Chapter 26

A/N: I'm taking part in another Wattpad Block Party and have to prepare a post for it. Last year, it was a sneak peek from Keri's Sentiments & Reason (link in the comments); this year, I'm thinking of a post with writing tips. If any of you have questions about writing and posting on wattpad - covers, titles, character development, how to get reads, etc. - ask in the comments and I'll try to include my answer in the post.

Do you prefer that over a sneak peek?

I have some time before I have to prepare the post so if a lot of you want a sneak peek instead, that's what I'll write. After all, how can I say no to my favorite readers? ♡

*****

Brown letters spelling CLOSED greeted me when I finally arrived at the Milk and Cream. I looked through the glass too see that my mate and his short-sized, hot-tempered friend were the only ones in the café. The woman was cleaning the tables and Riley was frowning at his phone, a water bottle in his right hand.

I rapped on the door and his tense shoulders slacked when he saw me. He left the bottle at the bar and pocketed his phone as he quickly approached me. As soon as he unlocked the door, I leaned down to kiss him.

"What happened?" He asked without even greeting me first or moving in for the kiss. I looked towards his friend; even though she tries to hide it, it was obvious she was straining to hear us.

I shook my head.

"I'll tell you in the car, okay? But nothing bad," I quickly added to put his mind at ease and this time he allowed me to peck him. "Can I help you finish up here?"

"Oh, I'll do that; you two go..." Winnie's voice trailed off when she realized that she was not supposed to be listening in on us.

"Thanks, Winnie." Riley smiled at her and untied his apron before going to the back of the café, probably to stuff it into a locker; he'd told me his boss had provided one for each employee.

"We can wait and drive you home," I suggested to Winnie, hoping she'd refuse and I wouldn't have to wait longer to spend some time alone with my mate.

Thankfully, that was exactly what she did.

"One of my neighbors works in the perfumes section; she'll give me a lift."

Riley rejoined us and I was pleasantly surprised when he took my hand as he led me to the exit. I squeezed his fingers and opened the door just as he was wishing his colleague a good night.

"Night, hun," she replied in turn.

"I'll tell you in the car," I said as I closed the café door, knowing what he was about to ask me.

An adorable growl of annoyance left his lips and brought a small smile to mine. He didn't make any more inquiries and we walked in silence towards my vehicle. A splash made me look down when we reached the parking lot; Riley shook his right leg and glared at the puddle he'd stepped in.

I opened the car door and Riley slumped down on the front seat. He barely waited for me to get behind the wheel and my question - 'Do you want to take your sneaker off' - was cut after 'take' by his 'So what happened?'

I squeezed his hand.

"Nothing bad, I told you."

Nothing good either, but at least we are in agreement about having to find a way to get Ace out of town.

"I phoned Keri," I went on, "then that division I told you about and they sent a team to keep an eye on him. The hunter knows they are there, so he won't try anything."

"Are they good? I mean, you told me he's really good at his job so they'd have to really, really good to deal with that guy." Riley was barely making pauses between his words.

"They have certain..." Abilities. "Advantages."

"Is anyone from the Bullets in that division?"

"No." My reply seemed to put him off a bit, but I decided not to probe him about it and instead posed the question he'd interrupted before:

"How about you take off that shoe? And the sock too; it must be wet."

He did as I'd suggested before putting on his seatbelt. It was only then that I drove off.

"If things are okay..." He paused and I nodded. "... Then why are you picking me from work? Not that I mind, I like that, but when I got your message, I thought that something might've gone wrong."

"Not wrong, just..." I frowned, narrowing my eyes to the road in front of me. "It's been a long, troublesome day and I wanted it to end with something pleasant so I came to see you."

To my greatest pleasure, he grinned at my reply.

"I missed you, Riley," I told him, stopping at a red light.

"I missed you too," he admitted and leaned his head on my shoulder. I swiveled, planting a kiss on top of his head before looking ahead again. The yellow light shon and my mate got back to his previous position.

"Do you have anything to eat at your place?" I asked and slowed down as we neared a corner shop, just in case he gave a negative reply.

"Some frozen pizzas. Wanna join me for dinner?"

"Sure." I slightly sped up and soon we were in front of his apartment building.

"You know, Rhys, you don't have to do this every single time," Riley commented after I'd opened the vehicle door for him. Nevertheless, he had a smile on his face and I was sure it had nothing to do with him putting on his wet sock and snicker.

"I'll try not to," I laughed and his smile grew bigger. "See? I'm letting you open this one," I added, while he was unlocking the building door. My words earned me an eyeroll and just like that, I relaxed. Eyerolls, wet socks and talking about doors - these small, mundane things distracted me from Ace.

"Hello, Mrs. Patterson," Riley saluted an elderly woman who I assumed was his neighbor on our way up to his apartment.

"I wish there was someone to greet me when I got back," he murmured, letting me walk into his apartment before him. My heart fluttered.

Were his words some sort of a hint or a suggestion?

Was Riley telling me that he was ready for a steady relationship and that he wanted that with me?

I could do that for him; I'd love to do that for him.

