DINNER

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Flushed cheeks, slightly widened hazel eyes, a 5'9" frame that seemed tiny compared to the towering figure behind me.

Alexander was close to me, so close that the air I breathed was laced with his potent scent that drove me insane with needs I never knew I had.

His piercing blue eyes, making me feel like he was staring into my soul, wasn't helping with my current emotions.

When his hands, which had rested possessively on my shoulders, moved down my arms covered with a lighter fabric, my chest heaved up and down like I had just completed a marathon. His touch seared through the fabric, igniting a fire within me.

I bit on my bottom lips nervously, afraid that my mate might notice, might see how he affected me, but hiding it was impossible.

It was easier to deny the bond and the emotions it brought when there was some distance between us, but there was no way to resist him when he was this close. He knew this, yet, he was deliberately torturing me.

"Why are your cheeks so red, Penelope," he teased with a low voice that made me believe he was taking advantage of the bond on purpose.

I tore my gaze from my reflection as I felt more heat rush to my face. "I... I don't know what you mean." My own voice sounded foreign to my ears.

"Of course, you don't," Alexander chuckled for the second time since he walked into the room, "For the record, your heartbeats are intoxicating," he said as his hands left my shoulder.

Through my shocked state at how bold he was, I heaved in relief that he wasn't holding my shoulders anymore but as his fingers trailed my back, I thought of Damian and I jolted in fear.

Alexander's eyes darkened as he caught my reaction. My eyes met his from my reflection, but I immediately looked away.

A minute's silence passed before he finally said, "I was trying to help with the ties of your dress." His voice was soft, but there was an edge to it, "Your maid had done a poor job with this. Do you want me to change her?" He asked as he continued with the ties.

I shook my head slowly, trying to distract myself from the smooth contact of his fingers on my skin at intervals. "There's no need to change Amaris. She's been doing a lovely job. She'd have probably done a good job with this too if I wasn't so busy admiring the dress."

He tilted his head, narrowing those piercing blue eyes. "Don't make me jealous of a woman, Penelope. You're yet to shower me with compliments."

I looked at Alexander dumbstruck by his words, but the loud growl from my stomach diverted my attention.

Alexander's lips curved into a teasing smile. "Seems like someone is hungry," he remarked, his fingers pausing their tantalizing dance on my back.

I felt my cheeks flush even deeper.

"I can't have my mate hungry, so let's take care of this, shall we?"

He took my hands before I could protest and led me out of the room.