Chapter 16

Alana’s POV. I found myself locked in Alec's gaze as I straddled him, a heady mixture of desire and uncertainty coursing through me. His eyes traveled from mine to my lips, and I couldn't help but notice the way his tongue darted out to moisten his lower lip. Alec had a way of drawing out a raw, primal desire in me that I hadn't felt in years. With him, I could be myself without fear of judgment. He looked at me with awe, always. For a fleeting moment, I considered whether I should give this fake marriage a second thought. Maybe there was a chance that we could make it work, that I could find some genuine happiness in this arrangement. But then reality crashed in; Alec was in this for his benefit. He was using our marriage as a stepping stone for his career. He was always one step ahead, and I wasn't about to enter a game where I might lose my heart. However, the undeniable truth remained: I was still a woman with needs, and there was something about Alec that piqued my interest. L