Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 112866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Paint my toes!” I was trying to get a rise out of him since he’s been mister stoic all morning, in fact he’s been this way ever since we came back from the bathing pool two days ago. Except in bed, there he’s the same beast he always is.
I growled and threw a pillow at him when he actually left the settee where we were both sitting to go get the polish; is he for real? “What’s the matter with you? Where are you going?”
“Didn’t you say…?”
“I can paint my own toes I’m trying to shake you out of whatever fugue state you’re in.”
“Oh, I’m fine, I’m just thinking about the ceremony in a few days that’s all. I want everything to be perfect for you.” I bet! That much is true I’m sure but I’m not convinced. He came back and sat beside me to do his new favorite thing, rubbing my tummy with this long forlorn look on his face.
“Lucien, if you don’t tell me what’s bothering you I’m going home.” Yep, that did it.
“Settle down, you’re not going anywhere.”
“There he is, there’s that pompous ass I know and love.” We both came to a standstill at my words, words I had not meant to say out loud, and didn’t even know they were in me.
I saw the first real smile cross his face for the first time in days and then he was taking me down. “Wait, I didn’t say….” I was laughing too hard by now to get the words out. Mr. Horn Dog was at it again. “What about the servants?” I barely got the words out as I looked around while he was busy pushing the silk robe off my shoulders.
“They wouldn’t dare come in here without being summoned.” Fine, if this is the only way I can get him to lighten up then I’ll take one for the team. Oh the sacrifices I make.
“What are you thinking about? What sacrifice?”
He slid into me just then and all thoughts left my head. “Oh nothing, keep going.” I grabbed onto his shoulders and wrapped my legs around him suddenly ravenous for the feel of him, like we hadn’t just done this less than an hour ago.
LUCIEN
Good, she hasn’t caught on and I aim to keep it that way. I’d searched for the hag upon our return from the bathing pool that day with no success. There wasn’t even a whiff of her presence in the kingdom which signaled danger. I’ve already alerted the sky monarch who like me, wanted to keep it as low key as possible so as not to cause any alarm, especially so close to our marriage ceremony.
The other heads of state and lesser rulers of their individual kingdoms will be here any day now, and we’d both played around with the idea that they could be the target, but that didn’t play out well for me. Not since she’d also shown up at Natalia’s home not too long ago.
I know I’m making her crazy by not letting her run free like she wanted but not until I find out what’s going on. She’s asleep now thank heaven and not up to one of her tricks.
While I’ve been keeping watch over her and my son the past two days it’s been fun watching her come up with ways to entertain herself, all of which involved tormenting me in some way or another. She’s rather enterprising this one.
The fairy I’m sure would’ve accepted my reasoning without question, but the nymph plays by a whole different set of rules. I on the other hand am learning as I go along. I knew before she came that I would be protective of my mate, what I didn’t know was how protective, or that I’d have a new kind of fear dogging m heels.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, mom had really put her foot in it this time. That day of my run-in with the hag after I’d gotten Natalia settled with her new guard stationed around the palace I’d gone to see my grandfather to let him in on what was going on.
On my way back I’d ran into mom and the conversation we had still pisses me off. She too has been acting rather strange come to think of it. But I’ve been too preoccupied with my wife and child to notice. I can still recall every word and it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
I looked at Natalia now as my mind went over and over it again and it finally dawned on me that something was very wrong there. Sure mom had once broached the subject of me taking Sabrina as a side consort, but that had been a long-long time ago, and I’d told her then in no uncertain terms that it wouldn’t be happening, so why…?