We are the Answer {boyxboy} ✔ (Dogs, Bats & Monkeys series, Book I | Rhys)

Chapter 34

A/N: GIVEAWAY! And writing/wattpad tips!
What am I talking about?

My post for the Wattpad Block Party is up with advice on writing and wattpad. Also, I'm currently hosting a giveaway. The links to both are in the first comment.

*****

"To be honest... To be honest I wanted to show you off."

My hands halted and I took a deep breath as I looked up at him.

"Does that sound bad?"

I tried to read the expression on my mate's face, but all I saw were reddened cheeks, pretty lips forming the letter o and my reflection in a pair of large, brown eyes.

"I don't see you as a prize or an expensive item," I hurried to add, hoping to reduce the possessive feel of my previous words. "I'm just happy to have finally met you."

"There's not much to show off," he muttered, looking away from me.

I dropped the fork and knife on the table and snuggled his right hand between both of mine.

"You are a wonderful person, Riley Rivers. You are kind and compassioned, and a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You make me happy," I whispered.

How could he not see the wonder that he was?

I had to find a way to make him understand what an incredible person he was, to make him see himself as I saw him.

"Besides," I added with a more playful inflection, "I wanted to show off my talented coffee artist boy."

My attempt to lighten the mood was rewarded with a string of sincere giggles streaming through those beautiful, kissable lips; lips that Riley put in an adorable mock pout once he stopped laughing.

I wanted to give those perky lips a peck, but he parted them to speak:

"The coffee artist boy? Is that how you describe me to your friends?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm promoting you so you can get a few more clients." I kept the jesting tone, smiling.

His face contorted in a funny fashion as he tried to keep the pout and avoid smiling as well.

"Come on." I nodded to the food. "Breakfast is getting cold."

He grabbed an egg and began to peel it.

"This only answered part of my question though. Why did you want me to meet Kelly and Steve?"

"I want you to eventually meet all of the Bullets." I also grabbed an egg and cracked its shell. "Naturally, I want to introduce you to my closest ones first. Like her cousin, Kelly is a very good childhood friend. We've known Steve for only about six years..."

"Wait. Isn't he one of the Bullets?"

"He is considered one now, but he's not from here. The community he was born in - one like ours - is in another state. Didn't you notice his accent?"

Riley shook his head.

"Well, it's a slight one. Anyway, he was on a trip with some friends and went camping at the same grounds as Kelly and a few others of us did, the two met, fell in love and he moved here," I quickly narrated their story. "It was difficult for him to leave his family behind, but he did it to start a new one. It's only natural that one of them had to move. If each community kept to themselves, we'd all be related."

"I've never thought about that," he admitted. "I've always seen the Silver Bullets as one."

"Lisa's also not born as one of us. Her community lives closer to us than Steve's though, about a day's trip with a car."