Page 68 of Chosen By the Fae King

“She told on me to her mother and promptly demanded I be allowed to live with them so she could cure me of my attitude.”

I snickered at the vivid memory and Nox smiled down at me.

“Sofiya offered to help me in the field and I told her to shove it. So instead she went to the most successful farmsteads and asked them to help. And they did, even helping me buy back the land after it was seized from me. So many stepped up. But Sofiya? Sofiya saved my life. She is family to me, the only one I have. So when I saw …” My eyes burned at what I’d witnessed.

“Nox, I thought it had killed her. And then all I could think was it might go after the others. And I pictured Raina, who saved me from the wraith. I didn't–I couldn't–”

“Shh,” he murmured, wiping away my tears with his thumbs before kissing my forehead. “I understand.”

“You do?”

“Truly.”

He held onto me for several minutes, until I had myself under control. Too soon, he pulled away.

“Next time I expect you to heed my words,” he winked and rose to his feet. “Are you hungry?”

I tried not to smile. “Starved.”

“Good,” he replied and scooped me up into his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“We're eating at the table. I can't handle being in bed with you for much longer.”

Gingerly he lowered me to a fluffy chair with a high back that hadn't been here this morning.

“Redecorating while I was asleep?”

He shrugged and I felt giddy.

“So I won the hunt?”

“Indeed you did.” He placed a napkin in my lap and lifted the lid off the tray. Off both of them.

“I won dinner with you?”

“I believe you won an evening of companionship.”

“Oh?” I said, dipping my spoon into the bowl of soup. “And what does that consist of?” I dared, attempting to sound flirtatious.

I took a small amount into my mouth, moaning when the flavor burst on my tongue. It was the best thing I'd ever tasted and I quickly fed myself another serving.

Sighing, I put the spoon down and took a sip of water. Nox was staring at me fixedly.

“Soup.” He said it like a curse word.

I frowned.

“Apparently a night of companionship consists of me watching you eat soup until my zipper busts from the blood rushing to my cock.”

It was so unexpected I barked out a laugh. A very unladylike laugh that overrode the self-consciousness I was feeling.

“Trust me, it's not funny from my perspective,” he complained.

“Sounds like you should seek help.” I'd meant it as a quip but the implication had blood rushing to my cheeks.

Nox's masculine chuckle vibrated through me teasingly. “Don't worry, little hellion. I know just the female to go to.”

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