SIXTEEN
We got dressed quickly,not taking the time to shower, and then headed to work. Ozzy was thrilled when we showed up together, and that made me feel pretty good.
I thought things would be awkward between me and Rocco after what we’d done earlier, but it wasn’t at all. We exchanged grins and made jokes just like we had the day before, when we were watching movies, and it was nice.
Really nice.
Who was I kidding?
It was absolutely damn perfect.
I had to take like five different snack breaks, but Rocco and his dad both assured me that was normal, and Rocco bought me enough food to make me feel needy (even though I tried to pay for myself a few times, he refused).
By the time we got home, we took turns in the shower really quickly before getting dressed equally fast, and heading over to join the pack for dinner.
Dinner was…
Weird.
Rocco was no longer playful, his gaze dark every time one of his buddies tried to talk to me. I could tell he was struggling with his possessiveness, so I told everyone we were bowing out before dinner was even ready.
My fingers wrapped around his gigantic bicep, and I towed him out of the townhouse quickly, waving a hand toward all of the understanding calls behind us.
His body drained of tension as we walked, but his face twisted in a grimace more and more the further we got from the pack. “Sorry,” he apologized, his expression remaining dark.
“Don’t apologize for being a wolf. I like your wolf,” I said bluntly, continuing forward with a grip on his bicep. At first, I’d been holding his arm to make sure he didn’t turn around and go rip anyone’s throat out. I hadn’t let go even when we were in the clear, because his bicep felt so damned good in my hand.
“I’m not apologizing for him—I’m apologizing for me,” Rocco grumbled.
“Well, stop. Werewolves are possessive; I’m pretty sure that’s one of the first things the pack told me when we met.”
He sighed. “I know. That doesn’t make me any less annoyed with myself, though.”
I scowled, stopping in front of the door as I turned to face him. He stopped just a breath away from me, his arms folded over his chest and nearly brushing my nipples.
“I’m possessive of you too, okay? Should I apologize for glaring at Tea whenever she looks at you too long? Or for wanting to punch Ebony in her damned gorgeous face because you grinned at her?” I demanded.
He looked a bit taken off-guard. “Of course not. It’s sexy when you’re possessive.”
“Then don’t you think I like your possessiveness, too?” I shot back.
Turning around, I grabbed the doorknob and twisted. Still unlocked, it opened without a problem.
Rocco followed me inside, his hand catching my hip and stopping me in place before I could walk any further. “I don’t know what you think, Mads. You haven’t told me, and I’m not a damned mind reader. All I know is that you want us to be just friends, which is your right. But it doesn’t exactly make me think you enjoy me being possessive of you.”
“I don’t know what I want, okay?” I tossed a hand in the air. “I don’t know how to do relationships, or even friendship, really. All I know is that I haven’t felt nearly as alone since I met your wolf, and that I like spending time with you. I’m sorry if that’s not enough for you, alright? But I’m not ready for a relationship. I’m sorry if—”
Rocco shut me up with his lips.
On my lips.
Our mouths bumped awkwardly, one of his hands cupping my face as he tilted my head back, the other one pressed against my lower back.
He pulled his head away after a moment, and those gorgeous blue eyes studied me.
His erection stabbed me in the lower belly, but I didn’t dislike the feeling.
At all.