Second Chance Mate [Completed]

Chapter Twelve

I woke up alone my bed. I rolled over and groaned; did he really leave in the middle of the night? I got up and walked out of my room. I went into Aiden's room to find him sleeping soundly still, then checked Azuula's room. Usually, she was playing in her room, but this morning she wasn't in here. I began searching for my daughter, my heart in my throat, until I heard her laugh coming from the kitchen.

I turned the corner to see her and Suigetsu at the counter. I stood in the doorway watching them. She was stirring something in a bowl while he was adding ingredients with her help. He was being goofy and making her giggle. She then would be silly herself, and he would start laughing.

I walked into the kitchen to see what they were making. I gave her a hug and kiss good morning. "Hey baby girl, what are you making?"

"Pancake!" She declared happily.

"Yummy," I replied, then noted that she really wasn't stirring anything more than a bowl of flour. I moved over to Suigetsu, who was at the stove. "I thought you left," I whispered to him.

He turned to face me and kissed my temple."I wouldn't leave without telling you. Aiden woke up around seven, so I got up with him. I was on my way back to bed when Azuula opened her door and looked at me. She and I decided we would make pancakes for breakfast."

"I see."

"Karin, I'm falling in love with you." He said, placing his hands on my shoulders. "I know it sounds crazy since we've only been dating for a few weeks, but I can't explain my feelings any other way." He pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my lips. "I'm not in any rush to have this go any further. I just want you to know my feelings for you."

"Please, don't say stuff like that," I mumbled. "I'm not ready for you to say that; everything is so new to me. I have more than myself to think about. I don't want them to get attached to you and have us not work out. I think having you stay the night was a mistake on my part."

"Karin, please don't say that. I want to be here with you. I wouldn't have asked you out if I didn't weigh the idea of being in their lives first. I told you how close I am to my nephew; I know how kids get attached. I promise you; I'm going to be with you as long as you want me to be. I'm sorry if telling you how I feel scares you. I'll leave if you want me to, but I don't really want to leave." He turned around to take the pancakes off the stove.

Azula got down off her little kitchen stool my dad made her and walked to the table. She waited for help into her booster seat and sat excitedly waiting for her pancake. He placed one on a plate and cut it up as I buckled her into her car seat. He set her plate on the table in front of her and looked up at me. I gave him a meek smile. He walked by me, grabbing my hand and pulling me around the corner out of the kitchen.

"Do you want me to leave Karin?" He asked quietly. I thought for a moment, chewing on the inside of my cheek. His eyes searched my face as I thought things through. Did I want him to leave? No, but I also don't want to chance to have another guy come into Azuula's life just to bail until it was convenient again. "I'm not him, Karin. I will listen to you and do exactly what you want me to do. I came here last night to hold you so you wouldn't be alone, just like you asked me to."

He was right, I asked him here, and he didn't even try to get laid. He laid down next to me and just held me. If it was anyone else, they would have tried to get laid. All this weighed in my mind. He was the only one outside my close circle of family and friends that knew about Eli. He was the only one who just chatted with me as a friend. "Don't go." I finally whispered.

He pulled me closer into a hug and kissed my lips. He kissed me so passionately that I had to hold onto him to keep my balance. When we finally broke apart, I was still seeing stars and holding his arms until I got my equilibrium back. "Are you okay?" He chuckled.