"It'll keep."
I step back and let him into the flat, leading him down the corridor and to my room. Nerves flutter in my stomach as I push open my bedroom door. He's been here before, but somehow it feels different. Maybe because this time I'm deliberately inviting him into my room rather than just going with the flow.
I shut the door and turn to watch him setting everything up. I'm not really sure exactly what he's got planned, but I'm happy to be having a relaxed date with him, especially if it means avoiding having his bodyguard in tow. I know there's nothing that can be done about that, it's just part of dating a prince and what it means, and I'm okay with that.
"Sparkling wine?" I raise an eyebrow as I spot the bottle.
"You seem to like it."
"I do." I'm just surprised because I haven't drunk it that much in front of him. I suppose this is an advantage of dating a demon prince, sparkling wine is part of the date repertoire.
"I also brought chocolates. Mum sent them from the demon realm. I didn't know if you have any favourites, so I got her to send a selection."
"You got your Mum to send you chocolates for me?" My heart skips a beat at the insinuation. I take a seat on my bed.
He continues to unpack, but seems to delegate a lot of the doing it to his tail so that he can face me. "They don't make them the same here."
"Does that mean you've told your Mum about us?" I shouldn't be too surprised about that, and yet a part of me is.
"Why wouldn't I?"
I take a breath, knowing we have to have the what-are-we conversation. I surprise myself with how relaxed I feel about having it. There are a few nerves within me, but they're not uncontrollable, and I know they'll be gone the moment he kisses me again. "Maybe you wanted to wait until after things were more official between us. Or when you're with them in person or something."
He raises an eyebrow. "More official than agreeing that we have a mate bond?"
"Well, when you put it like that, it makes sense." Not that I've told my parents yet. I'm not even sure how they'll respond. No doubt Mum will say something about there being even less reason for me to need to study. She's wrong, but I'm already dreading the conversation.
He shuffles closer to me on the bed, and reaches out to take my hand in his, rubbing his thumb against my skin in the most reassuring way. "I should have made myself clearer."
"We can talk about it now?" I suggest. "I know that isn't what we planned, but it seems as if we need to have the talk."
"Why is it always so ominous when someone else says it?" he jokes.
"It wasn't meant to be."
"I know. And you're right. I should have talked to you before telling Mum about us."
I squeeze his hand reassuringly. "It's okay, I'm not mad about it or anything. It just took me by surprise. But I'll definitely have one of the chocolates she sent." I hold my hand out for the box, kind of curious to find out what chocolates from the demon realm taste like.
He hands it to me without a moment's hesitation. I pull my hand out of his so I can lift the lid and look inside.
"Oooh, seashells. They're my favourites." I pick up one of the swirled white and milk chocolate treats and bite into it, enjoying the rich taste of the praline inside.
"Mine too."
"Maybe that's why we have a mate bond," I muse.
"I think it takes more than a similar taste in chocolate for that to be the case," he counters.
"I would hope so. This isn't going to work if that's the only thing we have in common."
"Luckily, we do have more than that," he says. "You like me, I like you, and we have fun together."
I bite my bottom lip, not wanting to bring up one of the only concerns I have about this. "What about all the royal stuff you have to take into account? Don't I need to be vetted and approved and all kinds of stuff?"
He shakes his head. "Mum and Dad trust my judgement. They do with all of my siblings."
"But your father is King."
