Page 50 of Tamed By Her Touch

“You act like I'm a terrible nuisance, but you always catch me if I fall. You feed me when I forget to eat. You moved everything I need down where I could reach it even though you tried to pretend you were just reorganizing the shelves. You stayed with me after the solvent accident because you were worried about me, and you put your own hand in front of that plant so I wouldn't get hurt.”

“Clair—” he began.

“And you respect my work,” she continued. “You don't always agree with me, and God knows you like telling me when you think I'm wrong. But you take what I do seriously. That means more to me than you probably know.”

Kaelus looked at her for so long that Clair felt her cheeks heating.

Finally he turned away.

“That should be sufficient for the questionnaire,” he said gruffly.

Clair smiled.

“Not even close, big fella. We still have some territory to cover.”

He groaned.

“There is more?”

She laughed and scrolled farther down.

“Always. All right now—pet names.”

He got a mulish expression on his face.

“No.”

“Kaelus…”

“No.” He frowned fiercely at her. “You know my feelings about ‘nicknames.’”

“Real couples use pet names all the time,” Clair pointed out. “My daddy called my mama “darling” and she called him “honey bear” their whole lives.”

His frown deepened.

“That’s nice for your parents but you already call me enough ridiculous things to supply an entire planet.”

Clair laughed.

“Sugar-booger is a classic.”

He grimaced.

“It is an abomination.”

“Honey-bun?”

“No.”

“Sweet cheeks?”

“Never.”

“Big fella?” she suggested, relenting a little.

Kaelus sighed heavily.

“That one is at least factually accurate.”