Liam

It was all I could do not to walk over and take her then. She had no idea how incredibly sexy she was and how much she was driving me crazy.

She moved around her small kitchenette, arranging the flowers I'd given her in a vase. She wore a floral-print dress that hugged her curves and fell to her knees. Her soft hair was pulled back in a ribbon bow, cascading in gentle waves down her back.

She was absolutely delectable, and it was hard to simply look at her. I was struggling to control myself when she turned to me, saying, "No one has ever gotten me flowers before. I love them!"

It made sense that she'd never received flowers, considering she hadn't dated in three years. No one in the pack would have been that kind to her.

"It's my pleasure, Azalea," I said, smiling. "Shall we?" I offered my elbow, and she took my arm with her small hand. Tonight, I would be on my best behavior and spoil her. If no one had ever given her flowers, I bet she'd never been on a proper date. Luckily, I had a plan.

We walked around the inn and down the driveway. The town was small, but I'd have to address her motion sickness later. We strolled through town, her hand still in mine. She wore a small smile.

"So, where are we going?" she asked sweetly. I hoped it wasn't just the mate bond making her feel at ease. She was far less hesitant than before my confession in the clearing.

"I thought it might be nice to have a cup of coffee and get to know each other a little better first," I said.

"That sounds nice," she replied with a sweet smile. If I could spend the rest of my life making her smile, it wouldn't be enough.

"Let me talk to our mate," Gavin interrupted.

"No, she isn't ready for you. She's barely comfortable with me," I retorted.

"You're hogging our mate."

"So?"

"She's our mate. You must share. She doesn't have a wolf for me to bond with."

"Not now!" I said, ignoring him.

After a few more minutes, we reached the town's cafe. I led her to a patio table, pulling out her chair before sitting.

"Thank you," she said, blushing. A waitress approached to take our order, immediately batting her eyelashes at me. I kept my eyes on Azalea.

"Hello! What can I get for you?" the waitress asked, almost ignoring Azalea.

"Coffee. Black for me. Azalea, what would you like?"

"Coffee, two creams, and two sugars, please," she said to the waitress.

"And two slices of chocolate cake," I added, my gaze fixed on Azalea.

"Coming right up, darling," she said, smiling at me and walking away. I couldn't help but notice the sway of her hips. Sorry, sweetheart, I thought, maybe two years ago when I was lonely, frustrated, and desperate. Not now that I have a chance with my mate.

"So, I think she might like you," Azalea said.

"Who?" I asked, feigning obliviousness.

"The waitress. She's really pretty," she said.

"She was?"

"You don't have to pretend you didn't notice," she said, sounding slightly sad.

"Azalea, when I'm with you, I notice no one else."

Azalea

"So, I think she might like you," I said, starting to think this might not have been a good idea.

"Who?" he asked, acting as if he hadn't noticed the waitress.

"The waitress. She's really pretty," I replied.

"She was?"

"You don't have to pretend," I said. His pretense only hurt my feelings more.

"Azalea, when I'm with you, I notice no one else." I looked up at him, my heart skipping a beat. "Azalea, when I said I didn't want to reject you, I meant it. I don't just want to help you get your wolf back. I want to be the mate you deserve. I hope you'll give me a chance," he said earnestly.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Why would an Alpha want me as a mate? I was small and weak; I didn't have a wolf and had never even shifted. I was basically human, and human mates always caused problems for wolves. I was speechless.

His face fell slightly. "I understand if you don't want to give me a chance. I don't deserve one. Not only was I mean to you growing up, but I also rejected you and slept with other women," he said. That last part stung. He continued, "But I'd like a chance. Give me a chance to show you I can make you happy. If I can't, I'll walk away. I'll reject you if you want, and we can do it properly. Please, I'd really like a chance."

The waitress returned with our coffee and cake. Placing the order down, she lingered, looking at Liam, and said, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me," before leaving.

I looked at my coffee—black, of course. She hadn't heard me at all. Liam looked at me, then at my coffee.

"Wait a moment," he said, before she got too far.

"Yes?" she asked, smiling at him. I almost punched her.

"She ordered cream and sugar, not black coffee. I'd appreciate it if you could stop ogling me long enough to listen to your customer. And this napkin seems soiled; we won't need it," he said, handing her a napkin with something written on it.

Her face flushed; she nodded and left. She returned with cream and sugar. Once we were alone, I said, "Okay."

"Okay?" he replied.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance, but there's something you should know," I said, hesitating.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Well, I've never… I just never… I've never dated before," I finally admitted.

"Well, at least I won't be competing with anyone then," he said with a grin. This made me giggle. He had a really nice smile.

"So, how was your day?" he asked.

"A little crazy," I said, laughing. "I got up early to make sure the inn was ready before I left. There was a lot on my to-do list today—mysteriously," I added, thinking of the old man. I wondered if he'd been trying to prevent me from going out with Liam, though I'd never told him I was.

"What kind of stuff is on your list?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, just boring stuff. I'm sure you wouldn't care," I said.

"No, I want to know. I want to know everything about your life, Azalea," he said earnestly. My heart melted a little.

I talked about my day and my duties at the inn. It felt like I did all the talking while he listened, asking questions and making jokes. Before I knew it, Liam checked his watch.

"Oh no! I'm boring you!" I said worriedly. "All I've done is talk about the inn."

"Oh, you've got it all wrong, Azalea. I was just checking the time for our next destination. You couldn't bore me if you tried," he said. I blushed. Looking at the window, I realized it was dusk.

He stood, pulling out his wallet and leaving some money on the table. He walked to my side and offered his arm. I took it, relieved we hadn't seen the waitress again. A small smile touched my lips.

"What?" Liam asked as we left the cafe.

"Nothing. I'm just having a lovely time," I said, looking at him.

He smiled. "Good. I wouldn't be doing my job if you weren't."