Page 107 of Love Bites Extra Hard

I wasn’t sure why. Probably because of Wendell.

I let out a harsh breath. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s obviously not nothing. You’ve been upset with me since we were in my office.”

“Notupset,” I tossed back.

He lifted an eyebrow.

“You don’t want to go to Clem’s party,” I said.

He blinked.

“You don’t have to, obviously. But it’s a family thing. If you’re not there, they’re going to think we’re not serious. I thought we were serious. You gave me a mate mark, for fuck’s sake. I?—”

He stepped closer, cupping my face with one of his hands. “Iwantto go.”

It was my turn to blink.

He spoke again. “Fine, I don’t really want to. It’s probably going to be awkward for me with the kings. They’re all friends. I’m not. It’ll be like a big political meeting, with glitter and ice cream. Sounds like a nightmare. I don’t want to go, but I want to go withyou, if that makes sense.”

I frowned, my forehead furrowing. “Then why did you say no?”

“I didn’t think you wanted me there.”

The crease between my eyebrows deepened. “Why not?”

He shrugged.

He actually looked a little uncomfortable.

It made me want him more. Not that I needed any help with that. Maybe it just made him seem more… genuine.

“Talon,” I said, putting my hands on his chest. “You can’t just say something like that without explaining.”

“Your sisters all sealed their mate bonds with the other kings quickly. You’re taking your time. I’m okay with that—I get it. It’s a good idea. I hid the truth from you for a long time. I deserve it. But until the bond is formed, we’re not really mates. And I don’t see why you’d want someone who isn’t your mate at a family party.”

I blinked again as his admission set in.

Then bit my lip.

He was insecure. The big, sexy as hell dragon king. The one I’d wanted since literally the moment I met him.

He wasn’t confident in the way I felt about him.

And honestly?

I didn’t blame him for it.

It was my fault—and not in the unhealthy, blame-myself-for-everything way that I’d felt with Wendell.

It was just honestly and genuinely my fault.

Because yeah, I’d been settling into living with him and helping out in his office.

And yeah, we’d had sex a couple of times since we got back together.

But things had definitely been different between us.

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