Suddenly, Eugene stopped walking, Kasser stopping right beside her. For a moment, they stood in the hallway staring at each other soundlessly.


    “You know,” she said. She looked down at her fingers as she fidgeted with them. “I want to be a mother…” Eugene trailed off. “And I would like you to be the father of my child. Our child.” She couldn’t help herself from covering her face. She already knew that it was zing red with embarrassment. But she had to let him know.


    She wanted to have his child, not as part of obligation, but of her own free will.


    After what seemed like forever, Kasser spoke, “Eugene.”


    He couldn’t describe the emotions he was feeling in that moment, but he knew that they were simr to how he felt when she first called the mansion <em>their </em>home. But he also knew that this was so much better.


    He wondered if this was what flying felt like. His body felt so light, he felt like all the stars in the universe had aligned for him at that moment.


    <em>Our child.</em>


    Kasser imagined his child growing in her stomach. He wanted to put that child in her already.


    Eugene flinched when she saw his feet moving towards her. When she looked up, she realized that they were so close it felt like they were about to crash into each other. She took a step back to try and make space between the two of them, but her back hit the wall as soon as she did.Stepping closer towards her, Kasser ced his hands on the wall on both sides of Eugene to prevent her from running. He pushed his body against hers, sliding his knee between her thighs.


    Surprised, Eugene pped his chest. “Are you crazy?” she whispered, afraid that someone would hear her ande see thepromising position they were in. “What are you doing?” She looked around to see if anyone else was in the hallway. Luckily, they were alone.


    “What are <em>you </em>doing?” He threw her question back at her, his voice was low. “Why would you bring that up now? You really know how to drive a person crazy, you know?” He was practically growling now. His eyes were filled with passion as he stared down at her.


    It flustered Eugene to make a man like Kasser, who was usually soposed, act like this outside of the bedroom. But she also wasn’t a naivedy. She knew how to push his buttons and she had every intention to.


    She batted her eyes and spoke like she had no idea what effect she was making on him. “I know,” she said, her voice sounding like a moan. “And this isn’t even our home.” She pouted, her fingers trailing up his chest before she slipped her hands behind his neck. “And they’re expecting us at dinner. Will you be okay?”


    She looked at him with doe-eyes, then she clicked her tongue as she stared up at him.


    Groaning, Kasser grabbed her by the waist and buried his face in her shoulder. He knew that if they started now, he wouldn’t be able to stop, which meant it wasn’t a good idea for him to start at all. So, he said, “I’ll see you at home.”


    Realizing she had teased him too much, Eugene’s eyes widened. She was scared of what would happen when they got home, but she was also enticed by the thought of it.


    She patted him on the back and rubbed his head, feeling his soft hair between her fingers. She was smiling at him happily when she heard someone cough. Quickly, she pushed Kasser away from her and saw Enoch standing behind them.


    “Brother!” she eximed. “Is dinner ready?”


    “Not yet,” he said mildly. But Eugene could feel the embarrassment radiating off of him. She was even more embarrassed knowing that this wasn’t the first time her brother had seen her like this.


    Then, Enoch said, “There’s someone here for you.”


    “Me?” she asked, suddenly pulled back to reality. “Who would know that I’m here?”


    “He went to the royal mansion and they told him to go here.”


    Eugene frowned. “Who is it?”


    Her brother turned to Kasser and said, “Knight Pides. His Holiness has a message for you.”


    Kasser could feel the blood drain from his face.