Hook, Line, and Mated by Jenika Snow Read Free Book Online Page B

enough. “I can’t just leave you, Jessie. I won’t, but I can take my time, as much time as you need, in fact.”
    “I don’t think I’ve ever met a male like you.” She smiled softly, and that one act had his fucking heart slamming hard against his ribs.
    “Can we take one day at a time? Can we start out with me just taking you to lunch?”
    Her blue eyes were so big, so expressive, that he didn’t think she realized how easily he could read her.
    “I don’t know,” she said, but there wasn’t any strength behind the words.
    “What do you have to lose?”
    It took her a moment to answer, but finally she exhaled and dropped her gaze to his chest. He didn’t want that, didn’t want her hiding her emotions from him, even if it was just her breaking eye contact. Taking hold of her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he lifted her head so she was forced to look at him again.
    “Don’t fight the inevitable. Just let me show you I can be that person you lean on, can rely on. And when you’re ready, if you’re ready, we can take it to the next level,” Easton said softly, meaning everything he’d said to her. “Let me buy my mate some food and get to know her better.” He smiled again, hoping to appear nonthreatening, because no matter how gentle he tried to be, he knew he was rough around the edges. It wasn’t something he could help, no matter how much he wanted to show his mate that he would drop to his knees before her and worship her like the goddess she was.
    “Okay, Easton.”
    And just like that his world felt complete.

Chapter Eight
     
    Several days later
     
    A part of Jessie felt bad for going to lunch with Easton, not because she didn’t like him, but because everything with Brenna was still so fresh. One of the major factors pushing Jessie into going out with Easton was a voice in her head, one that sounded like Brenna, telling her that she couldn’t live her life in mourning. It made Jessie sad, but she also knew that moping around the house wouldn’t do anything to help her. Maybe she’d feel better, have her emotions less jagged, if she explored this mating with the moose shifter?
    She had agreed to meet him at the restaurant for lunch, and although she didn’t know how things would play out in the end, she was very happy that her mate was understanding and willing to give her time. He could have been a real asshole, demanding that it was his right to claim her, mate with her. She’d heard horror stories about that happening, but it seemed she lucked out with a genuinely good guy.
    Grabbing her purse and eyes, she headed out of the house and to her car. The drive to the restaurant wasn’t very long. He’d picked a small deli in the square of town, and with it being the weekend the streets were probably busy with people shopping.
    Once she was in the center of town, she parked across the street from where the restaurant was, looked at the little building, and felt her nerves rise. She hadn’t gone on a date in so long, hadn’t even been with a man in far longer.
    “Now or never,” she whispered to herself, and finally climbed out of the car. She didn’t see Easton sitting in the patio section, which she kind of wished he had. The fact that she wouldn’t be closed in with walls and a roof probably would have made her feel less twitchy.
    Clearing her throat, Jessie tried to calm down, and told herself this was a good thing. Getting to know Easton would help her, would make her feel more stable, right? It wasn’t like he was going anywhere, not with him being her mate. And Jessie hadn’t decided if she wanted to stay in Sweet Water and live in Brenna’s house, or if she was going to pack up and move someplace else.
    But being alone wasn’t comforting, obviously, and the promise of having someone by her side, someone who was connected to her in a way no one else ever would be, had this warmth filling her.
    She stepped into the restaurant, let her eyes adjust to the