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Talyn needed to be honest. “I don’t want us to part. I understand an error has been made, but we can make this work.”

She shook her head swiftly. “No, I’m not looking for anybody.”

“Why not? What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing. You’re lovely. I’m sure you’ll make someone happy. I’m not the sort of woman to settle down.”

“You should give it a go. I’m not a difficult individual to live with.”

“He has his moments,” Booby said, “but on the whole, Talyn makes a tolerable companion.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Talyn said.

Sinead’s bottom lip jutted out. “You barely know me.”

“What I do know, I like. Everything about you is raw and bright and messy.”

“I’m messy!” She scowled at him.

“Not in a bad way. Well, the first day I met you, it was overwhelming. I wasn’t prepared for such an assault of emotions. You have a lot going on in your head.”

“I’m no different to anybody else.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “What you said reminded me of something my mom told me.”

“What’s that?”

“That I’m a hot mess.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Talyn said. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Better a hot mess than someone cold, predictable, and boring.” Sinead scraped her hair off her face and tipped her head to the ceiling. “I cannot be your mate. And you shouldn’t want me to be since I’m such a mess.”

Talyn risked lowering his blocks. He winced as he felt her bright pain radiate toward him. He’d hurt Sinead. She could be right. He’d acted rashly by signing her so quickly.

A part of him knew he’d done it because being around so many people was overwhelming, but there was something about Sinead. He still couldn’t believe he might have found his Blocker. He couldn’t let that go. Her power over him gave him a sliver of hope. There was a way to be normal, but only if she stayed in his life.

Sinead tipped her head back to look at him. “There has to be a solution.”

“Nothing immediate comes to mind.”

She sighed. “For now, keep quiet about this. Please, don’t say anything to anyone at My Single Alien.”

That was an easy enough request to meet. “I wasn’t planning to. I’ve no plans to see anyone else while I’m here.”

Sinead nodded and tapped her fingers on the table. “That’s good. Don’t worry. I’ll fix this.”

Talyn wasn’t sure if he could salvage this mess or even if he wanted to.

Sinead was his mate, but it wasn’t making her happy. She might mean something to him, but it wasn’t reciprocated.

He swallowed the tightness in his throat. What had he done?

Chapter 7

A long and restless night stretched behind Sinead as she lay on her bed. After Talyn’s shock announcement that they were joined, she’d known she’d have no pleasant dreams.

Sinead had left him on his ship, so she could think about the disaster she’d gotten herself into.

Rather than her usual routine of drinking her worries away, she’d headed to her room for some alone time.