Page 8 of Maid for Her Snow Beast

I blanche. "Vernados? As in, Vernados Enterprises?" Great. Not only a client by the client.

“That’s the one. Except I don’t work for the family business. I merely take up space and eat their food.”

I giggle at his deadpan. “That seems like the best job, to be honest. Who needs to be the CEO when you can just exist?”

Oh god, what the hell am I saying?

At least Tor looks more amused at me than irritated. He cocks his head to the side as if weighing out what to say.

Chapter Four

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

Torben

Valiana.

What a perfect name for her. And the perfect name for my newest bloom.

Strength. Vitality.

Her pink cheeks are so lovely; they make me hope for something that I thought died inside me on a battlefield on the other side of the galaxy.

Mate.

Her hand in mine is so small. She is so small. Humans...so fragile and delicate.

Yet this one awakens every protective instinct inside of me. And her scent...I can distill it and make it an aphrodisiac.

She speaks and I strain to focus on her words. She is nervous enough, and I will make sure she is comfortable.

“I’m early. I meant to call but I didn't realize how entirely useless my phone would be.”

“May I?” I take the proffered phone and inspect it from all angles. Once I figure out the mechanism, it’s easy enough to install a spare chip that can be used around the disruptive fields surrounding the rift portals.

I hand it back to her, and she turns it on. Immediately, her phone comes to life with notifications that she wrestles to keep quiet. “Thank you so much. My phone is ready to pick up tomorrow but this is a great help, thank you.”

I should feel guilty but her gratitude pleases me. I like being able to provide for her. Especially when it benefits me that I know another way to contact her.

“You said you were early. Was there an appointment set?” Probably that “already taken care of” thing that Jack spoke about the other day.

That means Jack is supposed to be here. Without telling me. And now he has kept a woman waiting.

One who can easily catch a fever and die. She was not adequately prepared for mountain weather in Snow Beast territory.

She glances at her watch. “Yes, but not for another, oh ten minutes. I’m assuming you’re not the estate representative I’m meeting with?”

The look of disappointment in her eyes crushes me. I need to make her happy. “Not technically, no. I’m assuming you’re meeting with my cousin, Jack. However, I think I can manage to show you around my house.”

She beams at me, taking my breath away. “Lead the way! And maybe by the time Jack gets here, all the formalities will be out of the way, and I can just sign the papers.”

I lead the way out of the greenhouse, making sure it’s closed behind us. “Formalities?”

“Hm? Oh, I’m not sure. I was trying to figure out my task list. The job required final approval from the house. I assumed that meant the owners or staff in residence.” She looks around us. “Is there staff in residence? I noticed all this space, and the house is obviously lived in, but didn’t see anyone around.”

Obviously lived in? That’s an understatement. Piles of clutter, fire streaks and other stains from past experiments—wait, how does she even know the condition of the house? “May I ask how you know the house is ‘obviously lived in’?”

Her cheeks blush an even more vibrant pink hue. The way it highlights her cheeks accentuates her heart-shaped face. They’re begging to be pinched.

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