Page 72 of Chosen Beta

Hotandsweet.

It’s just my luck that he’s taken.

Him and those mates of his.

It takes me a second to realize I’m staring at him silently.

“I promise not to overdo it. I just have a really important speech to make at the end of the week, and no offense meant, but your mates have been a little bit of a distraction today.”

“Oh,” he murmurs. “I’m sorry …”

“It’s fine,” I cut in before he can ramble out an apology. “I’m kind of nervous about the speech, that’s all. I need some quiet to work on it, alone.”

He nods slowly. “Of course.”

I feel weirdly guilty for saying anything.

He seems disappointed, or something.

I bite back the urge to apologize.

His mates have definitely been a distraction, and I do have a lot of work to do.

None of that was a lie, and I didn’t say it with any kind of bad intention.

I shrug it off and turn toward the door to the reception hall.

Coffee, remember?

Right. Coffee.

I turn back, and almost bump right into him.

He’s gazing at me intently as I open my mouth to apologize.

I can’t help but stare back, wondering what he’s thinking.

“At least eat something before you go back to work,” he murmurs, hand brushing the side of my arm. “You’ll find it easier to concentrate if you do.”

And I’ll find it even easier when you’re not touching me and looking at me like you might actually be considering kissing me.

I don’t move, because I don’t want to.

My body’s desperate for touch, and I know if he made a move, I wouldn’t say no.

There’d be no questions, no thoughts about what might happen after.

I would just react, and everything in me likes the thought of that.

“What if I’m not hungry?” I ask, giving him a smile.

“We’ll see about that,” he says, reaching up and brushing my hair back from my face.

My skin tingles where he barely skimmed over it with the tips of his fingers.

“Oh, will we?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

He smiles. “You wanted coffee, didn’t you?”

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