Zoe gave herself a moment before responding, “I’m on my period!”

“I’m aware of that,” he said, watching her closely. “Is this all there is for us? Sex? Are we doing it just so you can get pregnant again?”

He decided he’d just put everything on the table, so they could have an honest conversation.

Whipping her head up, she stared at him. The tears in her eyes told him just how much she was forcing herself to do it with him, but she had to.

Her lips were trembling when she tugged at his sleeves with her lean fingers.

At the next moment, he said in a husky voice, “It's been years since we saw each other. Has it ever occurred to you that we should get to know each other all over again? At least, I feel the need to take it slow before we do it.”

He had never been like this in the past. He might’ve made a big deal about it, but she knew he was just making up excuses for them to be spending some alone time. After all, a servant could pop into the kitchen anytime in this hour.

So, she