Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“I know,” Rocco said. He wasn’t about to tell his mate it was for good reason. He doubted that would go down well. He had to be careful with what he said and did with Rose. Too many times he’d put his foot in it, and he was paying the price.
“How about we take it with us? After we’ve had a drink and some food, we can take it to him before I bring you back for the night?”
“You don’t mind?”
“I don’t mind.”
The smile on her face was all he needed, but he also felt a little jealous. Graham was just a guy, but he didn’t like the fact she was putting all this extra effort in for another man. That made no sense to him, since Rose could pack a care package for whoever she liked. But that pesky little jealousy was rearing its ugly head.
“Are you ready to go?” Rocco asked, taking the basket from her.
“Yeah, that is everything.”
And with that, he carried the basket to the car, and Rose locked up her place.
Rocco didn’t have a clue what he was doing, or why he was doing this. He only hoped he didn’t fuck it up.
****
Rose didn’t know if the care package had been a little much. She wasn’t sure what the protocol was on a date. She didn’t even know if this could be deemed a date. Driving toward the bar, she couldn’t help but feel her nerves building. Her wolf was excited. Her wolf was also the only reason she had agreed to go on this damn date.
She wasn’t happy with Rocco or their mating. Not that they had mated. Rocco hadn’t gotten that far. They may have hugged the other night, but they still hadn’t kissed. There hadn’t been any great moment when they realized they were destined to be together. None of that had happened. Instead, Rose had come to hate Rocco and tried to avoid being with him as it had been too painful. This date felt like a mistake.
“We’ve had good weather,” she said, and inside she cringed. This was how bad it had gotten between them. She had resorted to talking about the weather rather than deal with the true elephant in the room—their mating.
Rose didn’t know what this date meant or if it was even the start of them trying to figure things out. Nothing made any sense.
“Yeah, but I can scent the cold. It’s coming,” Rocco said.
“Yeah, I’ve got some plants to prepare in my garden.” She pressed her lips together. “I have some hardy varieties that will handle the cold, but I’ve got to finish prepping the vegetables for everything else.” She pressed her lips together.
“You know, you don’t have to do that shit anymore,” Rocco said. “We have a perfectly functioning grocery store and supermarket.”
“I know, but I also have a lot of cookbooks from my parents and grandparents, who spent a lot of time figuring out how to make everything themselves, and I do use the supermarket for everything I can’t make.” This was insane. They were talking about shopping. It seemed like the safest topic to her, which she couldn’t help but feel a little sad about. They should be able to talk about anything. She’d seen other mates and how they were with each other. They were always happy and open, close.
Even though they were sitting in a car, close together, she couldn’t help but feel further apart.
They arrived at Val’s bar in Poison. Rose had never been to the bar.
She’d been close to her parents and didn’t have many friends. Being known as the cleaner’s kid hadn’t exactly encouraged others to want to know her.
Rocco pulled the car up far away from the main bar. She figured it was to make a quick escape if the occasion called for it.
With the ignition turned off, Rose climbed out of the car and took a deep breath. This was not difficult at all. This was going to be easy. It was just a date. A date she’d never been on.
Rocco walked around the car and stopped in front of her. He reached for her hand but then stopped himself and frowned. “Ugh, this way.”
He spun on his heel and began walking. Rose had no choice but to follow. This was awful. He didn’t hold her hand, not that she expected him to. She was pretty sure her wolf was disappointed with the way the date was going. This was not good for them.
She knew it was busy in the bar. Where most of the Poison Wolves MC were dealing with the constant threat of a mad doctor’s experiments, the rest of the pack were quite content to go about their business.
Rose knew they hadn’t told the pack the severity of the situation. There would come a time that would change, especially if more people like Graham started to show up.