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couldn’t afford to pay the office visit. I realize it was presumptuous of me to even assume you might be okay with the offer. I meant no offense, and a bouquet of flowers is the least I could do.” He cleared his throat , and she heard some shuffling on the other end.
    “Really, you don’t owe me an apology.” She started picking at a slip of paper on the table, her nerves climbing higher and higher until she thought they would strangle her. She didn’t know what to tell him, or even how much he would understand. Alice knew he was aware of something happening within her, of something from her past that was making her be hesitant, because she had sensed his cougar rise up when she started freaking out. Besides, it wasn’t like she hadn’t let her emotions out there for any shifter to pick up on. It was hard keeping all of that bottled up, and there were times, like when she was in his office, that she just couldn’t get a grasp on it any longer. But what she did know was she at least owed him an explanation, and wanted to tell him where she stood on things between them, but before she could say anything he was speaking again.
    “I just want to talk about what we both know is happening.” The unspoken “mate” was left hanging in the air. He was right, and as much as she just wanted to skim over it, she knew this wasn’t a subject that could be ignored by him, or even her. Alice had thought she could have forgotten everything that had happened between her and Luke, and although it hadn’t really been that much of a situation to some, it had been a hell of an encounter for her. But even if Luke hadn’t sent her these flowers, she still wouldn’t have been able to purge him from her mind, and she knew it just wasn’t about him being destined to be her mate. He made her feel things that she never thought possible. The feelings were ones of warmth and undying acceptance. Despite the fact they had just met, she felt this unbreakable connection to him, even after she had left his presence. And here she was, on the phone with the male that had consumed her thoughts for more days than she even felt comfortable with, and she hadn’t even responded to what he said.
    “Yes, I think we should talk.” Because there were a lot of things he needed to know, things that would probably make him look at her differently, and things that might make him reevaluate if being mated to her was what he really wanted. Alice came with a lot of baggage, a dark past, and a lot of shit that would make any intelligent male run the other direction. For one thing she had this wonderful little girl, and she didn’t know how a male dealt with his mate having a child from another man. The other things could be talked about in person, because she certainly didn’t want to have this conversation on the phone. Alice needed to see his face, and smell his emotions when she broke it all down to him, told him her dirty life and how she was never going to be whole again, not in the way that others were. This was who she was, and she was used to that, accepted it even. The most important thing in her life was Joey, and even if Luke said a friendship with her was okay, she needed to know if he was being genuine, or just placating her for the time being. Those were the things a conversation over the phone couldn’t tell her. It was a strange sensation to have her inner animal so content because of another male, because all it had ever felt when not content around Joey was fear.
    “Can I pick you up tomorrow evening, say six? I know this restaurant that Joey would love. It’s in the next town over, Rush Falls, but I promise it will be great.” Alice started picking at the hem of her shirt and worried her bottom lip.
    “Maybe I could just meet you there?” She didn’t want to be difficult, but everything seemed like it was going so fast, even something as simple as Luke picking her up.
    “Alice, I’m scared , too, believe it or not, but I want to