The Alpha's Only Choice

19. To not feel anything at all.

It took her over an hour and three cups of coffee to convince Matt that the thing between them, whatever that is, doesn't mean she has to immediately pack her bags and move to Bluewood.

By the time they left, the server, Eli, was thoroughly amused. Kiara had no doubt that with all the lingering she did, she got a solid gossip to share with the kitchen crew who would occasionally take a peek from the back.

'Did you arrive safe?'

'You mean the four steps it took me to reach my apartment from the elevator where you stood because you were too scared of Millie to get off?'

'I am not scared of a tiny feline, okay? I was just respecting your rules. You said I am not allowed to enter your apartment'

'It's okay. Don't be ashamed. Millie has that effect on people'

Kiara knew she had little time before he replied so she quickly finished her nighttime routine and settled on her bed with another episode of Hannibal before checking her mail.

'I just don't like the way she smells'
'She's also all over your carpet'
'like all the time?'
'How's Scott?'

'Scott's with my parents. I miss him most days but I don't think I can take care of him alone. When he gets bored he tears through everything chewable in the house. Also, I know you have my number. So is this mail thing something you enjoy?'

Her phone chimed a moment later with an incoming text.

'It's sentimental. It's our thing. How do you not see that?'

'Maybe it will be sentimental when we are a hundred years old' she texted back.

'I can imagine that. I imagine that a lot. Us growing old together'

'You mean me hitting a century and you being nowhere near it?'

'Are you still bothered about that? I thought you let that go when you accepted this bond'

Kiara wanted to say she accepted nothing. But she did, didn't she? She is giving this a shot. If he wants to call whatever this is, a bond then it's a bond.

When she didn't reply immediately, he continued. 'You know my dad's ten years older than Anna, right? Age difference doesn't bother me or anyone around me. When you are a hundred, I will be ninety four. Maybe I'll have like one extra tooth on you. You can't start holding that grudge against me before we even lose a single one. I'll pay for dentures, I promise. We can even have matching ones. Maybe one gold tooth each'

Kiara was snorting out loud before she could stop herself. There was Wolf. When she wasn't looking at him, the inhibitions were less. She could easily pretend like the last year and a half didn't occur.

'That sounds like a plan. Minus the gold bit. Although, technically you will be ninety three when I am a hundred. I can't believe this is what we are talking about'

'We once argued over which of Scott's paws is the cutest for three hours' he reminded her 'You are wrong btw on both counts. Six years two months and seven days. Since it's much closer to six than seven, it's technically six'

'Six plus is seven' she argued back 'And you only saw his paws in pictures so your opinion doesn't matter'
'Did you also count the minutes and seconds?'

'Mum did' he replied 'She went to see a witch with the data and all' 'You do realize that I raised him for the first three months of his life before packing him in a bowtie and handing over his custody, right? I know the cutest paw he was born with. The real one. Not the groomed one'