Xavier
The second I kissed her, I knew I had already lost half the battle.
It was meant to be a warning, for both of us. I didn't want to take things too far. I only wanted a taste of her. A taste of the mate that belonged to me. But I was losing it. And she made something within me snap.
I pulled back first, hearing her gasp and moan as I held her tightly. Her eyes were fixed on mine, unmoving and defiant. The heat between us grew.
"This stops now," I said, my voice rougher than I intended.
Her hands were still gripping my jacket. She didn't let go.
"Then stop," she whispered.
She didn't step away either.
The mate bond pulsed between us like a distant drumbeat. I had felt it before in fleeting moments. Even back in my study, when her scent seemed to linger even after she left.
I stepped back, intending to put space between us.
She followed, seemingly dazed. That was when I realized it wasn't just my control unraveling, but hers as well.
