Page 29 of Charming Deception

I laugh a little. “That’s what Wolf says. But it’s a common custom among her people. So, as the first book gets going, Rowan is heading off on what they call her bridal march, where some of her brother’s trusted guards and hired mercenaries form a caravan and literally walk her to the foreign territory of her intended husband. Wolf and his little brother are two of those mercenaries.” I pause to take a breath and gather my thoughts. “But there are many dangers in the open wastelands, and very soon, the bridal march is attacked by roaming bandits. A battle breaks out, many men are killed, including Wolf’s little brother, and Wolf ends up fleeing into the woods with Rowan. She’s his paycheck, you see. If he can successfully deliver her to her intended husband, he gets rewarded. So, uh…” I hesitate again, fearing that he might be getting bored. “The books follow their adventure.”

Silence falls, and my mind reels as I try to make sense of what’s happening right now.

Then it hits me.

He’s listening.

Troy never listened.

As that sinks in, I want to hate my ex-boyfriend so much in this dark, violent little place in the depths of my gut. But I don’t even care enough about him anymore to hate him.

I thought I’d be spending my life with him. With a man who didn’t have the slightest interest in the things that made me happy. For years, I thought that.

Shit, was I wrong.

Thank god.

If anyone ever told me I’d be explaining my nerdy books to a super-hot billionaire who looks like he and his abs belong on a movie poster for the next comic-book action blockbuster, I’d tell them they needed to lay off the mind-altering drugs.

But here we are.

Not only is he listening, he appears to be thinking about everything I’ve said.

“How many more books are there to write?”

“Two more, I think.” I’m practically salivating. Vibrating, like a lonely puppy who’s just found a playmate. “I have the general story arc planned out.”

He waits. Like, Tell me more.

“So they’re, um, just over halfway through their journey now, and they’ve encountered all kinds of dangers along the way.” Calm down. You’re talking too fast. “Other men try to take Rowan from Wolf. Early on, he makes her ditch her fancy dress for men’s clothing so she doesn’t stand out so much. She’s been raised in a keep, very sheltered, so she’s a total fish out of water trying to survive in the wild. She’s, um, also a virgin. That’s part of the deal, that her intended husband gets her delivered to him, ah, ‘fresh,’ as they call it. Wolf knows it. And he knows how to keep them both alive. He’s skilled, he grew up in the wastelands, but it’s not easy. And along the way…” I hesitate again. “Well… there’s lots of sex.”

My face burns as Jameson stares at me.

Wow. Who knew writing explicit sex scenes was so much easier than mentioning them in passing to a ridiculously hot man?

He clears his throat, but the words still come out low and gravelly. “He fucks her?”

“Uh-huh.” Hopefully, it’s dark enough out here that he can’t tell how badly I’m blushing. He just said the word fuck to me and I’m dying.

Why did I need to bring that up?

Because it’s a major thrust of the story.

And he asked.

“But she’s supposed to stay a virgin?”

“Yup. But she gives it up to Wolf.”

I pick up my champagne and bury my face in it. At some point while I babbled, he filled it up again.

My pulse is thudding. My pussy is starting to throb just talking with my brother’s best friend about this imaginary sex that I’ve dreamed up between these fictional characters.

“And how does she feel about all this arranged-marriage stuff?”

I’m not even sure if he’s purposely steering the conversation away from sex or if he’s actually curious, but it’s an interesting question for a man to ask.

“Well, she’s scared. She feels like it’s her duty to protect her brothers. She’s not a warrior, she’s a bride. It’s her destiny. But… she falls in love with Wolf. Badly.”

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