“You did sing to me,” he said, his tone low and raspy.
Ria leaned up from the headboard, moving closer. “Because I wanted you so much. And I didn’t stop myself from approaching you, like I would have back home. I thought you were an earthling. Someone I’d never see again, and that helped kill any remaining resistance.” She slung an arm around his neck, but he didn’t move.
She backed off a bit. “What’s up?”
“I need to leave.” He glanced at his phone before his gaze settled back on her.
“Can I go with you?”
His brows furrowed. “Not yet.”
She expelled a long sigh. “Okay, then can I scrounge around in your kitchen for food?”
He paused for a few seconds, as if he wasn’t used to having anyone in his house or making use of his things. “Sure. Go ahead.”
“Do you have any coffee, by chance?” She’d learned in her studies that many Alphas thought coffee on Earth was better than what got shipped to Alpha-Prime.
He laughed. “Yes. I have a machine that makes one cup at a time so you can try some different flavors if you want.”
“Excellent. Thank you.”
He kissed her quickly on the mouth, then stood up before she could respond. Without looking at her, he grabbed pieces of clothing he’d dropped to the floor this morning and put them on, covering up his beautiful, perfect body.
“You will be back, won’t you?” She tried not to sound needy and desperate, even though that was her current train of thought.
“Of course.”
“So you’re not finished with me yet?”
He paused at the bedroom door, his expression troubled. “You heard that, huh?”
She nodded.
“I don’t want to be, but I probably should be.”
“Why?”
He cleared his throat. “Technically, you’re spoken for.”
She shrugged. “Not really. No announcement has been made. No papers have been signed. I’m free. For now.”
He tilted his head as if he didn’t buy it. “Still. Eventually papers will be signed and ultimately an announcement will be made. Right?”
She shrugged. “In this moment, I truly wish those things won’t ever happen. I don’t want them to happen. If I had the power to stop them, I would in an instant. Unfortunately, my mother is in love with Dirt Bag’s elite lineage. She’s going to be hard to convince otherwise. I’m not certain I have the final say.”
“Yeah. She seemed pretty proud of the coming union.”
“Oh, she is, trust me. The elder FitzOsberns seem fairly indifferent. He’s the fourth of four sons, and not even an heir to the lion’s share of their wealth. His three older brothers run their family business, while he only has a title on the board of directors.” She shrugged. “My opinion is that they just want the arranged marriage over and done with so their youngest can finally move out of their house.”
“What does he do for work? Or is a title on the board his only job?”
“That’s right. He does nothing in the way of work. He socializes in the Elite circles where he doesn’t have to do anything to earn money. Even a fourth of what he’ll inherit is enough to live on until his death and then some, unless he goes crazy with it.”
“Sounds boring.”
“I know, right? My mother, however, is from a different era. She wants a ‘good’ marriage for me so I’ll be provided for the rest of my life. And because of some careful wording in the arranged marriage agreement signed when I was a baby, my mother will also be kept in the manner she’s accustomed to. My marriage to Dirt Bag takes care of her for life.”
“And your father? What did he think about this arranged marriage agreement?”
