"There's nothing to tell. I haven't been with anyone."
Alaric's expression remained unchanged, but I felt the sudden intensity of his focus like a physical weight. "Define 'been with,'" he prompted.
. "I mean I haven't been with anyone. At all." I forced myself to meet his gaze. "No relationships. No... nothing."
"Nothing?" he echoed, his voice softening dangerously. "Not even a kiss?"
I shook my head once, the motion small. "You should know my father made sure of that. I was too valuable as untouched merchandise."
The words came out more bitter than I intended, but Alaric didn't seem to mind. Instead, his lips curved into a slow smile that made my heart stutter in my chest. He shifted closer, the bench creaking softly beneath our combined weight.
“You are much more than what he wanted you to believe. And untouched?” he reached up to cup my face. "That we can remedy."
My heart hammered against my ribs. His touch was gentle but firm, his eyes never leaving mine as he leaned in slowly. The scent of his cologne enveloped me, making me dizzy with anticipation.
"May I?" he asked, his breath warm against my lips.
I nodded, unable to form words.
Alaric closed the remaining distance between us. His lips touched mine, soft at first, a whisper of contact. One hand slid to the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair as he deepened the kiss, coaxing my lips to part.
I had imagined this moment countless times while reading my novels, but reality obliterated fantasy. His mouth moved against mine with practiced precision, coaxing rather than demanding.
The taste of him flooded my senses. My hands hesitantly moved to his shoulders, feeling the solid muscle beneath fine fabric.
He made a sound low in his throat, something between approval and hunger, as his other hand found my waist and pulled me closer. The kiss transformed from exploratory to consuming. Alaric took control completely, teaching me without words how to move with him, against him.
When he finally pulled back, I almost felt dazed, my lips tingling. His thumb traced my now-swollen bottom lip, satisfaction evident in his expression.
"Beautiful," he murmured, his accent thicker than before as he pressed a lighter kiss to the corner of my mouth, and then pulling away. "I'm either the luckiest man alive, or completely fucked, depending on your final verdict."
He leaned in again, this time bypassing her lips to press his mouth against my neck. The sensation of his warm breath against my skin made me gasp. When his teeth grazed the sensitive spot just below my ear, my fingers clutched at his shoulders involuntarily.
His hand at my waist tightened, drawing me closer until I was nearly in his lap. The solid heat of him against me was intoxicating with unfamiliar desire.
"Alaric," I breathed, unsure if I was asking him to stop or continue.
He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, his expression pleased. "Say it again."
"Alaric," I repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Good girl," he praised, the same words from earlier that had made heat bloom across my skin. "I like the way my name sounds on your lips. I wonder what other sounds I can draw from this pretty mouth."
I stared at him, suddenly feeling like I was drowning in waters too deep to navigate. His confidence, his intensity—it was overwhelming in a way I hadn't expected.Hewas overwhelming. My hand drifted up to the side of my neck where his mouth had been moments before, fingers pressing against the skin to check if he'd left any evidence of his attention.
Alaric's eyes tracked the movement, his brow furrowing slightly. "What are you doing?"
"Just... checking," I admitted, dropping my hand quickly to my lap. "My father notices everything."
“You’re a grown woman and soon to be my wife. What would he do if I made that known? Would he hurt you?” He seemed to rethink something. “Does he hurt you?”
I exhaled slowly, forcing composure, weighing how much truth to offer. “He has a way of letting me know when I when I fail to meet his expectations.”
“That’s why you hardly reacted earlier.”
I had almost forgotten about that already. That was nothing compared to all the other things he’d done throughout the years.
Alaric reached for my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "That ends now. No one touches you without consequences. Not even him."
