Page 63 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

“So, it must be a problem of length,” she postulated, a hint of mirth in her voice. “Is that it? Ryker has far fewer letters than Brynleigh, but still…”

She paused, and he imagined she was chewing on her lip. Was it full? Plump and kissable? Waiting for him to lay claim to it? Probably. His fingers itched with the urge to tear down the wall between them and see for himself.

Two weeks, he reminded himself. That’s all.

He could wait two weeks, right? Fourteen days wasn’t that long, especially for long-lived beings like the fae.

The thought, though rational, did not ease his frustrations.

“Ry,” she said suddenly.

His brows creased, and his mind raced to catch up. “Excuse me?”

There was a definite smile in Brynleigh’s voice as she said, “You could’ve signed it, ‘Ry.’ I get that you were busy and all, but?—”

“Ry?” he repeated. The name sounded foreign on his tongue, but he didn’t mind it at all.

And when Brynleigh said it, it felt… right.

“Yes, Ry. It’s a nickname.” She snorted, and gods help him, but that sound made him fall for her even more. “Typically, something people choose as a term of endearment for someone they spent a lot of time with.”

“I know what a nickname is, sweetheart.” He couldn’t sit any longer. Abandoning his coffee, he stood, stretched his arms above his head, and cracked his back. He strode over to the bookshelves and studied the spines. “I am a Mature fae.”

A soft, barely there chuckle filled his ears. “Ah. I see what the problem is. Captain, has no one ever given you one before?”

The playful intonation of her voice warmed him from the inside out. Who could have known such a simple interaction could bring someone so much joy?

“No one whose company I enjoy as much as yours,” was his murmured response.

She sucked in a breath, and Ryker’s fingers stilled on the leather binding of the History of Coral City. He wracked his brain, trying to pinpoint whether he’d said something wrong.

By the Black Sands, Ryker was never usually like this. He didn’t question his words. He was self-assured and confident, a leader in his own right.

“Do you enjoy my company, Ry?” Her question was quiet, almost… hesitant.

Enjoy was too simple of a word for how he felt around her. He’d spend every minute of every day with her if he could. In fact, that was exactly what he planned to do.

When this was over, he would be with her when he woke and come home to her after a long day. He would find refuge in her arms after inevitable hardships. She would rest her head in his bed at night. He could see it all now. Even the most mundane tasks, like walking the dog, would be more pleasurable with her.

Ryker inhaled deeply. “I enjoy coffee. Pastries, also. There’s nothing like the thrill of playing a game of chess and winning against a worthy opponent. Those are all things I enjoy.”

Turning from the bookshelf, he strode toward the wall and placed his palm flat on the surface. His eyes fell shut. “To say that I enjoy your company, sweetheart, would be a vast underestimation of how much I look forward to hearing your voice and spending time with you. I do not enjoy it because that is too simple of a word. Rather, I am quickly finding that I am desperate for your company. For you. I thought I proved that yesterday.”

Resting his forehead against the wall, he curled his fingers against the wood. His heart raced in his chest as he waited for her to say something. Anything.

Every moment that passed in silence was longer than the last.

Right then, as he waited for her response, Ryker realized he was falling in love with Brynleigh de la Point. They had only known each other for a month, but his heart beat for her.

He’d promised his father he would enter the Choosing to find a wife, but he’d never imagined he’d find this kind of soul-completing, mind-bending, world-altering love.

And she…

Was still silent.

Ryker’s heart seized, and he whispered, “Brynleigh?—”

“I’m here,” she murmured. “I just… I’m here.”

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