Cherished: True Mates Book 5 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) by Olivia Arran Page B

shuffled his feet awkwardly and I had to stifle a giggle that threatened to escape. The man looked like a fish out of water, unsure of what to do or say.
    Laying Josh down in the bed, I pulled the cover up to his chin. Brushing his hair back I kissed his brow and forced myself to let him go.
    Following Oliver back into the other bedroom, I pulled the door too, but didn’t close it fully. I wasn’t ready for that quite yet.
    Suddenly feeling self-conscious I busied myself with fussing with the coffee pot someone had kindly provided, pouring two cups and adding cream to both. He was just so big , his presence filling the room and making it hard to look anywhere else.
    “Ana, we need to talk.”
    My hand froze in the midst of scooping sugar from the bowl. “Sugar?” I asked.
    “Four.”
    “ Four?” I couldn’t help the look of judgment that I knew must be on my face.
    “I’m a big boy, I need the energy,” he replied, grinning, displaying a set of perfect, white teeth.
    No fillings that I could see. Yet. His smile did funny things to me, setting off a swirling inside my stomach. No man had the right to look that irresistible. It wasn’t fair.
    “Why are you scowling at me? What have I done now? I need a fucking roadmap and compass,” he added under his breath.
    He sounded so put out and confused I couldn’t help but smirk, hiding it while scooping spoonful after spoonful of sugar into his cup, then giving the syrupy-sweet liquid a quick stir.
    Handing it to him, I grabbed my own, giving my hands something to do before perching on the edge of the table, watching as he sat down on the bed, the frame creaking ominously under his weight.
    Scowling, he took a sip of the scalding-hot coffee, hastily blowing before taking another sip. “They don’t make beds like they used to.”
    “They just don’t make them for giants, you mean?”
    “I’m not a giant, you’re just short!”
    “Compared to you, everyone’s short.”
    He snorted, taking another sip of his coffee, seeming to mull over my words. “Sit down. I’m the perfect height actually.”
    I debated not asking, but I couldn’t resist. “For what?”
    “Come here and see.”
    His eyes were dancing with challenge, daring me to accept.
    I considered him, Kara’s words playing in my mind. “Why was Kara so surprised when I said you had been talking with me?”
    “You spoke to Kara about me?” It was his turn to be surprised.
    “You came up in conversation.” There was no need for him to know that the conversation had been about Bert. “So, why was she so surprised?”
    He set the cup carefully on the floor and propped his elbows on his knees, resting his chin on his hands in a look of deep contemplation. “I’m a man of few words—”
    “No you’re not!”
    “I usually am, but around you I seem to be able to…talk.”
    Bless him, he looked utterly perplexed. I took a deep breath. I might as well ask. “Is that because I’m your true mate?”
    “Sweet Mother of All, who’s been running off at the mouth?” he groaned, rubbing a hand across his eyes, then collapsed back on the bed. “I didn’t want you to find out like that,” he mumbled from behind his arm.
    My mouth had gone dry at the sight of his T-shirt inching up, exposing a flat stomach rippling with muscle, a thin line of blond hair running down the center and disappearing into his pants. “Um,” I tried to answer and failed miserably, my mind struggling to focus. What had I been about to say?
    “Ana?” He peeked at me from behind his arm, drawing my eyes up to focus on the thick bicep that bunched with the movement, straining what looked to be flimsy fabric judging by the jagged tears down each side.
    Jagged tears?
    Before I even had time to think, my feet had darted forward, my hands reaching out to inspect the tears, searching for matching wounds.
    “What—?”
    There was nothing. Not even a scratch.
    I blinked, heat burning my cheeks as awareness flooded me. I was