Avery’s POV
It was the day of the mating ceremony and I had 12 line itinerary with all of the activities I was supposed to oversee or take part in. Several were with Gideon, and as the day progressed, the distance between us only became more evident.
I felt sorrow at the separation. I knew that I was, once again, the cause. It was I who had stopped his intimacy the night before, although my body had been keenly interested and had been thinking about him for hours afterward.
I couldn’t stop remembering the way his face had looked, stricken and upset, when I had pulled away. I regretted that I had done so very abruptly. Probably, I could have tried a gentler escape, but what was done was done.
Besides, I didn’t trust myself when I was with him. Every time he kissed me, it was as thoug
