Free Tarnished by Becca Jameson

coffee…
    His parents knew not to expect him bright and early tomorrow. He could spend some time showing her around the ranch … or just sitting inside the house with her.
    He shook his head to clear it. Don’t get ahead of yourself. She has consented to nothing.
    He pushed open the first door, backing through it. “The master bedroom.” He dropped his bag and flipped on another light. Good. Not too messy .
    She stayed outside the room, barely glancing in. Her entire body was rigid, her arms crossed over her chest in her telltale sign of stress.
    He stepped back into the hall and crossed to the other room. “Guest room. I’ll drop your stuff in here. There’s a bathroom in the hall.” He pointed. “And another attached to the master.”
    She could have her own space if she needed it.
    “Can I get you anything? A drink maybe?”
    “No. I’m good. Just tired. Mind if I sleep?” She lifted her shoulders and held them high, not making eye contact with him.
    He hated whoever had made her skittish with a passion. She was a vibrant beautiful woman with so much to offer. If he ever found out who’d done this damage, he’d personally kick his ass. “Of course. Rest. I’ll just be across the hall. Yell if you need anything. Okay?”
    “Sure,” she muttered.
    He stepped out fast. What he really wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and chase her fears away, but that wasn’t going to happen. At least not tonight. Maybe if he spent the entire day with her tomorrow, she’d lighten up. Especially when she saw the surprise he had for her. He couldn’t wait to see her face. And when his mom found out what her specialty was, she was going to flip out. Guaranteed. What they needed on this ranch more than anything in the world was a fulltime employee with just the education Kenzie had. He’d never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do, but he had a suspicion this was right up her alley.
    He smiled as he entered his room. He didn’t shut the door. He hurried through his routine, brushing his teeth and taking a quick cold shower, as if that would lessen the permanent hard-on. Even if he jerked off, he knew his cock would not settle down. And no way would he risk masturbating with her across the hall. He couldn’t trust himself to stay quiet.
    He pulled on his favorite comfortable cotton shorts and climbed into bed. Sleep would not be easy. He could smell her now. Her scent was filling his home. He both loved that fact and feared what would happen if she really did flee the ranch, never to return.
    Kenzie took longer than him. He listened as she gathered her things and padded to the bathroom. Water ran. The toilet flushed. He groaned. He was falling hard for her. An ache that grew worse by the minute. His mate was here. He had to pinch himself to remind him it was real.
    He tried to relax, flipping his pillow over again and again to get comfortable.
    Kenzie shut the door to the guest room, and soon after she turned off the light.
    My woman is sleeping across the hall. I’m so fucked.
    This wasn’t how mating usually went. He knew that. He wasn’t stupid. Mates met and fucked themselves silly with all haste. It was unheard of to postpone the inevitable and nearly impossible, as his dick would attest to right now. No amount of squirming would appease the fellow.
    Nope. Mates knew their fate immediately and often met at the exact gathering he’d just attended with full knowledge and intention of doing just that. Mating. So, it was little surprise that pairs of wolves often left the gathering together and started new lives without missing a beat.
    No one pulled this stunt—one night of restless sleep in a hotel followed by a night alone in the same house pretending it was all good that she wasn’t ready. How the hell was she even functioning? If he stepped quietly into the hall, would he be able to hear her masturbating? Did women have some ability to do so quietly and not alert others to their ecstasy?
    He