Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“What is this?” she asked, noting the entire bouquet was tied together with a simple strip of burlap.
He shrugged. “There aren’t any flowers anywhere near, so I made my own. The brown and grayish feathers are from the boreal chickadee. There are a bunch around here.”
She had the oddest urge to lean in and sniff the bouquet like she would if there were flowers. She did so, and the scent of the trees filled her. It smelled like Christmas.
“This was kind of you,” she said awkwardly. “Thank you.”
“I’ve decided to court you.” He turned and shut the door before taking the leather guest chair Maeve had vacated. “The closer I keep to you, the safer you are. I don’t think we can spend a lot of time together without combusting, and I know you like a structured and methodical approach. I don’t know how to use PowerPoint, so I thought I’d just be honest.”
Lyrica dropped to her seat, barely keeping shock off her face. “I, ah, I don’t have a vase.” Courting? What in the world was he talking about? The kiss from the other night as well as the feeling of his hard body bracketing hers in that bed flashed into her brain, and her face slowly heated.
“I don’t think we have any vases in the territory. I can put some on the next supply list.” He leaned over and took the bouquet, leaning it against the wall.
The smell of pine filled the room.
“We don’t like each other,” Lyrica finally burst out.
A hint of a smile hovered on his lips. What would he look like truly smiling? Probably devastating. “I know.”
“You’re confusing me.” Also somehow turning her on. Thank goodness she’d worn a bra today.
“Not my intention.” His muscled body overwhelmed the pretty leather chair. “The kiss we shared was…explosive. I understand that you plan to leave Kurjan territory with the million-dollar fee after bringing us into this century. I don’t ever plan on mating. Since we’re being all modern, and I plan on guarding you while you’re here in the territory, and since you’re most certainly in danger, I thought we could date like the humans do.”
Date? Did he mean date or just sleep together? She liked logic, but this was throwing her off. “Why don’t you plan on mating?”
His head tilted ever so slightly, as if surprised she latched onto that part of the conversation. “Let’s just say that an heir apparent and current enforcer to a king, who many in his nation want dead, does not have a long life expectancy.”
A chill swept through her. She tried to reach out with her newly developing senses and just felt hard resolve. No fear. No anticipation. No emotion she could read. “I don’t understand.”
He gave one short nod as if that made sense. “Anybody wanting to kill Paxton has to go through me first. That means I’m dead before anybody gets to him. Or, in the alternative, if somebody somehow manages to kill him, and they’re strong enough to do so, then I’m next. They won’t want me ascending as the new king.”
How could he sound so matter-of-fact about dying?
“So you, um, want to have a relationship until I leave?” Her breath quickened and she tried to slow her exhales.
“Yes. Consent is imperative in this world, as you’ve explained, so I’m bringing you a winter bouquet and requesting consent.” He sounded ready to negotiate.
She stared blindly for a few seconds at his stunningly dark blue eyes. Unsure, turned on, she fell back on reason. If he could be so honest, so could she. “I’ll consider it, but I want, um, a contract in place.” Was she actually doing this? Contracting to date somebody? To sleep with the hard-bodied badass? Was she losing her mind? Or was this a reasonable and good idea?
He sat back in the chair and it creaked in protest. “That’s a fine idea.”
Her mouth went dry as she remembered something from a sitcom she used to watch. “You are actually willing to draw up a relationship agreement?”
“Then consent would be clear, would it not?”
Yeah, but the kiss the other night had been wildly passionate. “I want to draft the contract.”
“Of course you do. Or, maybe we should just go on a date and see where it leads us.”
Her chin lifted. “I’d rather we were both clear before we kiss again.” She could handle this. Control and organize the situation. Her mouth watered. She did want to kiss him again. “I am attracted to you.”
“I know.” No arrogance there. Just fact.
“Okay. I’ll draft something up and we can then decide if we really want to go this route.” This was too freaking bizarre. Yet her body flashed to awareness as if knowing an amazing treat was coming her way. The guy had said he’d been trained by the best in the art of, well, sex. “Do you have any stipulations?”