Chapter Twenty-Three
Jillian
Dean hadn’t come back to the cabin after work. He said he had something to do and, while I had shrugged it off, thinking he had more work, that ease had died down as the sun set and I was now alone, brewing stew for two, but only one of us was present.
I paced the place, trying to focus my attention on something else, anything else, except it wasn’t working. My anxiety made my heart pump and sweat to break out along my brow.
When I heard a noise outside, I forced myself to sit, grabbing the first book I could find to pretend to be reading instead of pacing the floors, like a lovestruck lunatic.
“I’m sorry I’m late. There were some people going into town, and I took the opportunity. This is for you.”
Dean held out a small fabric bag, cinched at the top. I held my breath. Had he gotten me a gift?
I stood but hesitated in taking it from him. The only person in my life who had ever gotten me a gift was Magda.
A gift from my mate... I almost cried.
There were things weighing on my mind that chose that moment to make themselves known. The alpha had, in so many words, told us to mark each other. He knew we were mated now but acted as if my mating had somehow hindered everyone else’s lives.
I let out a breath, intent on focusing on this moment, etching it in my mind.
“Jillian, you’re hurting my feelings. I bought you a gift, and you’re not accepting it.”
There was a smile on his face, but his tone made me think he was completely serious. The last thing on this Earth I wanted to do was to hurt his feelings.
Reaching out, I took the bag from him and then stood to open it. His eyes gleamed with something I didn’t recognize, but my wolf knew. It was expectation—hope—love. Even though we hadn’t spoken the words, I knew it was true. There couldn’t be true mates without love.
I pulled on the cinched part of the bag and opened it slowly. I wanted to savor this moment as much as I could.
“It was all I could find. I know you deserve more, and I swear one day I’m going to buy you a real set with everything you need. You are so talented, Jillian. I just wanted to support you.”
He rambled on while I stared at the bag in complete awe. Reaching inside, I pulled out the pieces one-by-one and laid them on the table. Even if I was the talking sort of female, I doubted the right words would come at that moment.
He’d bought me art supplies. There was one notebook with all blank pages, along with charcoal pencils, erasers, and a sharpener. Another box revealed what looked like crayons in every color of the rainbow and beyond.
“They are oil pastels. If you don’t want them, I can give them to someone else, maybe the school would want them. I don’t know…” He cringed and I realized how vulnerable it was to be like this. In love and needing the approval of your mate. He was wearing a T-shirt that stretched around his pecs and biceps. It was probably a size too small, but not once had he complained.
He never would.
That was simply Dean.
Vulnerable Dean was awfully cute. Still, I didn’t want to make him squirm any longer than he had to.
I rushed him, jumping at the last second to wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He chuckled as I squeezed him as tightly as I could, peppering his face and neck with kisses all that said thank you or at least, I hoped it did.
“I guess you like it, then?” He chuckled, reciprocating my embrace and my kisses. Dean hadn’t been around very long, but he had burrowed his way into my heart. Every day I woke up next to him was a tiny miracle, and truth be told, I couldn’t remember what my life was before him. The days had just run together in silence.
Maybe because before, I was in survival mode. And now, I was living.
I nodded, cupping his hand as he let me down. My body slid against his in the most sultry way.
“Maybe tonight you can draw something for me. Oh, and I got you this.” From behind him, the gods only knew where he was hiding it, he brought out a tiny white paper bag. As I opened it, the smell of sugar and chocolate almost knocked me over.
I wasn’t an expert on mates, but Dean was winning all the trophies so far.
“I didn’t know if you had ever had them. I felt like chocolate chip was a safe bet.”
I pulled one out, still hot, and held it up to his mouth. He paused, shaking his head. “No, I bought them for you.”
Damn it. Time for that whiteboard. I scribbled out something, and he smiled before kissing my forehead, a move that melted me more than the chips in these cookies. “You wanting to share is the sweetest.” He took a bite from the cookie and groaned. “They are incredible.” I moved to take a bite but he took it from me. “Allow me. You were right, mate. Things like this are meant to be shared.”
He held the cookie up to my mouth and I took a bite, the chocolate and vanilla flavors bursting in my mouth.
“So good, right? But this isn’t dinner. I smell stew.”
I nodded, but all of the sudden my offering of stew bubbling over the fire didn’t quite compare to his gifts. Still, it was all I had to give other than myself.