He saved me from being super awkward by pressing his finger against my lips and finishing my sentence for me. “Did I mean I’ve never had sex before? Yes, that’s exactly what I was saying.”
This incredibly sexy man just kept surprising me in the very best ways. His confession made it easier for me to admit, “I…um…I’m a virgin, too.”
His hold on me tightened as he pressed his face into the crook of my neck. “I’m so fucking happy to hear that, baby. Shifters don’t feel desire for anyone other than their mate, and the same tends to be true for their mates even when they’re human. But so often, human mates are completely unaware of why they aren’t attracted to anyone else and aren’t still a virgin when they finally meet the one.”
I’d never expected that I would end up with a man who had such a strong but also positive reaction to my virginity. I kind of assumed it would make guys second-guess being with me. It was a relief to know that Zeke valued the fact that he would be the only man I’d ever slept with, and even more so that I was the only woman he’d ever want to be with. The whole fated mate thing was kind of incredible, especially since it seemed that I was the possessive type when it came to Zeke. But his reaction showed me I was in good company. “You don’t have anything to worry about there. I’ve never even had a boyfriend or gone on a date with anyone.”
His hold on me tightened again, and I shifted on his lap. A sharp pain radiated up my arm to my shoulder, and I let out a small whimper. “C’mon, let’s get you in a hot bath to help loosen up your muscles so you’re a little less sore tomorrow. Once I’ve got you settled in the tub, I’ll grab you a pain reliever and something to drink.”
“A bath sounds amazing,” I agreed.
He stood with me in his arms, and I wrapped mine around his neck. I caught glimpses of his home as he carried me through the living room, up the stairs, and down the hallway to a large bedroom decorated in dark blues and grey. He passed the California king-sized bed and brought me directly into the bathroom. After he set me on the vanity between the double sinks, I stared at the oversized Jacuzzi tub and separate rain shower in awe. “Wow, this is gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tub that big before.”
“I put it in for you,” he said as he bent over to play with the knobs until the water pouring out of the faucet was to his satisfaction. He opened a small door on the cabinet built into the bottom of the tub and pulled out a bottle of bubble bath, dumping in a capful before putting it back. Then he looked over his shoulder at me and caught me staring at his butt. He winked at me and added, “I wanted my mate to be comfortable in our home, so I tried to keep what you might like in mind while I was picking stuff out. My niece discovered the tub when they visited last month and took several baths each day.”
“I can see why she enjoyed it so much. You did an excellent job,” I complimented as I traced my fingertip over the marble top of the vanity, grinning at his explanation for the bubble bath since it was difficult to picture him in a bath full of bubbles.
He brushed a soft kiss against my forehead before reaching over my shoulder to open the medicine cabinet. “I’m glad you think so since I did it all for you.”
“Seriously, what did I ever do to deserve a guy like you?” Zeke seemed too good to be true.
“You don’t have to do anything other than be yourself,” he answered as he shook a couple of pain relievers out of the bottle and handed them to me. “You were born to be mine, and I’ll always treasure the gift you are.”
He had the art of the perfect answer down pat, making me swoon before I popped the pills in my mouth and swallowed them down with the glass of water he gave me. Then I handed it back and looked at him expectantly. He cocked his head to the side, and I blurted, “The tub looks like it’s just about full.”
“Good catch.” He crossed the room to turn off the faucet and returned to my side to help me off the vanity. “You should get into the water while it’s still hot, or else it won’t do much good.”
Although he’d gotten naked in front of me without blinking, my cheeks filled with heat at the thought of stripping out of my clothes in front of him. “Are you going to at least turn around while I get in?”