I watched him closely as he closed the door, threw his keys in a plastic bowl and took off his sneakers and socks. His face and posture gave me no cues that he expected me to comment on what he'd said, but it could have still been a hint, right?

"You know, like a person or at least a dog or a cat," he went on, heading to the bathroom.

How about a big, fluffy wolf, I suggested in my mind, grinning.

"Dogs are better," I said aloud instead and took off my jacket. "But yes, it is good to have someone waiting for you."

"Do your parents always come home before you?" He asked, exiting the bathroom, relieved of his wet socks. He then led the way into his kitchen.

"Not always." I replied as I was washing my hands. "But we all gather for dinner. Sometimes Everett and Lisa come over too."

"Have you ever thought about getting your own place?" Riley opened the freezer - I frowned when I saw the thing was almost empty - and took two round pizzas out.

"I already have a house," I told him, surprised at the realization that the topic hadn't come up sooner. "It needs some renovations and furnishing – I have very basic stuff in it like a bed and sinks, and toilets – but it can be made livable in a couple of weeks."

And if you want to move in tomorrow, Riley, I'll work all night to provide you with all the necessary accommodations by then. Even if that meant keeping all adult members of my pack awake so they could help out.

"So how come you don't live there?" He placed the two pizzas in a pan and shoved it in the oven.

"I will," I replied with a smile, the familiar heat gathering in my face as I imagined the two of us together in that house. "When I find a... partner. To be honest, the idea of living alone terrifies me. Do you have more of the tart cherry juice?"

"Yeah, at the fridge door." He quickly posed another question: "When you say a partner, you mean a boyfriend, not a roommate?"

"Of course." I opened the fridge and it was just as empty as the freezer; would Riley be offended if I brought food the next time I came to visit?

"That's why it has a master bedroom with a double bed and two smaller ones that can be made into children rooms," I went on. "There are two larger bathrooms with a toilet in each and one smaller with just a shower. It's also the reason I wanted a yard; it's not like I'll be making a garden." I closed the refrigerator and looked at him. "The tall glasses were in the top counter, right?"

"All glasses are in there; not much room for stuff in this apartment," my mate muttered lifting one of his shoulders in a shrug.

"Would you like to see it sometime?" I handed him one of the now full glasses and he eagerly gulped down half of the liquidat once. "The house, I mean. Would you like to see it, Riley?"

"Sure," he replied with a forced smile and emptied his glass.

I put my drink on the table and stepped towards him.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not much of an apartment." He waved around, ashamed.

"So?" I relieved him of his glass, placing it next to mine, so I could intertwine our fingers. "You are only eighteen, Riley, and it's not like you can depend on support from your family. I think you've done well, especially considering what you've been through."

"Really?" His voice was strained.

"You have your own apartment, you have a stable job, you have good friends..."

Few, but good.

I leaned down, my lips close to his, and whispered:

"What's not to be proud of?"

I could feel him smile when my mouth touched his. I wanted to distract him, to assure him that I didn't care about where he lived or how much money he made; that I just wanted him the way he was.

I sucked on his lower lip until I felt the tension leave his body and then I pulled away. He placed his hands on my chest before speaking, his tone pleasingly raspy:

"Rhys, I'd like to see that house."

And I want you to move into that house, but not yet, my love, not just yet.

"Maybe..." I licked my lips. "Maybe, you could come over at my current house for dinner sometime soon and we can take a walk afterwards to my unfurnished house? It's nearby. Plus, mom and dad still want to meet you... When you want to; when it's not too soon and..." My face reddened with shame of my clumsy invite and nerves as I anticipating his reply.

"What if they don't like me, Rhys?"

I had to giggle.

The idea of that happening was preposterous , yet he sounded even more worried than I was about him saying no. I cleared my throat and tried to adopt a serious inflection so I could properly reassure my mate that my parents disliking him was not an option.

"Trust me, Riley, that's not possible."

"But what if..."

I hushed him with a finger over his lips.

"Not possible," I repeated. "I know my parents, Riley, and I know you; you can break my mom's favorite vase and set dad's tool shed on fire and they'd still love you. You are a good person, Riley, and that's what matters to them."

"You sure?"

I almost melted when he looked up at me through his eyelashes. He seemed so defenseless, so in need of my protection.

"Yes, I'm sure." I stated without a doubt and he sighed and wiped his hands on his jeans.

"So when do you want to do this?"

"The dinner?" My eyebrows shot so high up, they probably got lost in my hair. "You-you mean the dinner with my parents?" I stuttered, vaguely aware that I was smiling like a maniac.

"Yes, Rhys, the dinner with your parents. When can we do that?"

Right now, was what I wanted to answer before running into the hallway and shouting that my mate had agreed to meet with my parents.

*****

A/N: I'll try to have one more chapter up over the weekend and I'd very much like to know what you think about this one, but first: did you decide?

Should I write a sneak peek for the Wattpad Block Party or a post with wattpad & writing tips?

If the later, what do you want in it? You can leave topic ideas or questions in the comments.

Now, for this chapter: what did you think of it?

It is also available from Riley's POV (Ch. 13 of You are the Answer); which one do you like more?

If you enjoyed this one, please support it with a VOTE! If you enjoyed both, well, vote for both :D