There would be time for her to come to terms with it all. At least he hoped she would stay with him long enough for her to get comfortable with the truth about this brave new world she had stumbled into. Deciding a change of topic was in order, he led the way back into the house. The grill was warming up. It was time to bring out the meat. Ashley helped him retrieve the platters he’d stashed in the fridge the night before. He had marinated some steaks overnight, as well as a platter of chicken. “I wasn’t sure what you liked best, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a little variety,” he explained. “This is great. It all looks delicious.” She helped him carry things back outside, and they worked together as if they’d done so a million times before. Ashley was comfortable to be with, yet her mere presence stimulated his senses in ways that made him think of long-term togetherness and commitment. He’d never thought of such things before with any other female, which argued for the fact that she might just be his mate.
