Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
It was odd inside the room—opulent but not warm, not a place for Lorne at all. Enormous canvases on the walls of women in various stages of undress, all the frames gilded, lots of velvet, more tassels than I could count, and ahead of me was another set of double doors. When I knocked, I heard a welcome sound, the high-pitched trill of a daemon masquerading as a housecat. I was smiling as Lorne roared out the order to go away.
“But I want to see you,” I asserted.
There was a lot of bumping around, something else hit maybe a wall, and Argos shoved his paw under the door and jiggled it like he did in the cottage when he wanted in. The way it worked, though, the moment you let him in, he wanted to go back out. I often wondered if he was truly more spirit, or maybe even sprite, or more cat.
After another thump and some swearing, the door was thrown open, and there he was.
It was amazing. I had so much to say, but I was distracted by his outfit, as well as Argos leaping into my arms and curling into a ball, which was new. He was not, as a rule, overly affectionate with me.
“Xan,” Lorne breathed out, and instantly, his eyes filled.
Giving Argos a squeeze, I lifted my head for Lorne so he could see there was no wound on me. “All healed.”
He nodded. “I knew that. I saw the wound close the second you hit the snow. We were on Corvus, after all. No way you’d die there. Giles didn’t know.”
“There’s so much he doesn’t.”
“Yes,” he said hoarsely. “Which is good.”
“And then?”
“After he threw you out into the snow, after I saw you heal,” he rasped before swallowing, having trouble getting his voice to work. “I must’ve passed out.”
“You were scared when you woke up.”
Quick cough to clear his throat. “I was, but still, I was confident you’d be okay. I had faith.”
“Were you losing hope?” I asked, the words coming out before I even had time to think.
“Never. I knew I just had to be patient.”
He was, without question, the most incredible man. From the beginning he’d had faith in me, accepted my magic, and been practical in the face of absolute craziness that would have sent a lesser man to therapy. I was blessed to have him as my mate.
“What are you wearing?” I squinted at Lorne, changing the subject, needing to, not wanting to break down crying.
He shivered, then huffed out a breath.
“Are those breeches?”
He shook his head. “Shall I start from the bottom and work my way up?”
“Yes, please,” I husked, catching my breath as I stared my fill of him. He was, and had always been, a beautiful man, but now, eyes glinting as he held my gaze, I was overwhelmed being close to him.
He lifted his foot. “These are Hessian boots.”
I nodded as a slow, sexy grin curled his lush lips.
“And no, these are not breeches but in fact simply trousers that have straps underneath so they don’t ride up my legs. That’s never good.”
“No, of course not,” I agreed, stepping closer, needing to be closer.
“I have a linen shirt on under my silk waistcoat, and on top is my double-breasted frockcoat that you can plainly see.”
“All the navy-blue suits you.”
“Giles has a companion, a friend he brought through the veil with him, who is very interested in what I wear,” he informed me with an arch of his brow as he took Argos from me and placed him gently on the floor. The cat sprinted to a massive four-poster bed, leaped up onto it, then lay down at the end.
I stepped in against him, my hands on his hips as I stared up into his inky-blue eyes. “This woman dresses you?”
“It’s either her choice or I go naked. So I wear them now that she knows she can’t enchant them, and she understands I won’t eat anything I don’t prepare myself.”
“She tried to poison you?”
“I think her intention was to coerce me, bend me, but I knew better than to eat what was served to me. I live with you, and I watch you add ingredients to your bread and muffins, and sprinkle herbs in my soup. I feel your love in the things you make for me, so wouldn’t the reverse be true? Couldn’t I be made pliable if she fed me?”
“You’re very clever,” I praised him.
“Oh, I know.”
I smiled. “I love you very much.”
“I know that too.” He took my face gently in his hands.
“I was so scared.”
He made a noise in the back of his throat, like a growl or a rumble, before kissing me.
My whine was loud. I couldn’t help it. I was desperate to taste him, to have him, to remind him whom he belonged to.