Chapter 19: Ada's Mate

Reese

“Did I shock you with that revelation?” I ask as I pick up a fry and eat it.

“Shock, no, surprise, yes,” she says softly. “I would expect Blake to say such a thing. I expected you to be more reasonable and that you will show mercy.”

“Nice people have limits too, Ada,” I grin. “And when it comes to what’s mine, I’m ruthless.”

“What’s yours?” She frowns and stops eating.

“You,” I look her straight in the eye and her eyes widen. “I honestly think you’re my mate. It’s not Cooper and Blake … well, he’s not interested. And you said it yourself, your wolf liked me.”

“Oh,” she avoids eye contact and reaches for her milkshake. My heart pulls painfully. Did she secretly hope that Blake is her mate? Worse, is she disappointed that it might be me?

“Is that a good or a bad oh?” I ask as I look down at my food to hide my feelings.

“Neither,” she sighs. “Your admission caught me by surprise, that’s all.”

“I thought I made it clear that I’m interested in you. Seems I must try harder,” I look at her intensely and she smiles shyly before she looks down at her plate.

“I wouldn’t mind if you’re my mate,” she says when she finally looks at me again. “At least you like me and will not reject me.”

“That’s it?” I ask as I swallow my ego. I do not think she grasps how her words just hurt me. I feel like the consolation price or the convenient choice.

“No,” she stands up and walks to me. “Move over.”

Confused I scoot over, and she comes to sit next to me. She takes my arm and drapes it around her shoulder.

“You’re also pretty,” she wiggles her eyebrows at me and I burst out laughing as I pull her closer to me.

“Well, if you put it like that,” I chuckle and feed her one of my fries.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s easy for me to say how I feel but hard to talk about my feelings,” she says awkwardly. “Like, it’s easy for me to tell you I like you but it’s hard for me to explain how you make me feel.”

“Because you don’t know?” I ask cautiously.

“No, because it makes me feel uncomfortable,” she sighs. “It’s too personal.”

“I get it,” I nod. “You don’t want to expose yourself too much.”

“Not deliberately,” she sits up straight and turns to me. “It’s not like I don’t want to. I just can’t get myself to cross that bridge.”

“It’s okay,” I whisper as I lean forward and kiss her softly. “You don’t have to.”

“Thank you,” she smiles before reaching for her milkshake.

“Why doesn’t Blake like me?” She asks and again I must fight my frustration that she talks and thinks about him while I am trying to bond with her.

“It’s not you, it’s him,” I smirk. “He kind of hates all women after his mate’s betrayal. Walking in on her with a guard broke his heart. If his mate is capable of such treachery, imagine how much more devious other women can be that don’t care about him.”

“That’s understandable but foolish,” Ada snorts. “Not everybody cheats. In fact, most don’t.”

“True, but it happened to him and shattered his trust in the mate bond,” I say reasonably.

“Well,” she shrugs. “At least now I know it’s not something I did or say. It’s one thing for people to dislike you when you give them a reason to. But it’s weird if they hate you out of principal and you don’t know it.”

“Does it really bothers you that much?” I ask confused. Ada always seems so confident and self-assured, it is unexpected to learn that she cares so much.

“No,” she leans back into my arm again. “But it helps to know where I stand with him when we’re working together.”

“Come on,” she stands up. “Let’s go, I want to show you something.”

Ada

I watch Reese as he pays for our food. I was not fair when I called him pretty. He is downright beautiful. And he makes me feel precious and safe. He would be the perfect mate. But there is something I need to do before this goes too far.

I wave goodbye to Cathy before we walk to the car.

“Where are we going?” Reese asks as he opens the door for me.

“You’ll see,” I smile mischievously as I climb in.

I do not say a word other than directions as we drive. There is a slight possibility that I am out of my mind about doing this, but I need to know. Reese is a great person and I can easily see us being mates, there is only one more test.

“Park here,” I say and he obeys.

I open my window and inhale the salty sea air. We are parked on a cliff, with the ocean stretched out in front and trees behind us. We are completely secluded and alone.

“Now what?” He turns to me.

I do not say a word as I cup his cheek and softly kiss him.

