Page 27 of Protected By the Elf Prince

Relief flickered briefly across his face before it vanished beneath composure again. “It would please me.”

I grabbed my bag and locked the door behind me before we started walking, and I realized I didn’t get to finish my coffee or grab my jacket.

The morning air was cool enough to wake me up. Though I still felt half dazed from the lack of sleep and too many thoughts involving a certain elf.

For the first few minutes, we walked in silence. But I eventually glanced sideways at him and asked, “So, do elves usually stalk people they’re interested in, or am I special?”

His lips pulled at the corner. “I would not classify my actions as stalking.”

“Really?”

He nodded once. “I only wish to ensure your safety.”

“That’s somehow worse.”

A soft laugh escaped him. The sound did unfortunate things to my stomach.

“You are adjusting remarkably well,” he observed.

I snorted softly. “Dashiel, I’ve spent days thinking I was losing my mind.”

“And now?”

I considered the question. The honest answer slipped out before I could stop it. “Now. I think I’m getting used to you.”

Dashiel went very still beside me.

As I stopped, I immediately regretted having functioning vocal cords. “Not like that,” I said quickly. “I don’t think,” I added on, more as a mutter to myself, then winced, hoping he hadn’t heard it. I didn’t want to encourage him in case this didn’t work out between us.

Huh, at least I’m not completely against it now.

Maybe getting to know him was helping.

Maybe we could be friends without the bond… but then I wouldn’t be allowed to remember him.

My stomach churned and chest ached.

It surprised me when his lips twitched slightly. “How unfortunate. I was hoping you would have sung to me about love.”

I stared at him. Then barked out a sudden laugh, relaxing again. “You’re funnier than I expected.”

“I have been told I possess excellent timing.”

“I’m starting to think people lied to you.”

When he gave me another quiet laugh, the warmth spreading through my chest at being the cause of it felt embarrassingly good.

We reached my office building far too quickly, and I slowed near the entrance, oddly reluctant to end the conversation.

Dashiel stopped beside me, hands clasped behind his back. “I hope your workday proceeds well,” he said softly.

That ridiculously formal way he spoke shouldn’t have affected me as much as it did.

“Yeah,” I replied. “You too. With… whatever elves do during the day.”

His eyes brightened slightly. “At present? Mostly think about you.”

My brain stopped functioning—completely and entirely—when he said things like that so casually. Like the words couldn’t knock years off my lifespan.