He tugged at the cuff of his shirt. “To see how you’d react to a spontaneous show of affection.”

Was that what that was supposed to be? Because it had felt like a blatant display of lust. But then, what did she know? He was the first man she’d kissed in ages so her ability to compare was pretty low. “I see. And I reacted with too much surprise?”

“Precisely. If we’re a couple, those sorts of things should be more commonplace. More expected. Don’t you agree?”

He had yet to make eye contact with her since the kiss. She decide to try a test of her own. “So that was just an assessment of my reaction?”

He finally looked at her. “Yes. That’s what I said. Merely a test.”

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling and giving herself away. He was lying. She didn’t need her valkyrie senses to figure that out. He’d wanted to kiss her. The test excuse had been just that. An excuse. “Just checking.”

He made a small noise of agreement.

She crossed her arms, feeling a jolt of power at her new knowledge. “I’ll try to do better the next time.”

He started, then quickly covered with a fake cough. “Very good. Well, we should get on with the tour or our breakfast will be cold by the time we return.”

“Let’s go.”

But as beautiful as his house was, it was difficult to pay attention. All she could think about was that he’d wanted to kiss her. And had.

Was Sebastian falling for her? Maybe just a little bit?

She’d never considered the possibility of a vampire as a partner, but maybe that was just short-sightedness on her behalf. A vampire was immortal, so they’d be immune to…death. That would make him the perfect mate for her, considering.

She stared out a window, lost in memory, her fingers absently caressing the scar on her knuckles.

“Tessa.”

She jumped and looked at him, tucking her hands behind her. “Sorry, what?”

He frowned. “Have you heard a word I’ve said? This is important. If we’ve been seeing each other for over a year, you have to know the layout of my house.”

“Yes, sorry, this is your…den?”

“My office.”

She glanced around. Of course it was. Why else would there be a desk in it? She moved to stand beside it, trying to ignore the wall of weaponry on proud display. The man liked his blades, apparently. In that respect, they were very different. “I got a little distracted.”

“By what?”

She frowned right back at him. “By your test.”

He straightened. “I see.”

Ooo, that felt judgy. She crossed her arms and leaned against his desk. “And you pretending that’s all it was didn’t help.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “It was a test.”

“You’re lying again. Did you forget I can tell intent? Maybe on some level you meant it as a test, but the truth is, you wanted to kiss me.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed but he said nothing. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “I have been alone for a very long time. I apologize if I’ve offended you. That was certainly not what I meant to do.”

“You didn’t offend me.” She trailed her finger along the wood grain on his desktop, unable to look at him as her feelings about the kiss came to the surface. Her cheeks burned as hot as Brokkr’s fabled forge. “I wasn’t upset by the kiss. At all.”

He took a step toward her. “I’m happy to hear that.”

She looked at him. “I hear a but in your voice.”

He sighed and brushed a strand of hair back behind her shoulder, his smile tentative and a little sad. “I don’t want to lead you on. My desire for a woman’s touch shouldn’t be confused with an interest in a relationship. That’s not the case. I have an obligation to Evangeline, regardless of what anyone thinks, and I will uphold it. There is no place in my life for another woman.”

His words stung far more than they should have. She’d known the man for a day, had no reason to feel anything for him, and yet…she felt like he was breaking up with her. She made herself smile. “I completely understand.”

She didn’t. Not at all. But difficult decisions were one of the many threads that made up a valkyrie’s tapestry.

He nodded. “Thank you.”

He lifted his hand and gently caressed her cheek.

She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away. “You can’t do that. You can’t tell me you don’t want to lead me on and then touch me with that kind of tenderness.”

“We are supposed to be an engaged couple. If I cannot be tender with you, how am I supposed to be?”

“During the dinner and in front of Evangeline is one thing. But beyond that, it can’t happen. No more tests. And don’t tell me I need to be comfortable with you touching me or kissing me. I’ll be fine, you’ll see.”

He stiffened as if rebuked, which she guessed was exactly what she’d done. But he couldn’t expect her to not respond to his attentions. He nodded. “Of course, you’re right.”

He might think she was a mouse, and maybe in many ways she was, but she was a mouse with a heart and she wasn’t about to sacrifice it for his sake.

Job or no job.

Tension colored the rest of the morning and afternoon, until at last they separated to prepare for the evening ahead. Sebastian stood in his quarters, pondering the day. He understood where Tessa was coming from and actually agreed with her. He shouldn’t kiss her or touch her or pull her into his arms. Not when he couldn’t promise her more than that. It wasn’t fair to either of them, but especially her.