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True. “I am. I’m also game. Are you ready?” Gaze locked with his, I shuffled closer to lean into the counter, brace my elbows on the surface, and rest my chin on my raised palms. “You are surprisingly considerate and sometimes adorably witty. It makes me want to spend more time with you.”
His scowl vanished. My pulse jumped.
“Is this how you were with Roderick?” he rasped.
“I…” One of those barbed lumps clogged my throat.I don’t know,I almost shouted.
My continued silence reignited his scowl. “Sometimes I think of you two together, and I burn with so much fury, I’m not sure how I donna catch flame. How easy it would be to give in.”
“Why don’t you?” I asked softly.
“I remember your horror and the vow I made myself. Never inspire such a look again.” Callen traced a fingertip along the rim of his glass before wrapping his fingers around it. “Roderick was a good brother. The best. I loved him, and you took him from me.” His knuckles bleached of color. He popped to his feet.
I sighed. “Truce over, I guess. For the record, you and Roderick were two grown men who made your own decisions. I can’t be blamed for everything.” Yes, irritation spilled into my tone.So much for all that entrancing.
“Truce over,” he confirmed.
“Maybe you’ll change your mind tomorrow while we’re horseback riding over the property.” Worth a shot.
“There’ll be no riding.” He pivoted and stomped from the kitchen.
For a long while, I stood alone, unmoving and inexplicably sad. My problems rushed back to the surface. Isobel. The switch. The bribe money. My catch twenty-two.
The timer beeped. I dragged my feet to the oven and pulled out the burritos. I didn’t fix a plate. Appetite gone, I stored the food in containers, which I stacked in the fridge. I left a note for the cook, letting her know I’d prepared Callen’s breakfast and she had only to heat and serve. That done, I returned to my room, my guards nowhere to be seen.
There would be no pouting, I decided. It was time to fine-tune Operation Elizagain. Oh! What a clever mission name. Looked like I was off to a great start already.
Chapter
Nine
Crossing Enemy Lines: When Meeting His Foe Goes Awry
FromA Beginner’s Guide to Berserker Bliss
Author Unknown
Iexamined my plan to charm and interrogate my husband and found a few weak spots to fortify before fatigue overcame me. Heavy eyelids slid closed as I threw myself onto the bed…
Once again, I dreamed of the wedding. Only this time, my gown-clad self sobbed and begged a full-length mirror to be a portal into another world. Callen still watched, his arms crossed over his chest.
Ugh. I preferred the version of me having hilarious conversations with invisible animals.
Bright and early the next morning, I discovered the rings I’d stuffed in Isobel’s purse were gone. Confiscated by the king of the castle? I worked my jaw. A setback, nothing more. I’d soon be rolling in dough. Because yes, I intendedto go ahead and ask Callen for the ten thousand pounds while doing all that charming. I’d learned enough about him already to know he valued straight-forwardness. Look at how he’d rewarded me when I’d hurt my ankle and demanded aid.
I’d get the money,thenfigure out what to do about my nemesis. To pay or not to pay. But whatever road I traveled, I must be prepared for the consequences.
For the upcoming discussion, I selected the most comfortable of my new clothing pieces. The cashmere cat sweater and leggings made of dreams and clouds.
I checked my phone, dreading to find a text from Isobel. She must be getting antsy. But no messages awaited me. Good. I set the device on the nightstand. Bringing it would only lead to distraction.
Ready for anything, I marched to the dining room, trailed by my usual shadows, Buzz and Ponytail. My new sneakers cushioned every step, reminding me of Callen’s generosity. He’d spent more on my lounge clothes than I made in a year. Or two!
As I approached the dining room, anticipation and apprehension fizzed in my veins, battling for supremacy. Would I find the ice king or the fascinating rogue who paid me compliments?
Heart pounding, I stopped in the entryway. There he sat, at the head of the table, cutting into a steaming breakfast burrito. He didn’t look up or act as if he noticed me, but I knew he clocked my arrival. The air between us sharpened.
Ice king. Definitely. Was he burning with fury within, though?
