Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 388: What Kind of Mate?

Cora

“They think they’re being subtle,” I whisper, smiling as Sinclair closes the RV’s

door behind him, the last to ” disappear” from our little circle around the fire.

“I’m not complaining,” Roger murmurs, slipping an arm around my shoulder.

“Are you, little mate?”

I laugh lightly at the nickname, shaking my head at him. “It still doesn’t work,

Roger,” I say, leaning closer to him, though the camping chairs make it hard to

get as close as I’d like to be. “I’ve told you before – I’m not little.”

“Sure you are,” he replies, grinning at me.

“I’m not!” I say, laughing. “Ella’s the little one,” I continue, “I’m tall – I’m not -”

“You’re little to me,” he interrupts, moving his chair closer so that he can tuck his

face between my neck and my shoulder, breathing deeply in – I think savoring

the way that I smell, which sends a little thrill through me. I lower my own head

and breathe in Roger’s own unique scent, letting it flood my senses.

God, does he even know how good he smells? Though he probably does – his

sense of smell far outstrips mine.

“What do you mean?” I ask. “Little to you?”

He lifts his head so he can look into my face, only inches from me now. You’re

little to me, Cora,” he replies, in that you’re…I don’t know. Quite precious. The

way I think of you – I don’t know, I don’t want you to be insulted, but I think of

you as…very small,”

“What?” I ask, confused, “why?”

“Because,” he says seriously, shrugging a little, “you’d have to be very tiny, to

make a home out of my heart,” he says, tapping lightly at his chest. “As you

have done.”

A broad smile stretches across my face and I laugh a little, even though I’m

deeply touched at what he’s said. ” Really?” I ask. “That’s what you think of

me?”

“Mmhmm,” he says, turning his head a little and considering me from different

angles. “My little mate, who I carry around all day in my heart. Even when you’re

not physically around I keep you in here. I talk to you, send all kinds of

messages. Tell you little jokes.” you I grin. “Do I think they’re funny?”

nods, smiling

head. “Then it must be a tiny

be telling you to get some new material –

my arm, tugging me

here, little

I laugh, resisting and eyeing the flimsy camping chair he’s

looks like it can hold his huge werewolf form, let alone

break the chair!”

he murmurs, still pulling me closer and making

he’ll

and tugging myself out of

but he lets me go – watching me as I move to

and pull out a couple of

the fire and then

under my arm. “Better,” he concedes, standing up for a moment

sitting gracefully

the blankets, pulling me down into his

clever little

a moment to place my hands on Roger’s face

at him before bringing my mouth to his and kissing him,

into it, hoping – quite desperately that he knows just how – much I love

we tease – But god, god how I

sweet

as he kisses me back, taking deep breaths

finally home, like he’s been waiting to do this all day.

that…perhaps he knows, a little bit. Even if we

that we can both feel, that we can pass messages along, like

and Sinclair do.

a few moments, resting my head against his chest

wrapped tight around me. And we’re quiet for a

the fire, just…happy to be here with each other. Happy to have

moment.

say quietly, thinking back on Ella’s conversation we had

me to ask whatever question is floating

mind.

think I’m

says, laughing a little, ” Yeah, Cora,” he says, as if it’s a

we’ve made that pretty clear

him a little, to let

your…your mate mate. Like…fated

eyebrows raising a little. Then he grins at

seriously don’t

I hadn’t known there was something

are you talking about?”

didn’t feel it?” he says, turning his head

the forest, in the

start to get frustrated. “Feel

laughs then, a real laugh, a big one that shakes his whole frame. “Cora,”

at me with a gentle smile. “You’re my

while for a long time,

it for a long time, because I didn’t think

absolute sure that day when you ran like an

– ”

I protest, slapping his chest, “I was

know,” he murmurs, nudging me with his nose. “But you were also

sure, because

least, on my