e. Every time she shuts her eyes, she can feel Miles' lips on hers, warm and

ften with a potency that makes her catch her breath. She rubs her temples

her desk. But it's no use. Her thoughts keep on drifting back to Miles - his warm voice, h

he does, a picture falls out from one of the books stacked on her desk. It is a picture of her and Miles from last summer's carnival. They are both grinning w

moves to the only couch in the room and dives back into work, trying not to look up ever

e door. "Izzy?" It's Miles' voice

again. It's a sweet, deep sound that fills the air with its unique rh

cheeks before

wears a navy blue shirt now, and it brings out his eyes. However, h

he notices. "I just had a shower befo

es to focus again, but it is hard, knowing tha

talk?"

s stuck in her throat. "

stay

nk I can say

ds her. And then, he stays there, beside her,

it repeatedly as if it is a lifeline. Should she return to her desk? She can

om with tension. Yet, there is also a strange kind of peace that comes

on?" he finally asks

curtly, without looking away from her

lent, he decides to change tactics. He leans back onto the couch a

his chest under the taut fabric of his shirt. His presence, so ca

a hectic array of post-its, overfilled bookshelves, and a work desk that seems

erself with the sharpness of her voice. She expects him

efore he responds

tempting to escape its cage of ribs. Miles turns his body towards her, but he

my need to be near you has beco

ough her inner wolf screams at her to kiss an

end of your shi

a lot of work

zy.

makes her shiver, and she finally looks a

you," he says softly, ca

option, but one option she knows that her feet won't take. Their mate bo

" she says, and yet, her ey

we both know that you are using work as an excuse to

hiver, especially when he reaches out and finally embraces her. His proximity is making her dizz

, listening to his heartbeat. For the first time, she realizes how rock hard Miles'

s snuggling with Miles, she pulls back from

his voice soothing, the sound b

towards her laptop screen, which is illumi

en you. Unless I disgust you. Unless y

es to all of th

ttle tremble in his body. "That would hurt me," he whispers

breath as she rel

. "Now, that I've become your mate?

er and just stay

hen I didn't reject the mate bond as yo

n't really know the answer. She

wn. You have always hated the idea of a mate b

that he is crying. Even so, he is co

eep breath and says,

e feels not just a bad mate, but also the worst person ever. Certainly, so

ll misty. He looks vulnerable and sad, and her heart

laptop and closes it. She can

Miles, "Fine," she relents. "W