Page 43 of Examining the Bond

I shake my head guiltily. “No, no. You don’t want to know what I’m thinking.”

Her lips purse, and I want to feel them against mine again.

“Pretty sure I do.” She raises an eyebrow that makes me giggle.

“Fine.” I grumble. “I’m just wondering how the hell anyone could be so hot. First, you’re a doctor. Now, you’re ripped and covered in tattoos. What else are you hiding?”

She laughs again, and the awkward bubble shatters, a pleasant sense of comfort settling between us. “Nothing, I swear. Ask me anything you want; I’m an open book.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

SKYLAR

Once again, I’m impressed by Riann’s boldness. If she’s uncomfortable or uncertain, she doesn’t show it. I was beginning to regret coming to her hotel room, thinking I'd forced us into an unfixably uncomfortable situation.

But somehow, in a matter of seconds, she overcame my reservations.

Now, sitting next to her, it feels like we’ve done this before. Hanging out, watching TV, enjoying one another’s company.

My curiosity swells as I wonder what she’ll ask, but nothing could take me off guard as much as her first question.

“How old are you?”

“Coming out swinging, aren’t we?” I choke, running a hand over my face. What if my age is a deal breaker? What if she finds out and chases me out of her room? It’s not illegal—we’reboth adults—but it feels a little on the taboo side. With a sigh, I answer, “Twenty-six.”

Her eyes widen, but then her expression softens. “Oh, you’re younger than I thought.”

“Excuse me?” My jaw drops and I glare at her, horrified. “Wha— How old did you think I was?”

She shrugs, a laugh escaping. “Like thirty-five? I don’t know.”

Thirty-five?

She thought I was thirty-five?

And she still let me violate her in my office…

Christ.

“I’m offended. Hurt, actually.” I press a hand to my chest, feigning offense. “You really thought I was that old?”

“Yeah, I figured you spent at least a decade studying designations or something,” she explains, and it feels like she’s stomping on my heart with her boots. Dios, I'll never live this down. “But age doesn’t matter to me, so I really didn’t think about it.”

Well, that’s a relief.

If she’s not bothered by it, I’ll try to be equally unconcerned.

“Do you work out a lot?” she asks, eyeing my bare arm closest to her. I can’t help but flex and revel in the way her eyes gleam.

“Every day.” I nod. “Sometimes twice.”

“Twice a day?” She makes a disgruntled noise. “That sounds… horrible.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “It’s tough sometimes, but the gym is the one place where I can really be myself. Makes me feel good, ya know?”

“And I’m assuming you don’t have any mates because you’re… here.” Her voice is a little more uncertain this time, and I look down to find her biting her bottom lip.

I slip down in the bed to be at her level, not missing her sharp inhale of breath, and loll my head to the side to meet her gaze. The air between us is electric, and even through my suppressant haze, I can feel the invisible tug dragging me toward her.