Page 16 of Blood Moon Bound

Yes, I was still embarrassed over what happened last night, but Constantine had left a rose for me. The polite thing to do would be to thank him.

I thought about him coming into my room while I’d slept. What if my mouth was open? Or I was drooling, or talking in my sleep or snoring? Heat washed through me, a wave of embarrassment turning me pink from head to toe all over again.

I cringed, but straightened my spine and called on all the courage I possessed, and went in search of him. He wasn’t hard to find. His scent filled this place, and the closer I got to him, the stronger his scent grew. My nose led me right to his office door.

Taking a fortifying breath, I knocked.

“Come in,” he said roughly.

When I walked in, he was sitting behind his desk with what looked like maps and some other papers spread out in front of him. He looked shockingly fierce and…handsome sitting there with those strong features and the brutal scar down the side of his face. I’d never really thought about his looks, my fear had gotten in the way, but for some reason, it didn’t now and I realized I…liked the way he looked. His midnight hair was combed back, and he was wearing a navy shirt. He’d rolled up the sleeves, and the collar was undone, revealing his tattooed skin. I had the sudden and strong urge to bury my face there, to breathe deeply, then sink my fangs into him.

“Do you need something, Delphine?”

I jumped at his harsh tone but refused to flee again. I straightened my spine and stepped deeper into the room. His dark gaze sliced down my body, then back up to my face, my hair. His expression remained unchanged, but his Adam’s apple slid up and down his thick throat.

I brushed my hands over the skirt of my dress. “I’m sorry for the interruption, Constantine. I just wanted to say good morning and to…” I swallowed, my mouth dry all of a sudden. “The rose you left on my pillow; it was…it was lovely.”

He said nothing, but those cold eyes were still focused on me.

Why wasn’t he speaking? Was he waiting for me to do or say something more?

In the book I was reading, when the heroine’s male did something nice, she kissed him. Was he waiting for me to do that? If I didn’t show him that I wanted to be his friend, how would he know? And if he thought I didn’t like him, he might send me back to my stepfather. I had to be brave. I had to show him I could be his friend, that I could be a good mate to him.

He was so tall and broad and intimidating, but I forced myself to walk across his office and round his desk. He followed me with those cold yet beautiful violet eyes, but he didn’t move, didn’t speak.

My knees felt wobbly when I stopped beside him. The male in the book had loved it when his female had shown him affection. I’d lived without it all my life, but remembering the way it felt pressed up against Constantine, when I fed from him, his hands gripping me close—yes, I’d liked it, and I wanted to feel that way again. I wanted it badly.

Constantine had to know I was afraid of him, and yes, I could admit I was, more than a little, so I had to show him I could be brave as well. So I took another step closer, leaned in, and pressed a kiss to his jaw, the only place I could reach.

He stilled even more.

“Thank you for my rose,” I said and straightened.

I waited for him to say something, he didn’t, but his fingers tightened around the pen he held, so tight his knuckles turned white.

Was he…angry? Oh god, he obviously didn’t want affection from me. “I’ll leave you to your work,” I said, my face burning fiercely again. I forced myself to turn away and walk across the room at a reasonable pace, and not run like I was desperate to.

Don’t cry. Do not cry.

I reached for the door.

“Delphine?”

I stopped in my tracks and turned back, my heart racing wildly in my chest. “Yes?”

“Your dress, you look…nice this morning.”

Pleasure filled me, despite the slight growl to his voice. I ignored that and focused on what he’d said. “I’m glad you like it.” I brushed my hands down my waist. “I chose it for you.”

“Did you?”

I nodded. “My mother told me a female should always look nice for her mate.”

He sat back in his seat. “Do you like the dress?”

I looked down at it, then back up. “Um…yes. It reminds me of your eyes.”

He went motionless again. “I have work to do.”