Chapter 14
fourteen
ELI
We spent most of the day after our game night sleeping. Vi made dinner when we woke up, and it was the best meal I could remember having.
She was oddly quiet, though.
I chalked it up to jet lag.
We ate dinner and watched a movie on our respective sides of the couch. It killed me not to touch her, but she needed time.
So, I gave her the space she wanted.
When the next morning came around, we packed some clothes for her and flew to Mate Mountain. It was nice to have her body against my scales again. That always felt right. Made the distance between us a little more manageable.
We spent a few hours walking around the mountain and the prison as I showed her around. After the tour was over, we picked one of the empty living areas reserved for mated pairs. Then, we headed back to Scale Ridge.
The furniture in the space was ancient, and dusty. Randa and some of the guys would clear it out and redecorate for us—with Brynn’s help from afar, according to Randa.
They could’ve done it in a matter of hours, but it was easier for everyone involved if they had more time, so we stayed at the cabin for the rest of the week.
The other dragons had been thrilled by Vi’s job request, and offered her an exorbitant amount of money for it. She hadn’t hesitated to agree.
But, her new job wasn’t great for me.
Though I missed the cupcakes immediately, what I really missed was my mate.
She closed herself in her bedroom for the entire week while she planned recipes and scheduled out meals. I didn’t know why it was taking so much time, and lost my cool a little more with every day I barely saw her.
I ordered food for us every night, and missed her cooking too.
On top of wishing she was out there with me, I was trying to sleep alone at night.
Trying, and failing.
I barely got an hour of sleep every night—and only when my body shut down entirely because I couldn’t stay awake anymore.
On the eighth night of her solitude, my frustration reached its peak.
I couldn’t go another night without seeing her. Hell, I couldn’t even go another hour.
I brought her food to her bedroom door and rapped lightly on it, forcing myself to stay calm. As far as I knew, she wasn’t avoiding me. She was just lost in her work.
And while I wasn’t the guy who could get lost in my work, that didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate her dedication.
“Yeah?” Vi called out.
Her voice made my cock throb.
It had been too long since I had her.
Way too long.
“I’ve got dinner.”
“You can leave it outside my door. Thanks.”
I breathed through another wave of frustration. “I was thinking we could eat outside on the porch. The weather won’t be good for much longer.”
“I’m too busy, sorry.”
My jaw clenched.
I counted to ten to calm myself before speaking again.
“I’m not leaving, Spaghetti. I’ve barely seen you all week.”
Maybe I hadn’t calmed myself down as much as I thought.
She made me wait a long moment before answering. “I’m not in the mood for a picnic and conversation, E.”
So she was avoiding me.
Fantastic.
“I’m not taking no for an answer this time. Open the door, or I’ll break the damn thing down.”
I heard her huff.
Another two minutes passed before she finally unlocked the door and opened it just a crack.
Fuck me, she was wearing more of those thin little sleep clothes.
I missed her body.
I missed her smile.
I missed her laugh.
“You’re hiding from me,” I said.
She scowled. “I’m not hiding .”
“This started after the first time we slept apart. Why?”
“It’s nothing. I’m not even really hungry.” She started closing the door, but I caught it and stepped into the room.
“I’m not leaving.”
She shook her head at me, and retreated back to her bed.
I’d never seen Viola retreat before. I wasn’t sure what to think about it.
Something was clearly wrong.
I carried the food to the edge of her bed, then set it on the ground before I sat down by her feet. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t tell me to leave.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing’s wrong .”
I lifted an eyebrow.
She stared at me for a long moment. “You really want to do this now?”
“Yes.” I didn’t know what this was, but I wasn’t walking away from it.
“Why were you flirting with the women at the party?”
Shit.
I didn’t want to answer that, because I’d already sworn to myself that I wouldn’t lie to her. But the truth was going to be difficult for her to accept.
Still, I couldn’t keep the secret any longer.
Not without hurting her, and I wasn’t going to hurt her.
“I was trying to start a mate bond,” I admitted.
Her forehead creased. “Dragons don’t want mates.”
“Most don’t.”
“But you did?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I got lonely.” I lifted a leg onto the bed, turning so I could face her more completely.
“How long were you trying?”
“A few years.”
It wasn’t a lie.
It just wasn’t the full truth.
The crease between her brows deepened. “Then why did you go home with me ?”
She had me with that one.
“I’ve wanted you since the first time I met you,” I said bluntly. “I wasn’t going to watch you leave with another guy.”
Her cheeks reddened. She wasn’t blushing, though. She was angry.
“You wanted me, but you were trying to start a bond with the women you flirted with at the party?”
“No. I didn’t give a damn about them.”
“How many years have you been looking for a mate, exactly?” she bit out.
“Two.” I held her gaze as I gave her what she was looking for.
What she seemed to have already put together.
“You argued with me and flirted with other women in an attempt to start a bond with me ?” she demanded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were fun, and fiery. Because you were the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. Because I knew in my gut, soul, and every other part of me that you were supposed to be mine. Because I was losing my damn mind every day I spent without you.”
“You lied to me. I trusted you, and you lied.”
“I didn’t. If you’d ever asked me, I would’ve told you.”
“You agreed just to be room mates,” she snapped.
“That wasn’t a lie. That was me taking what you offered, and nothing more.”
“Bullshit.”
“Have I tried to push you for more since heat ended, or have I been really damn agreeable?” I growled back. “I wanted you—I still fucking want you. I jerk off in the shower every day to mental images of you, and there’s no way around that. I will always ache for you. But being around you is enough for me. If all you want is to be roommates, that’s fine. Hell, it’s perfect. We’ll fuck during heat, and that will be more than enough for me, because I want you, Vi. In whatever way you’ll have me.”
She shook her head and shoved her hair out of her eyes. “I need some air. Don’t follow me.”
She grabbed her keys off the hook by the door and stepped out. I trusted that she would come back—but the beast within me wasn’t willing to take any risks when it came to her.
If I could’ve, I would’ve shifted forms and followed her from above, but I couldn’t. Shifting when we were apart was an impossibility.
But… I could follow in my truck.
Fighting the instinct to make sure my mate was safe wasn’t a possibility, so I didn’t bother. I just grabbed my keys and headed out behind her.
She could have as much time as she needed, but I wasn’t risking permanent separation. She could hate me for staying close if she wanted to.