She smiled. “You think too highly of yourself. You’ve got a massive ego.”
“Being an alpha’s son, you kind of have to. From a young age, you’re told how important you are. How you need to learn so much and be prepared for everything.”
“I bet you love it,” she said.
“Not always.”
“Really?”
He shrugged. “Wherever I go, people know me, you know? Sometimes I had to wonder if people wanted me around because of me or because of who my dad is.”
“I had no idea.”
“Most people don’t. Don’t worry, babe, I learned to live with it, and I never went without.”
“Wow, here I was being all sympathetic to you.”
He snorted. “I’ve got a good life and I know it.” He opened up the fridge, finding a whole bunch of vegetables to throw into a pasta dish.
With Mabel’s undivided attention, he wanted to impress her, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it.
“This is kind of fun,” she said.
“Being with me?”
“Hanging out. Big ego or not, you’re not half bad, Lucas.”
He winked at her. “Be careful, Mabel, I might start to think that you’re falling for me.”
“Not at all, but it’s nice to know there’s more to you than a bully.”
Chapter Six
“Not at all, but it’s nice to know there’s more to you than a bully.”
Mabel didn’t know what she was thinking, but it was true. Mate or not, Lucas continued to show her there was more to him than the nasty piece of shit he’d been back in high school.
Staring at the shower, she tried to lower her foot and screamed.
It had been one day. She should have been healing, but for some odd reason, her foot was being a pain.
Lucas had changed the bandage and said it looked better. She couldn’t bring herself to look at it. The very thought made her feel sick.
Gripping the edge of the sink, she gritted her teeth as the pain shot right through her body. She was determined to get into that damn shower. Her body had other ideas.
The door to the bathroom opened and she cried out, trying to cover her nakedness.
Great, Mabel. He’s seen you naked.
“I heard you scream. What the fuck, Mabel?” he asked. He helped her stand, and she went to her toes on the injured foot.
She quickly swiped a towel and held it in front of her.
“I’ve seen you naked.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t count.”
“Why not?”
“Because we were both naked and it was the full moon. Our wolves were in complete control. We can’t be held responsible, and there was distance, you know. This is a shower in a house.”
She sounded stupid even to herself.
“Right, that totally makes sense. I’ll let you keep working on that argument. While we’re at it, what are you doing?”
She tilted her head back, giving in to the heat within her cheeks. “I want to take a shower. I can’t seem to put any pressure on my foot. I tried to. It won’t take it.”
He looked at the shower. “I know what to do.” He turned on the shower and climbed in.
“What are you doing?”
“You want to shower. I’d strip down naked, but if you can’t handle being naked in front of me without that distance thing you’re talking about, you couldn’t handle me in all my glory.”
She rolled her eyes. “You and your damn ego.”
“You love it.”
“You wish.”
“I do.”
She didn’t respond. The yearning in his voice was clear, and pain struck her body.
You’re hurting him.
Closing her eyes, she tried to fight off the guilt. Giving in to him wasn’t an option, but what was she to do? They were stuck here for another eleven months.
Lucas took the towel from her grip and threw it out of the shower as he picked her up. She released a yelp, but he placed her on the floor.
“There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
She glared at him, not saying a word.
He spun her around and had her under the water.
Tilting her head back, she basked in the spray of the water. It felt so good.
Lucas’s hands on her body were a distraction. He held her waist and her back was to him.
“I’ve got you.”
One of his hands left her waist, and she watched as he reached past her to grab the soap and a sponge. She didn’t turn to see what he was doing. She expected him to give her the soaped sponge. That didn’t happen.
He put the soap back into the dish, then his hand with the sponge glided down her neck, going to the base of her back.
“Trust me, Mabel.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him he hadn’t earned her trust. She kept the words locked up inside, not spoiling the moment.
He turned her to face him, and he put her hands on his shoulders. “Hold on to me. Don’t let me go.”
Lucas slid the soap over her highly sensitive skin, and she sank her teeth into her lip, trying to contain her excitement. The sponge brushed across her flesh, and his knuckles followed suit. She lived for those sweet touches he gave her, nothing else.