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I’m not going to think about why my heart is racing, but I step aside letting him in. The long lecture that I had memorized evaporated the moment my eyes met his. Liquid rushed to my core, and I had a distinct feeling of wetness between my thighs.
He smiled as if he knew exactly how my body was reacting to him.
“Wipe that smile off if you don’t want me to kick you out,” I huffed.
“That’s no way to treat your Archangel,” he said, his eyes roving over my body.
“Stop looking at me like that,” I snapped, crossing my hands over my chest, trying to hide my pebbled nipples. He groaned instead; his eyes were glued to my mashed boobs. Urgh. Uncrossing my hands, I put them on my hips and glared at him. “Do you see what this mating thing is doing to us?”
“I see and feel,” Raphael stepped closer, and I suppressed the shudder of pleasure that racked my body. “Doesn’t it feel right? You’ll be my mate, by my side, forever.”
Warmth flooded my insides seeing his lips spread into a smile. Genuine happiness shone on his face, and I knew from watching him, that he meant every word. It did feel right. I hate to admit it but it was also wrong.
“I’m a human, Raf. Weak. Breakable. I’ll be a liability to you especially in times like this,” I explained. I took a step back as the fear of endangering his life churned in me. “Find a way out of this. There must be a way for you to change mates.”
“I’m afraid there’s no exchange policy here, babe,” he stepped closer again and I took a step back, hitting the wall behind me. Damn this tiny studio condo. I should’ve asked for a raise last year so I could afford a space that Raf couldn’t cover in three strides.
His fingers grazed my jaw and I almost whimpered in pleasure. The ache in my belly intensified. His eyes flared a little at whatever he saw.
“Your eyes glow when we are close,” he said wondrously. I blinked rapidly wishing they would stop doing that. At least, I’m not blind this time.
He angled his head slightly and my gaze zeroed in on his very kissable mouth. I gasped as his breath hit my skin but before I could do anything else, his lips smashed on mine, drawing a moan. It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was all lips and teeth as I grabbed his neck, pulling him closer. As if the idea of any space between us was sacrilege. As if we were running out of time. His tongue probed my mouth open, and I let his warmth envelop me. He groaned and the sound vibrated deep in my pussy.
I’m a tall girl at five-foot-nine. Most men were just a tad taller than me but the way I fit with Raf was perfect. I felt dwarfed by his size, protected, and cherished in a way I’d never been before. His long hands gripped my ass, pulling me up even as his mouth ravished me. I climbed on him, crossing my legs around his waist, not bothering to be gentle with his wings and rubbed my aching nipples against his hard pecs. He bit my lip hard enough to draw blood. A whimper was all I could manage at the overpowering pleasure. Yes. This - I could do forever with him.
Forever.
I stilled, my hands slackening around his neck. Raphael stopped kissing as if I’d dumped ice cold water dousing whatever fire was raging between us. I slid down to stand on my own. He reluctantly stepped back even though he held on to my waist like he couldn’t bear to let me go. His kisses felt right. We were good together, but I can’t be his mate. My humanity is a liability he can’t afford.
“Am I going to be immortal, too?” I asked. He frowned but nodded.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered. My eyes burned and I blinked the tears threatening to drown me.
A deep crease formed between his brows, and he withdrew his hands as if he needed distance to think. “What is so wrong with being my mate?”
“It’s not you,” I said. “I can’t handle the attention or the responsibility. I don’t even know what an Archangel’s mate does. I -”
“You’ll learn. We’ll learn together,” he pushed but I pushed back.
“No. No. What’s the point?!,” I said. I almost flinched at how harsh it sounded.
Like a shutter that slammed shut, Raphael’s face blanked out, taking with it all the emotion. He nodded mechanically.
“You know what your problem is, Chloe?” Hurt filled his tone.
I met his cold, tortured eyes even as a heaviness settled in my gut. In all the years we had been friends, he had never been upset with me. Now that he was, I hated every second of it.
“You have stopped trying because you are afraid to fail. Same job, same condo, same everything. You could be so much more. Just because one man let you down doesn’t mean everyone would.”
My cheeks heated in shame. “That’s not fair, Raf. Being your mate is different than—"
“Tell yourself that,” he snapped.
“Is this what you think of me? A coward?”
He gave a mirthless laugh and dragged a hand through his hair.
“You want to know what I think of you?” Nodding at my T-shirt, he chuckled, “a queen. That’s what I think you are. You are smart, kind, and brave. To everyone but yourself.” He took a step back, increasing the distance between us. “You are so afraid of growing too large for your thoughts because you know…,” he pointed at me accusingly and continued, “because you know you could be a queen if you act on it. But for reasons that only the sweet goddess knows, you choose to be afraid.”
