Filed To Story: Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson)
“I just think I may have gained some weight or something. I feel like my hips are getting bigger with every passing day.”
Ace’s mouth formed a satisfied smirk as he took in my form through the reflection in the mirror.
Keeping his chin on my shoulder, he slowly unfurled his arms from around my waist and slid his hands down my sides.
He stopped when they were on top of mine, on my hips, and threaded his fingers in between my own.
“I don’t think they’re big enough,” he said, licking his lips.
The nervous laugh that escaped my mouth was almost embarrassing. “Uh-huh, sure, Ace,” I stammered. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
It was his turn to frown. “I have no reason to lie about that, Doe.”
I shifted my weight in discomfort. “But…but I have… stretch marks,” I whispered as if it were a bad thing to say.
Without thinking much about it, my hand traveled under the bottom of my shirt to caress the stretched-out skin on the sides of my hips.
I knew stretch marks were normal and extremely common—more common than a lot of people realized. They were evidence of our bodies changing and adapting to our needs.
In all honesty, it’s incredible that the human body can stretch and expand instead of tearing and ripping when we go through a change.
I was already well aware stretch marks were over-stigmatized in our society, so they didn’t cause me any stress. I didn’t care if they spanned over my hips and breasts for the rest of my life.
What mattered to me was that I didn’t understand why they had appeared, and so suddenly. It left me feeling out of control.
After all, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything differently when it came to my routine. I was eating the same and exercising normally. So, what the heck was going on with me?
My breathing stalled when Ace’s hand followed mine, sliding under the bottom of my long shirt and tracing the same skin I was with gentle fingers.
He hummed, and the sound vibrated against my back. An all-too-familiar throbbing sensation started up in my core.
“Ace,” I said, my voice coming out far breathier than I had meant it to, “that wasn’t an invitation to—
“It’s normal for women like you to start to fill out at your age,” he interrupted in a gentle tone. His fingers continued to caress me, massaging my hips now. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“Women like me? ” I turned and glared. Having dropped his hands to his sides, I was thinking clearly again, without the strange combination of embarrassment and arousal taking over my system.
He chuckled as his eyes strayed down to my body again, stopping for a moment on my breasts and then my bare legs.
“It’s a good thing, sweet girl. Trust me. Your body is getting ready to carry children.”
Hunger flashed in his gaze. “It’s fucking sexy.”
My stomach did acrobatics. Did he just say children?
“Um, yeah, no thanks,” I replied. “No children for me right now.” That was such a weird thing for him to say.
Ace continued to stare at my body in a daze.
I shifted uneasily. “Do you really think I’m sexy?”
He nodded, and his eyes glazed over. “Very sexy.”
His arms twitched, and I thought for a moment that he might reach for me and pull me close to him again. I wanted that. I wanted him to touch me again.
But then he curled his hands into fists at his sides and took a large step back, averted his gaze, and ran a hand through his hair.
My heart rate slowed again.
So, I guess that wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for.
I wasn’t sure why I felt so disappointed. Ace called me sexy, and that felt great, but I already knew he was physically attracted to me. Even with the scar on my forehead that I kinda liked.
It was the emotional attraction we were missing.
I turned back to the mirror before he could see the misery on my face. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” I said, forcing a laugh.
“I think I just need to lay off the cookies. Or go on a diet or something.”
“Absolutely not,” Ace snapped, appearing over my shoulder once again. “You’re not going to be changing a single thing. You’re perfect just the way you are. Do you understand?”
I hadn’t been expecting his abrupt and serious tone. I nodded.
“No, tell me you understand, Doe,” he growled. “I want to hear you say it.”
“Jeez, I thought you said you were going to try to be less controlling,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
He continued to glare. Boy, he was taking this seriously.
“Fine, yes, I understand.”
That seemed to relax him. “Good. You’re perfect,” he repeated.
He dragged his knuckles up the side of my arm, smirking once again. “Your body’s true nature is taking over, just like it’s supposed to. And it’s doing one hell of a job.”
“My true nature?”
Was he trying to say that a woman’s true nature was to be curvy and have children?
Because, if he was, we were going to have some serious problems.
He glanced up at my face for a second before his eyes zeroed in on the bump on my neck. I sucked in a sharp breath as the spot started to throb again.
His jaw flexed. “I-I don’t know what I meant by that.” He took several steps back.
“You should probably start getting ready for school.”
“Wait.” I turned to face him. “Did you do something to my neck last night?”
I pulled the collar of my shirt back to show off the mark. It was still burning with a strange heat. “I have this weird bump on me now that I’m sure wasn’t there before.”
He shook his head abruptly, his eyes never straying from my neck.
Why does he look so stiff?
“No, but that is strange. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’ll probably go away in a few days.”
With that quick and strangely dismissive answer, he walked to my bed and flopped down on it, taking out his phone.
Well, I guess we are done talking about that then.
I looked back at my exposed throat once more.
“You should get ready for school, Doe,” Ace said. “You should get something to eat before we have to go.”
I dropped the collar of my shirt so the mark was covered. “Yeah, okay.”
I walked to my dresser to grab some clothes but paused when I noticed Ace making no moves to get up and give me privacy. He always waited in my bathroom while I got dressed.