5. Her Mortification

Emily couldn’t bear the proximity to the dangerously handsome man. He was the drop-dead gorgeous kind of bad boy women had fantasies about. She couldn’t claim she was immune to his charms either. And that was dangerous.

She couldn’t possibly fall for her discretion-loving employer. She had to tell herself he was probably a wealthy player who wouldn’t even spare her a second glance. Never mind piquing his interest, she would probably never get to talk to him again. It’s not as if he sought her out or anything. He just needed to use the home cinema.

She tried to appear calm and collected when she emerged from the home cinema.

Cecilia looked at her, shock written on her face.

“Have you seen him?” She asked in a hushed whisper.

Emily just nodded at her, unable to form a coherent sentence, afraid her voice would give her away too.

“He’s such a hunk… that strong jaw, those luscious lips, and - god have mercy - those penetrating eyes!” Her coworker stated in awe. “I wonder who’s the lucky girl who can call him hers.”

“We should get back to work,” Emily announced earnestly.

She didn’t feel half as excited as Cecilia. Sure, she could understand how any woman, tied down or not, could feel so strongly about such a fine specimen… but surely, that shouldn’t turn her coworker into a loquacious woman.

But then again, she reasoned that lust could be so potent that it could drive people insane. She was glad Cecilia was level-headed enough to not throw herself at the man.

“Come on, Ems,” she nudged her side as Emily passed by her, ready to go to the next room - and try not to break anything. “Admit it.”

“Fine, he’s good looking,” she was downplaying it, but that was the best she could come up with. “But he’s probably a jerk and a player.”

Her coworker shook her head negatively at her, her face that of horror.

What’s wrong with her? Emily wondered.

“Who is a jerk and a player?”

Again, Emily was startled almost out of her skin by that same damned husky and oh so arousing voice.

She didn’t dare turn around. She didn’t dare speak. And she didn’t even care to breathe.

Wasn’t he supposed to watch some movie? Why is he out of the home cinema so soon? Oh ground, open up and swallow me whole! She thought in utter and complete mortification.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Theodore King was far from being unaffected despite his calm demeanor. He didn't want to scare his mate away. He was more interested into wooing her and admittedly doing many more things. But sadly enough, she looked like a scared rabbit. An adorably scared little rabbit he wanted to devour.

He heard her speaking about him. She called him good looking but she also said he was probably a player and a jerk.

He felt ire like never before.

Had she been with a player before? Was she a player herself despite her glaringly obvious innocence?

It takes one to know one... as per the saying.

His voice made her tremble. And she was a bit of a mess. He liked the effect he had on her if only slightly, as it boosted his ego. At least she wasn't indifferent. That had to count for something.

He listened acutely and figured out that she wasn't breathing. Her heart, however, was trying to beat its way out of her chest.

No matter how much he wanted to talk to her, he could understand that he needed to give her time. Maybe he came on to her too strongly?

He needed to tone it down. Her fragile human heart was at risk.

She kept still, her back to him, for quite a few seconds, as he contemplated his next move.

I do hope you keep away from players and jerks, mate, that’s what he wanted to tell her but he settled for something else instead, “Forgive my inquisitive nature. I’ll just retire to my room.”

Theodore King - Theos as most called him - never apologized without adding some sarcasm thrown in. But in this case, he was almost sincere. He wanted to leave a good second impression on his mate, especially seeing as his first had been a bit of a disaster.

She nodded at him, her back still stiff, let out a relieved sigh at long last, and told him, “No worries.”

Her coworker was looking at him with slightly suspicious eyes, and he would have blushed had been a lesser man. If this woman was in any shape or form friendly to his mate, it went without saying that he’d have trouble convincing her of his good intentions.

He’d have to find out just how protective she was of her.

He retired to the master bedroom, feeling partly elated, partly dejected. Had his mate been of the supernatural kind, there would be no waiting to consummate the mating.

Admittedly there were cases where the mate would play hard to get for whatever reason, but in his case, it was worse. His mate didn’t even have a clue his kind existed. She was human, and humans tended to be complicated, overly rational at times or not at all, and fragile.

But still he counted his blessings. Not all supernatural beings found their mates.

Human or not, he shall cherish her until the end of time - forever and ever. Now that he had met her, he couldn’t even picture a world where she didn’t exist, where she wasn’t by his side, maintaining his equilibrium, and keeping him sane.

“Let the chase begin,” he said to no one in particular as he laid back on his bed, sleepiness catching up on him.