The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 166

166 /209

-Ava POV

“And what you said afterward. That you loved me.”

The words lingered on the tip of my tongue, but as soon as I said the word sex, I saw the subtle shift in Grayson’s expression. His entire demeanor seemed to sharpen, his hackles rising ever so slightly. It wasn’t that he was angry-just alert, his focus zeroing in on me with an intensity that made my throat dry up. I stopped there.

I wasn’t even sure he realized he’d said those words during one of our more… passionate moments. And even if he had, I didn’t know if it was something he meant or just something that slipped out in the heat of mind-blowing sex. But for me, it wasn’t something I could just brush aside. I’d clung to it, turning the words over in my head more times than I cared to admit.

Still, this didn’t feel like the right time to bring it up. Not yet.

I realized he was staring at me, his piercing eyes making it impossible for me to think straight. My entire body heated up under his gaze, and I didn’t need a mirror to know my face had turned completely red. I suddenly regretted bringing up this entire conversation, silently cursing Isabella for planting the idea in my head in the first place.

“What about it?” he asked, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, yet curious.

I bit my lip, searching for words, and the corner of his mouth twitched in a way that made it clear he was holding back a smirk. That simple expression was enough to make me blurt out a rushed explanation.

“It’s not anything bad. Actually, it’s great-like, thinking-about-it-all-the-time great. I was just talking to Bels, and she had this stupid idea, and now that I’ve brought it up, I don’t even know why I did. Just forget about it.” Grayson arched a brow, his lips tugging upward just slightly. “You want me to just forget about it? You said it’s about sex and now you’re telling me to forget about it? Would you?”

I groaned inwardly and looked down at the napkin in front of me, fiddling with the edge. “Well….. no.”

His voice softened, coaxing. “What was the idea?”

gaze. neck as I avoided his way down my If I was red before, I was sure I resembled a tomato now. The heat spread all the didn’t matter how far we’d come as a couple-sometimes, Grayson still had the ability to completely unnerve me with just a look.

“She said I should… make a list. You know, of things I wanted to do. During… sex.” My voice faltered as I stumbled over the last word, shifting uneasily in my chair. “This was a bad time to bring it up.”

Grayson didn’t say anything for a moment. Then his voice broke the silence, amused and low, “Did you make the list?”

My gaze snapped up to meet his, and I glared at him. “It’s not funny.”

That seemed to break the dam, and the smirk he’d been suppressing spread into a full, amused smile. “Of course, it’s not funny,” he said, his tone laced with humor that he didn’t bother hiding anymore. “And I’m not laughing at you. I just… wasn’t expecting this.”

Then his expression shifted, his eyes softening as he leaned slightly closer. “You can talk to me about anything, Ava. You know that, right? Especially about this.”

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“It’s not that I don’t like what we’re already doing,” I blurted out, the words rushing together in my nervousness. “I mean, I like everything you do. It’s really, really great. Like, forget-my own name kind of great.”

I clamped my mouth shut, horrified at how much I’d just admitted. I looked away, staring down at the table, wishing I could disappear.

Grayson’s lips twitched again, but this time, he didn’t laugh. Instead, he stayed quiet, letting me gather my thoughts.

“It’s just…” I sighed, finally finding the courage to speak again. “Its stuff I think I’d like to try. You know, to see if I’d actually like it.”

I felt like I was digging my own grave with every word. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Just as I was about to bury my face in my hands, salvation arrived in the form of a waiter.

The man approached our table, his gaze locked on Grayson as he asked, “What can I get for you, sir?”

Not once did he glance in my direction, and I wanted to burst out laughing. Grayson ordered without even glancing at the menu, his tone polite but firm. The waiter nodded, still avoiding eye contact with me, and said, “Your orders will be out in ten minutes.”

All amusement died down at that. Ten minutes. Ten whole minutes before

I could use food as a buffer. I groaned inwardly.

As soon as the waiter disappeared, Grayson’s eyes were back on me. “Did you make the list?” he asked, his tone casual, as if we were discussing grocery shopping.