undid
An hour a day. That is how much mates are required to spend with each other until they are eighteen.
He was not even mated yet and that did not seem near enough time. Not counting committee, he spent three hours a day with Jessalynn and even that was not enough for him.
She has been quiet and too agreeable today. He was beginning to know her well. She was not a quiet and agreeable person.
During their session with Frey and Pensley she had sat quiet, seemingly unconcern with the flashes on the screen.
That was highly unlike her.
Normally some of the things being shown would have sent her fleeing as fast as two legs could carry her.
It had been all him today. All his emotions. Thoughts.
He kept seeing her laying in the wildflowers. Her hair spread out around her. A soft playful smile upon her face.
He had quite forgot himself at the sight. Never would he be able to get that image of her from his head. He will be old, his life almost gone from this world and that image will still be with him.
At training, she worked hard, did all that he asked of her.
That was not like her either.
So, every time he had gotten a free moment, he had gone to check on her. Unlike what Frick said, he did not consider this sad.
She was his now.
Seeing where he was standing, his hands tighten into fist. Thankfully, it was not dark, and she was not in a corner with a boy.
She was standing around a table with a bunch of boys.
Julian saw him and waved him over. "Dude, some advice. Don't mess with her when she's so wind up. Let her take it out on those poor fools."
"What is she doing?"
"Playing pool. At home, everyone knew better than to play her. She's racking up the candy bars."
Kellum looked over the room. A couple of guys sat on a stage playing some type of instruments. Laney and Meg sat nearby watching the boys. One guy sat reading something.
"I really hope you're not here to break this place up. That would be like romance suicide."
"Not at all. We have not found much value for music making but we see no harm in it."
"Good to know."
"Why does she wind up and what is wind up?"
Julian grinned. "She's stressed. About you. She doesn't know what to do with you. It's kind of fun to watch her falling for you. Jess isn't the type to fall for a pair of pretty eyes."
"I am not use to it myself. Any advice?"
"If they ever ask you how they look, never think about it, never act like it's not important. It's always important to them. Don't leave them waiting. With Jess, never take any of her fries. Don't ever break her trust. She only gives it once. Lose it and you never get it back."
"I would never lie to her. Or hurt her."
"Good. That's the main one. Know why she loves me so much?"
The guy chuckled while Kellum looked him over. "I am unsure."
"She knows I'd die for her. Kill for her. She knows I'm not going anywhere. Ever. No matter what, I've got her back. I'm one of the lucky ones, I got to meet her before her dad ran out on them. Back when it was easier for her to let people in."
"Do you want her?"
Julian looked at her.
Even across the room, they could hear her laying into one of the guys playing with her.
"I have her. Always will." He looked back at Kellum. "Do you want her?"
"Yes."
"I've watched her the last couple of days. You have a chance if you don't screw it up."
Kellum stepped closer, his voice lowered. "She loves you so she can keep you but make no mistake about it. She is mine. Not yours."
Julian looked sick as he checked to make sure Jessalynn was still across the room.
"Are you insane? Comments like that will get you nowhere with her. Even suggest, that you're letting her keep me and she'll try to bash your face in. Have you listened to nothing I've said? I'm already hers. You don't get Jess without me. No if, ands, or buts. Group package. Let her? Man, if I didn't like you, I'd tell her that one and sit back and watch the show."
"You are like a brother?"
He winced. "God, no."
"Best friend?"
"Definitely closer. Why do you have to label us? It will give you a headache. You only have to worry about me if you screw up."
"I am not worried about you. She is not meant for you."
"If it makes you feel better, I know that. She knows it too."
One of the guys from the stage walked to the group at the table. Laughing, he threw his arm around Jess. Kellum's hands tighten into fists
"She doesn't mind some jealousy. Thinks it's hot. Just make sure it doesn't touch me. If it does, she'll give you the boot. Now that guy, yeah, she's half in love with him, but don't worry about it too much. He's a musician. She will never, ever get serious with a musician. That's why her dad left; you know? Dezrick has his name. Look him up. He went big. God, I hope he's dead. Do not, I repeat do not, ever bring him up to her. If and when she wants to, then she'll bring it up. That's not who she was kissing anyway. Want to know who?"
He went on before Kellum could answer. "I'm not saying. He's unimportant. Just remember what I said. She can handle some heat just leave me out of the pot and you'll be fine."
"I will take that into consideration."
"Smart man. I've known her along time. A lot of whippings under my belt. Don't get me wrong, you're doing good on your own. I've never seen someone get under her skin like you have. I worried about it never happening."
The other man was forgotten when Jess walked by to visit with the girls.
She tried to look stern as she passed but she was not able to pull it off so instead she stuck her tongue out.
Julian was shaking his head when Kellum finally got back around to looking at him. "Poor, dude. You've got it bad. That's good to see, my man. You have my blessing. Just so long as you know that if you hurt her and she kills you, I'll be the one that pisses on you and helps her hide the body. Man up, she's coming. She's in a better mood since her fight with the guys so don't blow it."
"Okay, you two have been talking way too much. I don't care for that."
"Nonsense, babe. I'm just laying down the law."
She grunted but looked to see what Kellum thought about it.
"Can I speak to you for a moment?"
It was easy to see that she did not want to. "O. . . . kay. Julian, you're in charge of my stash."
She walked away before he could offer his hand.
Julian grinned his way. "See? She's in a way better mood."
