wanted to be with her.

“Are you sure it’s okay, considering how your friends feel about shifters?”

She frowned and chewed her bottom lip.

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