Page 13 of Stella

“No.” Meredith frowned. “I want to be matched.”

“How convenient for your family’s agency,” Simon’s glare grew hotter. I wondered if my panties would actually catch fire. “Comfort my sister out of the goodness of your heart and now what a windfall to have a prestigious person at your little matchmaking agency.”

I did not notice how tight the jacket fit across his shoulders, or how more of his smoky caramel scent carried on the breeze. I absolutely did not.

“Yes, I was lying in wait for her on the hundreds of miles of Californian coast.” I gave him a poisonous smile. “Phase One of my devious plan is complete.”

My ladybits reminded me Phase Two was getting him naked, but I ignored my libido. He was being a complete ass and I didn’t reward assholes by fucking them senseless.

Meredith snickered. “Don’t be stupid, Simon. No one knew I was here.”

“Of course,” Simon pulled the cuffs of his expensive suit down. “But once she saw you, who could pass up such an opportunity?”

“Simon,” Meredith snapped. “You’re being more of an ass than usual.”

“I feel so flattered.” I clutched my hands to my chest. “I get the Royal Asshole treatment.”

“Joke if you want, but my sister is not going to your dubious agency. It’s a bunch of New Age hogwash.” He glared.

“I can’t believe you just said that.” I laughed. He was being a complete tool, but having my own overprotective cousin let me cut Simon some slack. Zephyr wouldn’t enjoy finding me crying on the beach in the company of a complete stranger either.

Besides, poking fun at him was proving to be an enjoyable pastime.

“It’s the truth,” he said, his hazel eyes flashing. “Healing crystals and birth charts?”

“Oh, not that part.” I waved my hand. “I’ve heard that my entire life. I didn’t know that anyone still said “hogwash”; not in the twenty-first century.”

Meredith giggled. “If you’re so worried, you should come with us.”

Simon looked me over from head to toe, assessing me as though he could see into my soul.

It made me feel more vulnerable than I should have, as if he could see my innermost thoughts.

I raised my chin. “You’re welcome to come along. I’ll give you the tour.”

“Very well.” Simone gestured up the cliff. “Shall we?”

We headed back up to the road, and I debated whether I wanted to hold Simon’s head under the water until the bubbles stopped.

Then again, there were better ways of suffocating him. Like holding his face between my legs.

My perfume intensified.

No, I told my vagina. He’s an asshole and would probably assume my desire to screw him senseless was some secret plan to overthrow the empire.

I would give them a quick tour, and then I would go home, where I couldn’t torture myself by looking at him any longer.

Chapter3

Simon

Iwas in over my head.

On the beach, with the constant wind, Stella’s scent was enough to drive my baser instincts insane.

Once we got to her family’s resort, she was close enough to touch, and I was fighting every fiber of my being not to take her off to some seclude place and make her scream my name.

I had better self-control than this. My father had drilled into me ever since I was small, even before my designation as alpha came in.

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