Boaz’s breath caught in his throat.
Heat flared along his neck, right at the spot where Alexander had bitten him. It spread outward, making his pulse stumble and then race.
Fuck.
“I’m sure,” Alexander said quietly.
Boaz’s jaw tightened.
Then don’t fucking interrupt me.
The words burned at the back of his throat, but he swallowed them down, forcing himself to turn away and focus on Lyla again.
But when he looked at her, she wasn’t looking at him anymore.
Her gaze moved curiously between them, but when it settled on Alexander, it lingered just a second too long.
Damn it.
Boaz scrambled, searching for something say to pull her attention back. But nothing came to mind.
They sat there in awkward silence. Boaz stared down at his plate, already regretting it. He shouldn’t have engaged Alexander. He should’ve ignored him. Pretended he wasn’t even there.
“Boaz is right, you know?” Alexander said, his deep voice filling the awkward silence.
Boaz stilled.
“You have an alluring presence,” Alexander continued. “His words made me think of my home, too.”
Was he stealing his fucking words, Boaz fixed the vampire with a dark stare.
“We have beautiful mountains covered in snow,” the vampire said dreamily, “and pine forests wrapped in fog… thick with mystery.” Alexander’s gaze shifted to Boaz as he made his next point. “I was wondering how they would look with someone so beautiful there,” he added, his lips curving into a gorgeous smile. “Perhaps… they would be even better than your meadow.”
Boaz’s grip on his spoon tightened.
“I doubt it,” he shot back. “Lyla prefers warm, sunny places. Not cold, gloomy ones. She’d hate it there.”
Alexander didn’t even blink. “Well, I’m sure she can speak for herself,” he said. Then he leaned closer to Lyla. Too close. “I would like to take you there,” he murmured. “I promise I’ll make you fall in love with my home. And…” his smile widened, “…keep you warm.”
Boaz felt something twist inside his chest.
“You’re inviting me to your home?” Lyla asked tentatively, but her eyes were full of intrigue.
“Yes,” Alexander said, his gaze never leaving her face. “I would love to have you there.”
And then, he reached for her hand.
Boaz didn’t think. His hand shot across the table, fingers closing around Alexander’s wrist before the vampire could touch her.
The moment their skin touched, something electric shot up Boaz’s arm, making his whole body feel like it had been electrocuted.
What the hell?
Boaz clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to yank his hand back.
Across from him, Alexander’s eyes darkened as he tried to pull his hand free.
But Boaz didn’t let go.