“Tyson, just say it if you don’t want me in here. You won’t hurt my feelings,” I said, though that was a lie. I would feel gutted if he asked me to leave, as well as embarrassed at his rejection.
“Lucy, I don’t want you to leave,” he said, looking away, But I could tell something was wrong with him because he wouldn’t meet my eye.
“My body is reacting to you being close. I just don’t want you to get the wrong idea,” he said.
“Pardon?”
“Lucy, I have an erection, okay? You haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t want you to leave, but I understand if now you want to,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut. He looked ashamed, though I thought it was funny and couldn’t stop the laugh from leaving my lips as I tried to stifle it.
“That’s why you’re moving away from me and wriggling like you have ants in your pants?” I chuckled, lying back down.
“Don’t laugh. I didn’t want you to think I was some perv Lucy, or feel pressured to do anything.”
“Tyson, I have known for like the last hour. I could feel it against my back. Don’t be embarrassed. I know how the bond affects you. It affects me the same way,” I told him, putting my leg back over his waist. This time he didn’t shove it off, instead, he pulled me closer, his hand rubbing my thigh down to my knee. Sparks flew everywhere, and I felt my stomach clench and shiver at his light caress. He chuckled, realizing the bond did affect me.
“We don’t have to do anything. I just want to make sure you feel comfortable. I didn’t mean to be short with you,” Tyson told me.
I nodded against his chest, feeling better knowing he wasn’t rejecting me.
“It’s fine, Tyson. I thought I was annoying you, and you wanted me to go,” I told him, and he sat looking down at me.
“You couldn’t annoy me even if you tried. I like having you close, but you can always tell me to go or back off if you are uncomfortable.”
“I don’t feel uncomfortable with you. You have never done anything to make me feel uncomfortable.” I chewed my lip nervously, yet I was too embarrassed to say it outright.
Chapter thirty-three
Whatifhesaidno?But if I had to choose between them, I would choose Tyson to mark me first, if he wanted to. Ace, I couldn’t trust him, not after everything he did. Not after Melana. But would Tyson hate me if I didn’t let Ace mark me?
“What’s wrong?” Tyson asked, moving his hand and tugging my lip from between my teeth, making me realize I had actually torn the skin.
“Lucy, you won’t hurt my feelings. Just say what you want to say. I can see you are worried about something.” I shook my head, suddenly embarrassed.
Why did I have to be so awkward when it came to relationships? Probably because I had never been in one. But still, the thought of him saying no hurt, and I didn’t think I could handle that rejection, and then have to go home to deal with my mother’s rejection too.
If he said no, I would have to go home, and I didn’t want to be stuck there while my family played house. and I was expected to watch them happily and pretend it didn’t kill me, knowing I was the unwanted one. The burden on their perfect family, an intruder.
“Lucy?” Tyson chuckled, making my eyes dart to him, his lips tugging up slightly while his thumb brushed my cheek, flaming with my shame.
“I’m worried you will say no,” I told him.
“You won’t know unless you ask, whatever it is, Lucy. Yet, I don’t think I could say no to you,” he said, leaning down.
Tyson pressed his forehead against mine, his breath fanning my lips. I squeezed my eyes shut before blurting it out like word vomit.
“I want you to mark me,” I told him, and he pulled back.
“You want me to mark you?” he asked, like he was making sure he’d heard me right.
I nodded, licking my lips, unable to form words at the look he gave me. His eyes darted to my lips for a second.
“Why would you think I would say no?” he asked, and I looked away from him, knowing he was going to be angry, when he suddenly sighed, making me turn back to him.
“You don’t want Ace to mark you,” he said with a groan, and I knew I was right. This would cause issues between them.
“Lucy, he is your mate too,” Tyson whispered. “But if you don’t want him, that’s okay too. But please, give him a chance to make things right before you decide on something permanent. Are you thinking of rejecting him?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to, but I will. After what he said and did? I am not sure I can forgive him, Tyson.”