Alexander's gaze darkened, his grip on her fingers tightening ever so slightly. He leaned in, close enough that she could feel the quiet power radiating from him.
"Try me."
Celeste chuckled, light and airy, as if dismissing the moment entirely. Instead, she took a sip of her wine, tilting her head with feigned nonchalance.
"But honestly, we're only playing pretend to make Riley and Ethan jealous. You can tone it down a bit, you know."
The shift in Alexander's demeanor was instant. His expression hardened, his amusement vanishing like a flicker of light snuffed out. A cold, unreadable shadow passed through his eyes as his fingers slowly unfurled from hers.
"You still like that man?" His voice was lower now, rougher. "What does he have that I don't?"