Page 15 of Courting the King of Cliffs

“Not this one,” he muttered.

“I want anyone. Do you think my mate will rub my feet before he makes love to me?”

Granite’s jaw clenched again. “I think any man worth a damn will do whatever the hell you want him to if it means he gets to touch you.”

I giggled.

He opened the door to his room, swearing under his breath. “You didn’t lock the door?”

“I could feel the room the whole time. No one could get in without me noticing.” I poked him in the nose. “You have a perfect nose.”

“Then it’s the only perfect thing about me,” he grumbled, shutting the door, locking it, and setting me on the couch.

“Your hair is perfect too,” I protested. “And your eyes. And your lips.” I traced them before he could duck away from me.

He did duck away from me, though, when I was about two-thirds of the way through his soft, perfect lips.

“I’m getting your dress,” he told me, as he walked to his bedroom. “You’re putting it back on.”

I wrinkled my nose. “No. It smells.”

He made a frustrated noise, disappearing into the room and coming back with it. He was holding it to his nose when he stepped back out, and his eyes were hot.

“See, it stinks.” I tossed a hand toward him. “I’m not wearing it.

“I’ll get you something else. I’m locking your door; don’t try to leave.”

“Bet I can break it,” I teased him.

“If you hadn’t been day-drinking, maybe.” He vanished, and the room immediately felt lonely.

Chapter 6

I made my way to the door on wobbly legs. It seemed like a good idea to go look for my new friends, just to make sure Granite hadn’t scared them off with the murder threats. Murder threats didn’t scare me, after growing up with Storm and all the other kings of disaster, but I knew they could scare some people.

When I pulled on the stone lock, it didn’t budge.

I frowned at it, and tapped into my magic, pushing at the lock with my power.

It resisted my effort, so I pushed harder.

It resisted harder.

Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I threw everything I had at the damn lock.

It grew twice as big—and then spikes emerged all over it.

“Dammit,” I huffed. “We are not friends, Granite. Your prettiness doesn’t sway me.”

He couldn’t hear me, but that didn’t matter in the moment.

I abandoned the spiky lock, padded back to my new bed, and then collapsed on top of it.

Maybe I was tired enough to sleep some more.

The big shirt I had on was annoying me, so I peeled it off, tossing it on the floor and sliding under the blankets naked.

My eyes closed, and I fell asleep much quicker than I expected.

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