Total Eclipse of The Heart- Mated Hearts Series Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 14

     But now that she was sitting here, holding hands with Will and feeling the tingles that shocked her arm, she had to ask herself that same question again.  Could she be lucky enough to find that type of love?  She was close before, could it happen again?

     Will was watching Raven and noticed that she was off in her own little world again. He playfully tugged at her hair, pulling her back to the present, not wanting her to dwell on the bad memories. This was supposed to be a vacation for her and he wanted this time to be about them; a time to get to know each others as mates.

     "The way that I hear it, you like Italian food," Will stated, glancing across the table at Layla and Christopher.  "Mom is the best when it comes to pasta and maybe a little birdie mentioned that spaghetti was your absolute favorite?"  It was a statement but he framed it as more of a question when he turned back to her.

     Raven had no doubts at who opened their big mouth about her penchant for spaghetti.  She shot her friends, who were sitting there smirking at her actually, 'you're going to pay for this' glare and then politely smiled back at Will.  

     "Yup, I like spaghetti but really," She started and glanced down at the heaping plate, "Your mom didn't have to go through all this trouble just because I like it."  

     Will shook his head, "Nah, Mom wanted to fix you something that you like."  His gaze drifted to hers.  "See, her talent is in the kitchen.  She was so excited when I told her that you were coming that she wanted to do something special for you."

     She furrowed her brow in confusion.  "But why get so excited over me.  It's Christopher's homecoming."

     Will didn't know quite how to answer that.  He couldn't very well come out and say the real reasons, Because you are my mate and you have made me a very happy man. I'm now a one woman type of guy and you were the one to make that happen.  At least not yet anyway, she would think he was crazy.  

     He shrugged and stared down at his plate.  "Maybe because I told her that I liked you," he said, going with a half truth.  He more than liked her, but he didn't want to scare her off.

     Raven wasn't quite sure how to respond to that.  Reaching over the table, she grabbed her water glass and took a sip to moisturize her suddenly dry mouth.  After a few minutes of silence between the two Raven found her words again.  "This really does smell wonderful."  On cue, her stomach growled, causing Will to chuckle.  She pressed her hand to her stomach in embarrassment.  "I didn't realize how hungry I was."

     Will couldn't get over the look of wistfulness on his mates face.  "Good," Will said, reaching over her plate and grabbing her fork.  "I'm glad that your hungry and since you are my guest of honor, may I feed you the first bite?"

     She quirked her lips.  That was a really strange question, she thought to herself.  It seemed a little more than weird for him to offer to feed her.  "I don't think you need to do that Will."  She leaned over to take the fork back from him but he held it just out of her reach.     

     "Please," he begged.  "Humor me, if nothing else."  What he didn't tell her was that it was a tradition for a male wolf to hand feed his female mate as a symbolic promise that he would always provide for her.  It was another step in the bridge of the mate bond and he hoped that she wouldn't shoot him down.