“This is not going to work,” he pulls away and climbs out of the car.

Shame washes over me as I stare at the ocean. I took a gamble and I lost. I wanted to see if there is a spark between us or if his wolf would return like with Cooper.

“Get out,” Reese orders as he opens my door and I reluctantly obey.

“Did you bring me here to seduce me?” He asks as he closes my door.

“Not exactly,” I say softly.

“Ada,” he says sternly and opens the back door. “You don’t make out on a cliff in front of a car. It’s too dangerous. You do it on the backseat.”

Before his words can register, his arms are around my waist and his lips are crushing mine. I sigh gleefully as I glide up hands up his arms and over his biceps before I snake them around his neck.

He lifts me off my feet and guides me into the car. I am laying in the backseat panting as he kisses my neck. Desire pools inside and I curl my fingers into his hair.

My breathing becomes shallower as his hands slip underneath my blouse and settle on my breasts.

“Just tell me to stop at any time and I will," he murmurs against my neck.

"Don't stop,” I say as I lift my upper body for him to remove my blouse.

"Definitely a spark," I pant as everything fades and all that I am aware of is his hands roaming over my skin. Eagerly he pulls my bra out of the way, and I dig my nails into his back when the warmth of his mouth covers my n*pple. The feeling is exquisite.

With one hand, I reach for his pants but he grabs my wrist and pins it above my head.

“Not yet,” he says as his lips trail down to my navel while he starts unbuttoning my pants.

I am slightly shivering as his lips create havoc with my body while he pulls my pants down. This is the first time that I am willingly getting physical with a man and it is mind-blowing.

My phone starts ringing from the front seat and I groan out my disappointment.

“No,” I protest when Reese lifts his head. “Let it ring.”

“It’s your father,” he hands me the phone. “You better answer.”

“Hello, Dad,” I answer frustrated and Reese smiles playfully at me.

“Where are you?” Dad demands.

“I went out with Reese,” I reply, and I gasp in surprise as Reese spreads my legs and starts kissing my knee, moving higher.

“Why didn’t you tell anybody where you’re going?” Father rages so loudly that Reese could hear and stops his caressing. But it felt so good that I hook my foot around his neck and shake my head as a signal that he should not stop. I sigh inwardly in delight when he starts kissing my thigh and I clasp my hand over my mouth to cover my moan when Reese goes lower and slowly starts licking my clit*ris.

“I … I’m sorry,” I do my best to keep my voice steady and nearly scream into the phone when Reese’s tongue slips inside me.

Oh, dear goddess! I never knew it could feel so delightful.

“Get home, now,” Dad barks. “It’s lunch and we’re waiting.”

“We already had lunch,” I say quickly as I dig my nails into the seat. Reese’s finger slides in and out as he sucks on my clit*ris. “We were at the diner, don’t wait for us.”

“You should’ve told me,” Dad grunts. “This is very inconsiderate of you.”

“I’m so sorry, Daddy,” I whimper as my body starts trembling. “It wasn’t planned.”

“We’ll talk about this when you get home,” he ends the call and the phone drop out of my hand as my body arches when my first-ever org*sm hits me.

It feels like a small eternity as my body convulses before I go limp. Reese kisses the inside of my thigh before his lips trail up over my hip to my breasts.

“Are we in trouble?” he asks as he moves to my neck.

But I am too emotional and incapable of answering him.

“Ada?” He lifts his head and looks at me frowning. “Are you crying?”

“No,” I shake my head and bite down on my quivering bottom lip.

“You are,” he says distraught as he picks me up and pulls me onto his lap.

“Reese,” I cup his face and look deep into his eyes. “Thank you.”

“But you’re crying,” he looks at me confused.

“Because I’m overwhelmed,” I laugh before I kiss him tenderly. “You have no idea.”

“Then tell me,” his words are soft and tender as he wraps me in his arms and pulls me against his muscular chest.

“Not now,” I sigh and close my eyes. “Just know that I’m eternally grateful.”

“Okay,” he kisses me on top of my head. “Tell me when you’re ready.”

“I must get home,” I snake my arms around his neck and kiss him once more. “Father is upset with me.”

“I heard,” he grins before he kisses me one more time.