Hidden Mate

21

“Okay.” She snapped her fingers. “I’ll be there with you. I don’t need him stealing your virtue.”

“My virtue?” We’d gone from talking about biology papers to him spreading me out on a table and devouring me in front of all the students eating at the cafeteria. “I’m pretty sure it’s already gone.” It wasn’t like I was a virgin.

The fact that me having s*x with him actually sounded enticing should have bothered me, but my brain was going down a pretty raunchy road.

“Oh my God.” She waved her hand in front of her nose. “What the hell are you thinking?”

My cheeks felt like they were on fire. “Nothing.” She would never let me live this down.

“Like hell it’s nothing.” Her eyes bulged, and she pointed at me. “You were thinking of him claiming your virtue.”

“Just stop.” I couldn’t even meet her eyes. “We’re meeting in the cafeteria. There will be no virtue taking.”

“Damn straight because I’ll be watching you like a hawk.” She pounded herself on the chest. “And I won’t allow it to happen.”

“It wouldn’t happen even if you weren’t there, but okay.” I laughed because, otherwise, I’d be crying. “You can stay as long as this conversation ends now.”

“Fine.” Her face softened. “Your dad has given you hell all your life. I just want to protect you if I can.”

And that was why she was my best friend. She might be snarky, high maintenance, and annoying at times, but she had my best interests at heart. “I know. I love you.”

“I love you too.” She hugged me and leaned back. “Now, just because you can’t date him doesn’t mean we can’t drive him wild.”

And the next two hours went by at a snail’s pace as she treated me like a real-life Barbie.

“Okay, it’s time.” Roxy put the brush down and motioned to the mirror.

My makeup wasn’t drastically different from normal, but she’d brought out my features better than I could. She’d curled my bob, making my hair more bouncy, and forced me to wear a cute, light blue wrap dress. It brought out my eyes and complemented my hair.

“Why did you get all dressed up again?” If she could give me s**t, I would dish it back. She’d worked on her hair and makeup just as much as, if not longer than mine. Her red hair cascaded in waves down her back, and gray eyeshadow made her eyes pop. She’d slid into a black catsuit that looked amazing on her.

“Just need to look my best at all times.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and sashayed to the door in her black stilettos. “And hey, if I could catch Egan’s or another supernatural’s eye, maybe I could get lucky tonight.”

“Nope, remember: we aren’t losing our virtues tonight,” I said parroting her words back at her.

“Girl, you know that ship has sailed.” She winked at me and opened the door. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I’m famished.”

We entered the Student Center. A few guys catcalled Roxy, but she ignored them. I scanned the room and found Donovan sitting at a booth in a back corner, his eyes locked on me.

Over here. I headed straight to him, paying no attention to anyone else around me. When I reached the table, Axel lay against the wall and cleared his throat.

Apparently, Roxy wasn’t the only one concerned about our meeting.

“Sadie,” Axel acknowledged formally and sat upright alert.

Donovan glared at him. “I hope you don’t mind that my dumbass friend insisted on coming.”

“No, it’s fine.” I gestured to Roxy beside me. “She demanded to come as well.”

“We are eating, right?” Roxy placed a hand on her hip. “Because I’m starving.”

“Why don’t you two grab us some food so Sadie and I can talk biology for at least a few minutes?” Donovan said as he stood so Axel could get out. “Just get me a burger and fries.”

“Fine.” Axel slid across the seat. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

Behave. Roxy warned.

You’re getting food and coming right back. I considered killing her in her sleep tonight. I can’t get into too much trouble.

Damn right. I’ll be back. She shoved past Axel and swung her hips as she left him behind.

Maybe I wasn’t the one she should be concerned about. It sure looked like she wanted Axel’s attention.

A large, warm hand brushed my arm, and I turned to find myself almost flush against Donovan.

He glanced at my lips, and a musky animal smell mixed with rain filled the air. Wait … that wasn’t from me but him.

He smelled like a wolf.

I took a deep breath, needing to make sure, but it disappeared without a trace. I had to be imagining things, but inside, my wolf whimpered.

“H

ey, are you okay?” He almost touched my shoulder but stopped short. Whatever he saw cross my features must have unnerved him.

“Yep.” I forced the words out and tried to downplay my obvious hallucination.

“Are you sure?” he pushed, not buying my ruse.

“It’s stress.” It had to be. I wanted him so bad that I’d just projected wolf-like attributes onto him. “This is all so new and a little overwhelming.”

He put his hands into his pockets. “With a dad like yours, I’m sure it would be.”

“What does that mean?” I might have slipped and told him a few things, but how had he read into it so much? I hadn’t meant to make him pity me.

“Nothing.” He laughed without humor and rubbed a hand over his face. “Growing up, bouncing from foster home to foster home, you learn how to read people.”

“Really?” I couldn’t believe he was trying to bullshit me. “So, I went from silver-spoon princess to being controlled and weak?”

“Not weak.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “But I hadn’t considered silver-spoon princesses could go hand in hand with having a fractured relationship with your father.”

He rattled me to my core. The fact that he was human and reading me like this wasn’t good. He observed things he shouldn’t, which meant this was a big mistake. “Look, how about our paper be about fossil fuels? We can talk about the waste it gives off and global warming.”

“Yeah … okay.” He opened his mouth then stopped. He pulled at his ear. “I didn’t mean to—”