Chapter 74 Patrick
Patrick
We step out of that room, and the shift is immediate.
It’s like the weight I’ve been carrying for the past two weeks—no, longer than that—finally lifts off my shoulders.
Relief crashes into me all at once, bright and overwhelming.
I feel light.
Almost giddy.
It’s the same high I felt the first time we walked out of there… only this time, it’s real.
It’s done.
We made it through.
We’re okay.
Before I can even think it through, I turn and grab Dr. Marin’s hand, pulling her into a hug.
She lets out a small, startled gasp, clearly not expecting it—but she recovers quickly, her arms coming around me in return.
“Thank you,” I say, the words rushing out, thick with sincerity. “Thank you so much, Dr. Marin. I really appreciate everything you’ve done.”
I pull back just enough to look at her.
“If you ever need anything from me—anything at all—don’t hesitate to call.”
She chuckles softly, her expression warm as she gives my arm a gentle squeeze before stepping back.
“It’s no problem at all, Pat,” she says. “But I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
“I’ll talk to you later,” she adds, then smiles.
Her gaze shifts to Lottie. “It was nice meeting you, Lottie. Take care of him.”
Lottie nods easily, her posture relaxed but confident.
“It was nice meeting you, too, Dr. Marin,” she replies. “I will.”
Something about the certainty in her voice makes heat rise to my face.
I flush.
Dr. Marin turns and walks away, leaving the two of us standing there in the hallway.
And then I flush even deeper because before I can gather myself, Lottie steps closer.
Too close.
Her wrist brushes lightly down the side of my neck—slow, deliberate—before trailing across my chest.
The contact sends a soft, electric ripple through me, my breath catching before I can stop it.
Then her hand finds mine.
Our fingers interlace like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Like we’ve done it a thousand times before.
“Spring break is in a couple of days,” she says, her voice low but steady. “You ready to come home with me and meet the family?”
The question settles over me, heavy in a different way.
Not stressful.
Not overwhelming.
Just… significant.
We hadn’t been able to set something up with Charlie beforehand, but he did say he’d stop by during the break to meet me properly.
I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips.
I blame my nephew for that.
Jordan.
Now that I know the connection, it makes too much sense.
Cade joked that if he didn’t know better, he’d think Jordan and Charlie were fated mates themselves.
Those two are practically inseparable.
I huff out a quiet breath, shaking my head slightly.
Then I look at Lottie.
Really look at her.
And nod.
Because somehow—
Even with everything that’s happened—
This feels like the easiest yes I’ve ever given.
Lottie follows me to my car and just gives me a look as she gets in. I shake my head, a small smile forming on my face as I get behind the wheel.
She's declaring she's coming with me whether I want her to or not. But I'll always want her with me, no matter where I am or where I'm going.
I start the car, pull out of the lot, and begin driving toward my house. Ten minutes later, I pull up into my driveway and turn the car off. I look at Lottie and shiver as a flush suffuses my body. I want her hands on me right fucking now.
We step out of the car in silence, the air between us pulsing with energy, her pinecone-and-snow scent cutting through the late morning chill. My own grapefruit and honey scent rises fast in response, and I feel the first warm trickle of slick starting to seep from my hole. It dampens my underwear with every step toward the front door.
My chest feels too full. The meeting with the administration plays on a loop in my head—the way the dean had nodded, referenced the fated mates clause, told us we were cleared. No sneaking. No more fear. I'd stood there in that room, numb with relief, and now that numbness is burning away into something overwhelming and huge.
I fumble with the key, fingers clumsy, while her hand rests heavy at the small of my back. The moment the door swings shut behind us, she moves.
She stands nearly a foot taller than me, and that's all too obvious when she wraps her arms around my waist and lifts me straight off my feet. I gasp against her mouth, the suddenness of it, the way she never hesitates to pick me up and hold me close. The fated bond tingles where our bodies press together, warm and electric.
My legs hook around her waist automatically, my body pressed tight against the hard line of her dick through her clothes as she carries me down the short hallway to the living room. My back hits the living room wall with a soft thud, and her mouth crashes onto mine. The kiss is deep and demanding, as she pours all of her emotions into it—relief and joy and desperate love—her tongue sliding hot against my own while one of her hands grips my ass and squeezes. I moan into her mouth, the sound is raw, unguarded. I've wanted this so badly. Wanted her without fear. And now I have it.
Slick leaks out of me in a sudden rush, thick and warm, soaking through the fabric of my pants and making everything sticky. I squirm in her arms as I moan into her mouth at the sensation, the scent of pinecones and fresh snow overwhelming my senses. My eyes sting with the threat of tears, but I blink them back. I don't want to cry. I want to feel her.
She doesn't set me down. She walks us the rest of the way to the couch and lowers me onto the edge, her wrist already trailing my throat. The scent gland there drags firm and deliberate across my skin, layering her crisp forest scent right into my pores. It clings instantly, marking me deep, and the emotion of it makes my breath catch. She's claiming me, but it's not just about ownership. It's about belonging. About being wanted so completely that she has to put her scent on every inch of me.
She works it lower in slow strokes, rubbing her wrist over my collarbones and down the center of my chest after her free hand tugs my shirt open. The texture of her skin against mine sends tingles through me, along with another rush of slick from my hole. I can hear how wet I am already, the squelching sound of it as I shift on the couch. My heart is hammering, and not just from arousal. From the sheer weight of this moment. We made it. We're here.
Lottie strips my pants and underwear away in quick, efficient pulls. My dick springs free, hard and leaking at the tip, but she ignores it. Two of her fingers slide straight between my spread thighs, dragging through the wetness coating my hole. The wet sound fills the room as she circles the rim, then pushes inside. My walls clench around her fingers, more slick pulsing out to coat her knuckles. I look up at her, and the tenderness in her eyes nearly undoes me.
While she works them deeper in steady thrusts, she brings her wrist back to my skin. She drags the gland along my neck again, then down my chest in time with every thrust of her fingers, marking me thoroughly. The pine scent sinks in thicker with each pass, mixing with the honeyed notes rising from my own body. Her gaze never leaves mine, and I feel seen in a way I've never felt before. Not just desired. Loved.
I can only stare at her in wonder as she plays my body like a violin.