“The universe is sending you strong messages that would only get stronger if you were able to continue to evade mating, if not for you getting it all from Lucinda and from us in plain words today. Erica telling you that just now spares you from having to receive those messages in ways that might be distressing to you. Though, whether you get any more messages will depend on how long it takes until… you know.”
“So… the spell is over. It won’t be stopping him,” I say.
“Correct,” Erica confirms.
“Can I have one more day?” I ask. “Please? I’m kind of… having trouble.”
I look at Dani. She looks upset, I think. Angry? Concerned? I guess her hands are tied.
“Sorry,” Dani says. “It’s over.”
“You’ve done a great thing for shifters, Bailey,” Vivi states. “For other beings as well. Shifters aren’t the only ones who have fated mates. We already know that what you’ve done is going to make a difference. We don’t know how or when, but we know it will make a difference that we’ll all get to witness. And soon. I hope it helps, despite this not being the answer you wanted. Lucinda understands you were distressed. She’ll reach out about the task force.”
Now there’s awkward silence.
And Erica and Ronnie both speak the same words at the same time, Ronnie jerking her thumb toward the door.
“We should…”
“I want a word with Jase first,” Dani demands, looking angry.
“Not necessary,” Jase finally speaks, getting to his feet beside me. “Bay?”
I force myself to look at him, though I’m afraid of what I’ll see.
He asks, “Can I pick you up tomorrow night and take you to dinner?”
My jaw drops in shock.
Silence stretches while he waits for me to answer.
Finally, I ask, “Um… what?”
He smiles. “Did you think I was gonna grab you by the hair and drag you back to my cave so I can rut you?”
His eyes sweep over me in a way that I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what he wants to do.
And visions of Jase’s naked body flash in my mind. Oh shit. Now my underwear are wet.
His eyebrows quirk up. “Unless you’ve changed your mind and it’s what you want…”
“It’s not,” I say quickly.
His eyes rove my body long enough for me to know he’s wordlessly communicating that he smells arousal.
If he smells arousal, does he also smell my fear? And my confusion? I’m utterly bewildered right now.
“Baby,” he says softly, “If you think I’m gonna go back on everything I just promised before the SCC called, then you should never have wanted me in the first place. I’d like to think you’ve got higher standards than that.”
Dani jumps to her feet and enthusiastically reaches toward Jase for a handshake while letting out a relieved-sounding sigh.
He shoots her a dirty look for a second before his expression clears. Yeah, he’s still holding a grudge. But he shakes her hand.
She lets go and leans over and hugs me, though I stay sort of frozen.
“Call me any time,” she says. “Any time at all. And we’ll have more sleepovers. Okay?”
I nod, about to burst into tears. I manage to fight it back.