Kellum followed her outside by waiting for her to crawl through the small hole then materializing at her side. "Why are you crawling through a hole? Most strange for a door that size."
"What do you want? I knew it was weird the way you've been popping up everywhere. I told them guys you were cool, so you better be cool."
"Cool?"
"Not here to shut us down."
"Not at all. I came to check up on you. You have been unusually quiet."
"Oh."
Being here, finally talking to her was nice but not nice enough. It was like he had been away from her too long and needed to recharge.
He stepped closer the same moment she did. His arms went around her to steady her.
"I'm sorry. I usually..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at him.
He kissed her forehead. Her cheek. His breathing thick. "I do not want to kiss you like I would kiss my grandmother."
Her lips twitched but it was fleeting. "You pick up stuff quick. Too quick. If I kept my mouth shut, you wouldn't know how to torment me like this."
He had been in the process of kissing her cheek again but stopped. "Tormenting you?"
"Yes. No. It's both. I could think better if you backed off."
"Do you need to think better?"
"I'm a big thinker. Usually after I'm in trouble." Sighing, she put her arms around his neck. "See what you do to me? I don't know if I'm coming or going."
Kellum loved the way her fingers were brushing the back of his hair.
Her words still spoke of unease, but she was calming. That pleased him. That he could comfort her. Excite her the way she did him.
He felt very pleased.
Very content.
"I will not let you lose yourself. I wouldn't want that."
"This doesn't scare you?"
"Just the opposite. I get this very nice, very warm feeling in my stomach."
"Warm swirls."
"Yes. And the closer I get to you the more it grows then I know I will be alright till the next time I must see you."
"I don't like any of this."
"What is not to like?"
"It's the whole mating crap. I would like it better if you were just a boy and I was just a girl."
"I am a boy. You are a girl. My girl." He whispered in her ear.
She put some space between them. "I've created a monster."
"Kellum, you are going to be late for another meeting if you do not leave now."
"Before you go, show me this mark I have to fear so much. I should at least know what it's going to look like."
"There is no reason to fear it. It only hurts for a couple of moments."
"And last a lifetime. It's an unbreakable bond. A death sentence."
He reached behind him and undid his candora. Pulled it down his arms and chest. "Not a death sentence."
"I'm not ready for any of it."
"You will be when it happens."
"Oh, my God. Why would you want to do this to yourself? And on purpose? It's disgusting."
Her eyes were appreciative as she made some foul sounds. "Turn around and let me see what horrible things you've done back there. It's shameful. Sad really. Do you have nothing better to do with your time? That's right, you don't. See this is what happens when Kell gets to have no fun. He does horrible damage to his body. Cover up before someone else sees and throws up or something. I mean no other girl has ever seen this, have they?"
He had never thought about it but no. He refastened his garment.
"Just what I thought. You people are freaks. All that hard work and you don't even show it off. And now you think you belong with me? No. Listen to me, Kellum. Stop this bull shit and go run to Hayden. Or better yet, forget all this fucking numbers stuff and find you a nice little_____."
He moved closer. "Can I kiss you now?"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"I have thought of little else."
She backed away. "Remember, insane? No, thank you."
When he reached for her, she panicked. "Don't." She was staying a good step away from him when she hit the door.
He caught up and ran a finger down her cheek. "I know you like the way I look. I like the way you look too."
"Do you?"
He smiled. "I have been coaxed by my people and yours, on how to answer this. Can you explain to me why this is such a worry for you humans?"
She shrugged. "People like to hear it. I've never been one to need it but like I said, you're driving me crazy. You don't like to hear that I like the way you look?"
His smile grew. "That is not what you said. I believe you said just the opposite. I did like the way your eyes warmed when you looked at me."
"Same thing. How do you even know you are attracted to me? Maybe it's just those damn numbers you're so attracted to. Someone told you, you would be, so you are. We are still too young anyway."
Kellum did not like seeing her unsure of them. "Young, yes but not too young. When you are as sure as my people are about our mates then you do not have to wait. The numbers are just to help me find you. The mark is just so there is no doubt. None of that has anything to do with my need to check upon you. My need to be close, to touch."
He kissed her softly. Once. Twice.
"My people do not do this. Any of this. It is part of the feelings you make me feel. It is hard to feel all this and not express it. At first, I feared it. All the unknown. The changes. But how do you fear something that you look forward to? Something you wait for? First it was just being in the same room as you. Then it was accidental touches."
He caressed her cheek and looked into her eyes. "I want to know what it is like to kiss you the way your people do it. I do not care if it is something my people do not do; I will not even care if I lose myself. What I could not bear is to lose you."
She looked lost. More scared now than when he began to talk, but he knew she wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her.
It could wait. Until she did not fear it. Sighing, he leaned in closer. Content at being close, at feeling her breath close to his. Remembering how he had liked her playing with his hair, he played with hers.
"I just ordered my people to change how they dress just so I could keep admiring you in jeans. I think we can safely say that I find you attractive."
He did not have to look at her to know she smiled.
"At your family dinner I___"
"I know how much you liked it. You don't have to say it."
He felt her tremble.
"You barely looked away all night." She unfasted her hands from his candora. "You're late. How do you deal with those four when they are in a bad mood?"
"They do not have bad moods."
"Are you kidding? That is the only mood I've seen them in. How tough are they going to be on you?"
"They know you are important. Do you know before you, I was never late for anything?"
"Don't go laying that one on me, Don Juan. You're the one who can't keep his hands to himself."
True and he did not feel the least bit guilty for it.