The ice cream parlor has small red tables set up outside, and once Hunter and I get our cones we head toward one. I got my standby, chocolate chip, and he decided on the same. Creamy flavor coats my tongue as I lick around the top edge of the cone and Hunter watches me. He says, “There appears to be a proper technique for this.”

I nod. “It’s important to make sure the ice cream isn’t going to drip down the cone and get your fingers sticky, so you need to lick all the way around and keep it balanced.”

Hunter copies what he saw me do, and a smile covers his face as the flavor hits his tongue.

“You like it?”

“Very much.”

“There’s more. Once the ice cream is low enough you need to push it down in the cone a bit with your tongue. That way you’ll have the right cone-to-ice-cream ratio up to the very end.”

He chuckles, and I notice his gaze drops to my mouth. When his eyes darken, I think he’s imagining me licking something else. A tingle of desire rushes through me, and I watch him lap at his cone too. Now I’m the one imagining his tongue laving me, and it’s suddenly hard to breath. My cone crunches as I bite some off with a little more force than necessary, and I glance up to stare into his eyes. Hunter mimics me with a bite of his own, and he leans in closer to me. I know I should move back, but while I tell my body to do it, I find I only close the distance between us a little more. This is crazy. I’m not going to fall for a man just because of physical chemistry.

As Hunter chews, his tongue darts out to lick his lips, and I involuntarily mirror him. He’s so close to me now, I detect the scent of his soap along with the faint odor of his male musk. It makes my stomach tremble, and the urge to touch him overwhelms me. Maybe what I need is to kiss him and satiate my need. Just once should do the trick, because chances are it won’t be the best I’ve ever had, and then I can get over my silly crush.

I’ve stopped eating my treat, and cool, melted ice cream rolls over my fingers as I’m trapped in the pools of Hunter’s green eyes. I can’t take it any longer. I lean into him as he moves toward me, and the moment his mouth touches mine I know I’m in trouble. It’s as if our lips were made for each other, and I fall into a kiss that’s familiar in its ease, but exhilarating as our chemistry sizzles.

My cone splats on the ground when I drop it, and I grasp at Hunter’s arms to hang on for the ride. His ice cream falls too, and he takes my face in his hands as our tongues twine together. The voice of reason finally gets loud enough for me to stop. I pull away and take a deep breath. Hunter lets out a small noise as his eyes dance with amusement.

He thinks he won. He is so wrong. Sure, that was an amazing kiss, but he’s still not the man for me. I throw my shoulders back and ask the question that I planned this excursion to find out. “Why were you forced to come to Earth?”

“Forced?” He chuckles. “Why do you think that?”

“You came to me in handcuffs with a look that made me think you wanted to eat me alive.” Hunter’s eyes flash, and the heated gaze he gives me makes me want to cover myself as if I’m naked. I grab a napkin to wipe my sticky hand. “And then you had an angry exchange with Selene. What should I think?”

He reaches for my hand and lifts it to his mouth. I try to tug it away, but he only grips me tighter. “First you should know I did want to--” His mouth is warm on my finger as he sucks one in and licks the ice cream residue off, and any ideas I have of resisting him melt away. “--devour you the moment I saw you.”

My voice shakes as I say, “Oh.” And I let out a little sigh when he licks another one of my fingers.

“My fight with Selene was because that’s what she and I do.” I scowl as I wonder if they used to be involved romantically. Hunter may sense it because he quickly reassures me. “Even though I wanted to come to Earth for you, I couldn’t let her have it that easy. This is supposed to be a punishment.”

“Punishment?” I pull my hand away now that he’s done licking my fingers. “I thought all Eroscians wanted to come to our planet.”

“Most of us do. But I’m too rough around the edges for the people of Earth.”

“What a ridiculous thing to say. I’ve seen your table manners, and you’re not nearly as scary as you pretend to be.”

He frowns. “Then why are you trying so hard to resist being my mate?”

“I--” I can’t tell Hunter I want a brilliant mind instead of a hot body, and that he probably doesn’t qualify. “It’s not appropriate. I’m the head of the Intergalactic Dating program and should not be grabbing the second alien that comes to Earth.”

“You’re a rule follower,” he says.

I cross my arms. “I am.”

Hunter leans in, but I pull back. He stops short, and his brow knits before he says, “You’re still not going to accept the fact that I’m your match, are you?”

My heart sinks, because part of me wishes I could. Our kiss didn’t solve my attraction. It made it stronger, and I’d love to have a physical relationship with Hunter. But that wouldn’t be fair to either one of us, and I can’t start something with him with the knowledge it would never turn into the marriage required of the aliens that come to Earth through my program. “I can’t.” I stand up to indicate it’s time to leave. “I really shouldn’t have kissed you. I’m sorry I led you to believe we could be together.”

He smiles at me. “That’s only going to make me try harder.” He crouches down, and using a napkin, picks up our discarded cones. They thump in the garbage can where he tosses them. “You might think you can resist me, but I assure you when an Eroscian meets his mate, he never gives up.”

“Please stop. When we get back I’m going to get you a laptop so you can start searching for your match.”

Our feet tap along the pavement as we walk back toward my office building. The sky is darkening as the evening approaches, and bright headlights of cars flash as they go by. It occurs to me I got sidetracked earlier and never found out why Hunter was restrained when we first met. “You didn’t tell me why you were being punished. What did you do?”

“What did you call the steak I had earlier? Porterhouse?”

“You’re changing the subject,” I say. But as soon as the words leave my mouth, I get what he’s really saying. I should be angry, but instead I’m amused, and since I did just bruise his ego, I go with it. “Seriously? I have to bribe that out of you too?” Hunter grins at me when I glance at him.

His smile is infectious, and I give him one back. “Fine,” I say. “Would donuts for breakfast work?”

“No. I have something much tastier in mind.” He waggles his eyebrows at me, and my cheeks heat up as my mind goes straight to the juncture between my thighs. Hunter chuckles. “I was thinking another kiss, but--” I gasp when the sensation of a tongue laps up my neck to stop behind my ear.

I stumble as my ankle turns, but quickly regain my balance and say, “Stop that.”

Now he laughs harder, and when he recovers he says, “Lexi, you belong with me. And I’ll take as long as you need to convince you I’m your perfect match.”

How I wish that were true. I steal a sideways glance at the sexy alien walking by my side. When I recall our kiss, I resist the urge to touch my lips. It was the best kiss of my life, and for a moment I let myself believe he’s right.