“Open your mouth.”

    “E-”

    “Don’t make me use my Luna Voice.”

    That got a genuineugh out of him, and he obediently opened his mouth. I fed him the bite of cake, trying to ignore how intimate the gesture felt in the quiet of his office. No one was here to watch or

    photograph the moment. It was just… us.

    “Goodb?/bb” /bI asked.

    “Really good.” Alexander smiled, but there was a smudge of chocte frosting on his cheek that he’d missed when he’d wiped his mouth.

    Without thinking, I leaned forward and kissed it off.

    Alexander wentpletely still. Then he was pulling away from me so fast that I nearly fell off the desk.

    “E, we can’t-b” /b

    The rejection hit me like a p to the face. I slid off the desk, embarrassment burning hot in my chest. ”

    Right. Sorryb, /bI just… I thought after tonight, with the kiss and everything…” I shook my head. “I must have

    misread the situation.”

    “It’s not that simple.”

    “I dunno. Seems pretty fucking simple to me. You kiss me when there are cameras around, or when you’re

    caught up in the moment, but the second we’re alone, you yank yourself away like I’ve got some kind of

    disease.”

    Alexander flinched. “That’s not-b” /b

    “Then what is it?” I demanded, suddenly feeling bold. “What’s so wrong with me that you can’t stand the thought of actually wanting me? I know this marriage was arranged, I know I’m not your first choice, but am I really that repulsive? Am I not good enough for you?”

    Thest question came out smaller than the others, and I hated how vulnerable I sounded. But I was tired

    of pretending it didn’t hurt when he pulled away from me. Tired of wondering what I’d done to deserve

    my own mate not wanting me.

    I turned to leave, but Alexander was on his feet and blocking my path before I’d taken two steps.

    “Stop,” he said firmly. His hands came down on either side of me and gripped the desk, effectively caging me in. “Don’t you dare say that. Don’t you dare think that.”

    400

    “Then exin it to me, because I don’t understand.” I lifted my chin.

    Alexander’s hands tightened on the desk until I heard the wood creak, and when he spoke, his eyes were zing. “You want to know what’s wrong? Nothing. Not a damn thing. You’re so fucking beautiful it makes my chest burn just looking at you. I want byou /bso badly that sometimes I can’t even breathe when you’re in the same room. The mate bond just makes it ten times worse because every instinct I have is screaming at me to im you.”

    I stared at him, heart pounding. “Then why do you keep pulling awayb?/bb” /bWithout thinking, I lifted my hand and syed my fingers against his chest. His skin was warm even through his shirtb, /band I could feel his heart beating against my palm.

    He stiffened, and I could tell he was about to pull away again. But I fisted my hand in his shirt, forcing him to stay close.

    “Whyb?/bb” /bI repeated, my voice so low it was a whisper now. b“/bbIf /byou want me so bad, then why are byou /bso resistant?b” /b

    “Because…”

    Alexander’s eyes shed gold, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. No words came. For a long moment, I thought he’d find another reason to push me away.

    But then he was kissing me. Hard.

    Without breaking the kiss, Alexander lifted me up and set me on his desk, his arm sweeping across the surface in one violent motion.

    “Fine,” he muttered into my mouth as he pressed me against the desk. b“/bI won’t resist. Just for one night…”

    X