Page 187 of Reign

Color warms her cheeks. She looks away first, fussing with the bracelet on her wrist like it needs her attention more than I do.

“Okay,” she says. “That was better.”

“It wasn’t meant to be graded.”

“Everything is graded.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“You should.”

I almost smile.

Then I remember what I want from tonight.

I cross the remaining distance and curl my hand around the back of her neck.

Her breath catches. Her eyes lift to mine, interest already warming them.

“You’re with me tonight.”

“I know. We’re going to dinner.”

My thumb brushes the pulse beneath her skin. “You’re mine tonight.”

Her lips part.

Exactly the reaction I wanted.

“So this is practice,” she says. “For what it would be like with my future husband if he’s a Dom.”

Irritation cuts through me.

Her future husband.

A faceless man already occupying space in an evening that belongs to me.

“Tonight has nothing to do with your future husband.”

Her brows lift. “Then what am I practicing?”

“You aren’t.” I hold her gaze. “You’re finding out what it feels like to be mine.”

Her pulse jumps beneath my thumb.

“That sounds suspiciously boyfriend-ish.”

“Does that bother you?”

She considers the question, but her body has already answered. She’s leaning into my hand, gaze fixed on mine.

“No.”

“Good.”

My thumb moves once along the side of her neck.

“I’ll keep you close. I’ll touch you when I want. If anything makes you uncomfortable, you tell me. If you need to leave, we leave.”