Another deep breath made his mouth water and his cock jerk. There was no denying it. It was impossible and it had happened. His one-and-only forever mate was a human.
He was okay with it. It was weird and insane, but since they were mates, there was a reason for it and they’d figure it out. First it seemed he was going to have to not only convince her they belonged together, but the entire leadership of his pack.
Starting with big brother Keil and his mate Robyn. The Alphas of the Granite Lake pack sat in the front row with their little girl perched quietly on Keil’s knee. Robyn frowned at TJ, using sign language to unobtrusively ask what was wrong. He shook his head quickly. This wasn’t going to be an easy explanation.
Pam unconsciously rubbed her fingers up and down his arm. The slight movement taunted him. Drove him insane. He reached over and placed his other hand on top of hers.
“Don’t.”
She stiffened in response and tried to pull away. Pain raced through him at having his mate unsure and a little frightened, and suddenly he didn’t give a damn what his Beta had told him. His tongue loosened, the restriction binding him falling away. He was going to care for her, let her know everything was going to be okay. If he happened to mention he wanted her sometime during the conversation…so be it.
He leaned his head closer, breathing in as much of her scent as possible. “It’s okay. You were tickling me. I like you holding me, but the rubbing was distracting.”
She stayed silent for a moment then adjusted her grip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
TJ chuckled. “You’re distracting no matter what you’re doing.” He smiled at her and winked. “I kinda like it.”
She frowned. “Like what?”
“Being distracted by you.”
She shook her head as they took the corner at the far end of the yard and headed back to the starting position for the second lap. “How old are you?”
He paused. “Why?”
In spite of licking her lips and sending a shot of lust through his core, the expression in her eyes was friendly, not flirtatious. “I don’t rob cradles.”
Damn it. “I’m legal in all states and provinces.”
“You’re a baby. Cute, but a baby.”
“Is that why you wanted to crawl into bed with me when we met at the top of the stairs?” She stumbled and he caught her quickly. “Shit. Sorry, that wasn’t very polite. True, but not very polite.”
“I did not want to—”
“Careful. Maggie told me you were the most trustworthy person she’d ever met. Hate to ruin your reputation.”
She growled and he grinned. Feisty wench. He liked that in a woman.
“Fine. You’re a good-looking guy and yeah, I did picture tangling the sheets with you.” Hallelujah! “But you’re too young and I’m here for the wedding and that’s it.”
TJ tried to keep the image of them naked in bed from distracting him as they walked in silence for another few paces. Unfortunately he had a good imagination. The too-young thing he could work around. The fact she was being stubborn? Oh, he loved a challenge.
“Stop it,” she whispered. Her voice was deep and husky, slipping like a caress over his already super-sensitive nerves.
“Stop what?”
She wiggled her hand on his arm. “That. You’re…rubbing me.”
Oops. He stilled his thumb from the circles he was tracing on the back of her hand. Seemed neither of them could resist touching each other, which only made sense as mates. A faint flush covered her soft skin from the low neckline of her dress up to her hairline, and he had to look away before he did something too wolfish like drop her to the ground and lick her until she screamed in pleasure.
“What happens after the ceremony?” Pam asked. “I forgot to check with Maggie to see if there was anything I needed to do.”
I take you home and make love to you all night long. “We head in, enjoy dinner then I’m singing before the dance begins.”
“You sing?” There was a trace of something in her voice. Doubt?
“I sing. Are you surprised?”
“Not at all,” she lied.
TJ snorted. It was a deception he recognized easily. After too many years of being expected to screw things up, he knew exactly what someone meant when they spoke in that particular tone of voice.
“You want to join me for a few songs?” he teased.
She choked for a second. “Trust me, that would be a bad idea. In fact, for a wedding gift I’m considering swearing to Maggie to never attempt to sing in her presence again.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Put it this way, I can hit notes they haven’t invented yet.”
He chuckled and she joined him in laughing, and suddenly the wall she’d wedged between them crumbled a little. They paced slowly, following Maggie and Erik on the final circle of the yard.
“So if you won’t sing, will you dance with me?” Surely he could keep his feet under him for long enough to dance without making a fool of himself. Of them both.