Page 26 of Asking Fur Trouble

As Bess rose, Charov caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “I won’t be long,” he murmured against her knuckles, his breath warm against her skin. His eyes—intense, searching, hungry—held hers with an almost predatory focus.

Bess nodded, barely trusting herself to speak with those piercing blue eyes locked on hers. She followed Gerri toward the door on unsteady legs, feeling Charov’s gaze on her back like a physical caress.

Once outside the king’s royal chambers, Bess took a deep breath. The emerald dress clung to her curves as she leaned against the cool stone wall, trying to process everything.

Gerri sidled up beside her, those keen eyes missing nothing. “So? How’d it go today with our bear prince? He seems rather taken with you.”

“I took your advice,” Bess admitted, unable to suppress the smile that blossomed across her face. “I let my fun side out. We went skydiving, Gerri. Skydiving! On an alien planet!” She shook her head in disbelief. “Three days ago, I was canceling a mediocre date to process insurance claims, and today I jumped out of an aircraft strapped to a bear shifter prince.”

“Life comes at you fast, sugar.” Gerri’s laugh tinkled like wind chimes.

“The thing is...” Bess lowered her voice, “I’m actually getting to know the real Charov. Not just the polite prince, but the man underneath. And he wants to know the real me too.” Her fingers traced the intricate embroidery on her sleeve. “But this is all still so strange. Shouldn’t I be back on Earth right now, handling my life? Finding another insurance job?”

Gerri’s eyes flashed golden. “Is that really what youwant, Bess? More canceled dates and ungrateful bosses?”

SIXTEEN

The question hit Bess with almost physical force. She hadn’t actually considered what she wanted in years. She had been too busy doing what was expected.

“No,” she whispered, the realization dawning on her like the twin suns of Nova Aurora. “That’s not the life I would have chosen for myself.”

The heaviness of this admission settled over her as they made their way to dinner. She might actually be staying on Nova Aurora. For good. With Charov.

The royal dining room sparkled with crystal and candlelight. Queen Zyre looked elegant but tired, her grief momentarily masked by regal composure. Charov entered moments after Bess, his powerful frame commanding attention. His eyes found hers across the room instantly and he closed the distance between them in three long strides.

“You look lost in thought,” he murmured as he pulled out her chair, his breath hot against her ear. His hand briefly skimmed the curve of her waist—proprietary and possessive.

“Just processing a lot,” Bess admitted, sinking into the seat. The wine glittered like liquid rubies as a servant filled her glass.

Throughout the meal, Bess found herself studying Charov’s features when he wasn’t looking—the strong line of his jaw, the way his dark hair fell across his forehead, how his massive hands dwarfed the silverware. Could she see herself here forever with him? The thought no longer terrified her as it might have yesterday.

“Earth to Bess,” Gerri teased from across the table. “Or should I say, Nova Aurora to Bess?”

Bess blushed, realizing she had missed a question. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Queen Zyre was asking if you enjoyed seeing more of our territory today,” Charov supplied, his hand coming to rest on her thigh under the table. The heat of his palm seared through the fabric of her dress.

“Oh! Yes, it’s magnificent,” Bess replied, fighting to keep her voice steady as his thumb traced small circles against her leg. “Earth has nothing like your double sunset or those incredible yellow mountains.”

As conversation flowed around her, Bess continued to process her revelation. This connection she felt with Charov—it was unlike anything she had experienced. Electric. Primal. There might really be something to this fated mate concept after all.

“More wine?” Charov’s question pulled her from her thoughts. He leaned close, his muscled shoulder pressing against hers, his blue eyes dark with unspoken promises.

“Please,” she answered and found she meant it in more ways than one.

After dinner, Bess accepted Charov’s invitation to stroll through the royal gardens. Her emerald dress caught the moonlight as they walked between exotic flowers that seemed to glow in the darkness. Two moons hung in Nova Aurora’s night sky, casting an ethereal silver-blue light across the landscape.

“Earth only has one moon,” Bess remarked, tilting her head back to take in the celestial display. “This is... absolutely breathtaking.”

Charov stepped closer, his muscular frame radiating heat in the cool evening air. “I’ve seen these moons my entire life, but tonight they seem different.” His eyes, intense and focused, never left her face. “Perhaps it’s the company.”

Bess felt a flutter in her chest. Was this really happening? Walking through an alien garden with an actual prince who looked at her like she was some kind of goddess?

They reached a secluded alcove with a stone bench surrounded by luminescent blue flowers. The petals pulsed gently as if breathing.

“Moonblossoms,” Charov explained, guiding her to the bench with his hand at her back. His touch sent electricity through her. “They only bloom when both moons are visible.”

Bess reached out to touch one. “They’re warm!”

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