Page 11 of His to Take

“Yes, you know, marriage and families and pregnancies outside of labs.” I flushed.

“I see. You’re curious about all of that, aren’t you?” he asked.

For some reason, the way he said it felt like I was asking for something I shouldn’t.

“I am,” I admitted. I kept my eyes downcast, choosing instead to swirl the wine around in my glass. It was a full-bodied red wine and the liquid dripped down the sides slowly, indicative of a higher alcohol content.

I probably should have looked at the bottle before deciding on this one. I hoped it wasn’t going to my head already.

“Unlike New Englandia, that prides itself on their educated, efficient populace, on work productivity and strictly maintained physical health, Pacifica places a much higher value on the more unrestrained, authentic human experience and that includes interpersonal relationships like family,” he explained.

I took another sip of wine before placing it down on the table. I bit the inside of my cheek as I pushed the glass away slightly, choosing to eat a little bit more instead, aware of a slight swirling in my head.

Family.

It was a fascinating, but wholly forbidden subject in New Englandia. I had never been able to fully study it, as that topic was strongly discouraged by those in positions of power in higher education. What I had been able to glean was utterly unrelatable to me. Books and pictures only scratched the surface of it, but this man had experienced it firsthand. I was completely entranced by the lure of such new, illuminating insights.

“Do you remember your mother and father?” I asked.

I didn’t have either. I’d been created in an artificial womb and brought up by the state in their specialized institutions for the rearing of children. I’d been given the best teachers, the best medical care, and everything I could have ever needed as a child.

Except for a family.

My teachers were the only people that could come close to such a thing, but I got the feeling it wasn’t at all the same.

“I do. They are still alive back home today. My mother is probably chasing my father around the house with her mile-long to-do list as we speak,” he grinned, and his affection for them was apparent on his face.

“Were they… married?” I asked, lowering my voice on the last word in case anyone who might be passing by could hear me.

“Yes. They are most certainly married. I’ve heard the story of their whirlwind romance so many times that I could probably recite it in my sleep,” he laughed, deeply amused. There was so much joy written all over his features when he talked about his parents. It felt almost contagious in a way, but it was more a weird longing on my part to be able to feel what he was feeling. I never would, of course, and that engendered a sadness in me for something I’d never had and never thought to miss before.

“Can I tell you a secret?” I asked, blushing. As soon as I said the words, I wanted to take them back, but it was already too late.

“Of course,” he answered while raising a single eyebrow in curiosity. It made my stomach pitch.

“The idea of being a bride has always fascinated me. It’s a forbidden concept here, but it excites me to think about tyingmyself to a man that way, about what love might mean between a man and a woman,” I confessed.

He took a long draw from his glass before placing it down on the table. His eyes narrowed, the blue of his gaze swirling with surging storm clouds. His aura instantly changed from a gentleman to something that felt far more dangerous.

“I’d like to ask you something, Naomi, and I want you to be honest with me,” he began. His expression was very serious, and I worried that I might have crossed some line that I didn’t even know existed.

“Okay.” I sat back warily, fidgeting with my fingers on the table before pressing them into my lap.

“Have you ever been kissed?”

My mouth went dry and my face burned scarlet. Unable to speak, I shook my head and stared down at my hands, hoping that would be enough for him.

He stood up from his chair and took a single step towards me.

“Come here, Naomi. Take my hand,” he coaxed.

I jerked my head up, startled at his request. His sultry gaze captured mine and before I knew what I was doing, I stood up and walked toward him. I watched my feet move, feeling as though I was looking at a stranger’s feet until I eventually realized they belonged to me. I gasped anxiously when his fingers boldly wound around mine, pulling my body close against him.

My breasts pressed against the hard lines of his chest.

“Ryker, what are you doing?” I breathed, terribly unsure of what was happening.

What I hoped might be happening…

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