She pulled away, breathing hard.

"Please." She whispered. He leaned forward and nipped at the tender skin behind her ear.

"Please, what?" His voice had deepened to a low growl and sent shivers down her spine.

"P-p-p-lease." She stuttered. He had been right earlier. She wasn't sexy. She had no idea how to ask him for what she needed. When he looked down his face softened.

"It's okay, my sweet Meryn. I know. I know what you need. I'm your mate, I'll always provide for you. I'll always give you what you desire." Aiden spun her so that her back was flush against his body. Reaching around to the front of her he unsnapped her jeans and pulled them down to mid thigh with a harsh jerk. She gasped as the cold autumn air hit her heated flesh. Seconds later his large, callused hand was caressing her. Gentle fingertips traced her mound and the crease between her sex and her legs. He dipped between her dripping folds and teased her opening. Without conscious thought, she thrust her hips upward wanting more than he was providing.

"Shush. Trust me." He whispered and bit down gently on her shoulder as his fingers found the tiny nub that had been begging for attention. She cried out and bucked again. His fingers danced and her body drew tighter and tighter. Without warning, her body exploded. She screamed out her release and arched her back. Slowly his fingers stilled. Her knees gave out and she found herself being supported by one arm. With his other hand Aiden ripped her panties from her body and used them to clean her up. Gently he pulled her jeans back up and tucked the used fabric in his coat pocket. With both hands now free, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to sit in his lap under the large oak tree.

Meryn snuggled against his chest. No other man had ever been able to give her an orgasm before. It was as if he was the only one who could set her body ablaze. When she felt a hard bulge between them, she realized how selfish she had been. She sat back.

"What about you? I mean you didn't ..." Meryn pointed at his crotch and he smiled and pulled her head back down to his chest.

"I'm fine. This was for you. Your pleasure, your complete abandon was a gift. Thank you." Meryn frowned in confusion. She got a mind blowing orgasm and he said thank you?

"I meant what I said at the café. Life was good before I met you, but it's like every day since I met you it just gets more and more perfect. I feel like I finally have a place where I belong." She looked up at him and saw emotion in his eyes.

"The things you say." He whispered harshly and kissed her again. When they parted, she rested her head on his chest and enjoyed the breeze coming off the water.

"I'll enjoy my visits to the house more now that you're here." He sighed contently. She nodded, then realized what he said.

"What?" She lifted up to look at him.

"What?" He asked.

"What do you mean when you visit?"

"I don't live here Meryn, I live at the Alpha Unit estate."

"When do I move in with you?" She sat back on her knees.

"You don't." His brows knit together.

"What do you mean I don't?"

"I mean, you will live here with my parents and learn how to run a household and I'll live with the Alpha Unit and command the men. I'll visit, of course." Meryn would have thought he was being deliberately cruel except for the absolutely confused expression on his face.

"Okay, you see, that's not going to work for me. Mated, married, dating, whatever you want to call it. I thought we would live together." She stood and he leaned back against the tree.

"That's not how things work Meryn." His condescending tone was sending her blood pressure into the stratosphere.

"With me, that's how it works. You have two choices. Either you move back in with your parents and live with me or I move into the Alpha Unit estate with you. That's it." She put her hands on her hips and scowled down at him.

"Quit acting like a child. We have reasons we do the things we do. I can't lead my men from my parents' estate and you would be a distraction if you moved in with me." Aiden closed his eyes. Meryn's mouth dropped. She fought the urge to kick him in the face, but the small rational part of her brain didn't want to seriously hurt him. So she did what she always did when she got truly angry. She shut down. She could feel her facial muscles relaxing and her body slumped forward. Without saying a word she walked away. She made it all the way back to the house and to the back door before she heard his startled yell. She hurried through the backdoor and flipped the bolt. She looked up to see a surprised Ben frozen in place biting into his sandwich. The door behind her shook in its frame as Aiden pounded.

"Dammit Meryn, unlock the door this instant!"

"Go fuck yourself!" She screeched at the glass window panes. Behind her Ben began to laugh, then slightly choke on his sandwich. When his mouth was clear he gave her a salute.

"You tell him!" He cheered.

"Quit egging her on Ben! Meryn open the door now!"

Meryn shook her head.

"You do know he has a key right?" Ben said nonchalantly.

She looked up at him tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to see him right now."  He sighed and put his plate down. He grabbed her hand and they ran. They ran up the stairs and through the halls. Just when she thought they couldn't go any further, he made them run in circles at the end of the hallway. She thought he was out of his mind until he reached up and tapped a tiny panel behind an antique mirror. A small opening appeared and he crouched down low and crawled inside. She followed him and he put the panel back. She was about to ask him how he knew about this when he placed a hand over her mouth. Barely breathing they heard thundering footsteps in the hallway. In the darkness Meryn waited.