Surprise! My big number is zero because the few men who asked me out had hoped to brag about banging the she-giant or they were too afraid of my brothers. Talk about humiliating! No, thanks.
“’Tis not your concern,” she said, mocking him. “Besides, I’m not interested in falling in love with you, only to say goodbye when you return home later that same day.”
“I can make the pleasure worth it.”
Could he really? No, no. Don’t go there. “Nevertheless.”
“I can’t give up,” he croaked.
“I understand.” And she did. Truly. “You know,” she said, deciding to change the subject to lighten the mounting tension, “you’re going to need a little bit of magic to sharpen that knife you stole. It’s used for cooking not combat.”
“It was not used for combat before. And I did not steal from you. I borrowed the blades and…other things.”
Cold fingers of dread crept down her spine. “What else did you borrow?”
He showed off a pair of Gray’s shoes, a pair of scissors he’d strapped to his left ankle, a steak knife he’d strapped to his right ankle, a metal spatula tucked inside his sweats, alongside a rolling pin.
“What are you going to do with all that?” She motioned to the rolling pin with a wave of her hand. “Chop someone up for a nice human stew?”
“If the talons fail me, I will beat my enemy into submission.”
Lord help us. “You can’t just go beating people here, or you’ll get arrested and locked inside a cell. Just…put everything back.”
“Nay.” A hard glint sparked to life in his eyes, and he shook his head. “In this I will not relent. When entering an unknown situation, a warrior is always prepared for the worst.”
He wasn’t wrong. “You can carry everything but the blades.” To be honest, letting him carry the other kitchen utensils wasn’t any kind of worst-case scenario. One, she never used them. And two, he was an alien in an unfamiliar world. If a spatula made him feel safer, great.
Silence filled the room as he considered her proposal. Finally, he nodded. “I will heed your wishes.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you not see how reasonable I can be, little witch?”
She almost laughed. So predictable, her Jorlan.
My Jorlan?
Well, yeah. She’d kissed him and set him free. Mine.
Anyway. He’d just revealed his plan. Seduce her with kindness. “Mmm,” she purred. “Your reasonableness makes me want to do things…”
He perked up.
“Like give you a hearty handshake and a pat on the back,” she finished, and he man-pouted. “Did you find anything good to eat?”
“Some good, some bad.” He opened the fridge and withdrew a bottle of mustard and a bottle of mayo, both with a shattered cap. “Bad.” Next, he withdrew a Ziploc bag that used to be stuffed with shredded cheese and now had only remnants. “Good.”
Katie stood and padded to his side, put the condiments back in the fridge and claimed the bag. Their palms brushed, just for a second, but a jolt of electricity shot up her arm. Shaky now, she tossed the plastic in the trash. “If you’re still hungry, I’ll take you to my favorite café. It’s only fifteen minutes away, so we can be in and out in less than an hour.”
“Afterward we will visit a psychic? I am eager to meet the one who will take me home.”
“If we succeed, you’ll go home today? Even though I haven’t fallen in love with you?”
“Nay. I will wait until I’ve won you. And I will win you, katya. Doubt it not.” His tone possessed an ominous edge, daring her to contradict him. “I will stop at nothing.”
Her pulse fluttered, and her belly quivered. If he kept up this smolder, yeah, he’d win no problem.
“Give me a few minutes.” Grumbling under her breath, she retrieved the old cell phone she’d charged overnight, then returned to the kitchen to google. “You know, there’s a chance you could give me a million orgasms and I still wouldn’t fall in love with you. For your own sake, you might want to rethink your strategy.”
“The only way to know for sure is to let me give you one million orgasms.”
Shivers. Heat. Without glancing up, she answered, “I’ll think about it.” Truth. She doubted she’d be able to think about anything else. It wasn’t like she had to part with her virginity to get those orgasms. They could pleasure each other in different ways, do things she’d longed to try for an eternity.
“Thank you, Katie.” He rushed over to plant a swift kiss on her cheek.
They both stilled.
Air caught in her throat. He ceased breathing mid-inhale.
Awareness arced between them, crisp and hot.
Little aches and pangs spread throughout her body. She wanted…she needed… Strip him. Taste him. Make him come. Let him strip and taste you.
No. No! She would not be humped and dumped, and that’s all Jorlan promised.
“We have time to visit one psychic,” she told him, looking away. But not before she caught a glimpse of abject disappointment. “If this one isn’t legit, you’re out of luck until tomorrow. I have work to do.”
* * *
ONCE UPON A TIME, Jorlan considered challenges fun. Here, now, with Katie? Challenges were the worst! Her continued rejection had made mincemeat of his ego, and he’d begun to wonder if the women of his world had only pretended to love him because of his wealth and title, just as the human had suggested.
Would he actually have to improve his personality to succeed without wealth or a title?
Mayhap he wasn’t as perfect as his mother used to tell him?
Nonsense! He had many, many great qualities. Or some. A handful. Or a few. Possibly only two. His strength, and his… So he had one great quality, but it might be enough to win. For a moment, Katie had been entranced by him, her eyes soft, her lips parted—ready.
He clung to hope.
If only he wanted her simply because of the curse. But the more time he spent in her presence, the more he liked her as a woman. No, as a person. She was unlike any woman—or man!—he’d ever known. Smart, witty, strong in her own right, sometimes sweet, sometimes stern. Mysterious. Fun. He could not predict what she would do or say.
Did she wield some sort of seduction magic he could not sense? Mayhap. Aye, mayhap. ’Twould explain many of his feelings for her.
Curse it, he’d thought his defenses were firmly in place, both magically and emotionally. Yet here he stood, hungry for her and her alone, needing her as he’d never needed another.
He could not let himself soften any more. But how could he fight against her allure and win her over?
“Here’s one,” Katie said, her honey-rich voice cutting into his thoughts. “The House of Mysticism, where one’s deepest desires are realized.” She paused. “Sounds like a hoax to me, but you’re the expert. It’s only five miles away, and the ad says the owner possesses the ancient power of the Druids.”
“Druids?” Jorlan’s back straightened in a snap. “Are they related to the Druinn?”
“I don’t—”
He snatched the small black device from her hand and searched the screen. While he had not learned to read Katie’s language, the letters were similar to the ones used in Imperia.