Page 33 of Kian

His handsome face froze for an instant, and then he smiled back. The sight was so beautiful that it left her breathless.

For a moment she just took him in, enjoying the warmth that spread through her chest.

“Kinsley,” a woman’s voice called out suddenly, breaking the soft silence.

Kinsley grabbed for her dress, frantically covering herself as best she could.

“Yes?” she called back, hopping down from the counter and trying to swim her way back into the dress, as Kian stood there, still spellbound. “Hang on a sec.”

“I just wanted to let you know the whelp is awake,” the woman called back. “Avril sent me to tell you.”

“Thank you,” Kinsley yelled. “Let her know I’ll be right there.”

She managed to get her head and arms in, and retrieve her underthings from the straw and shimmy into them, shoving her feet into the furry boots as quickly as she could.

She was running toward the doors when she heard a funny sound behind her.

It took her a moment to realize that the sound was grumpy Kian, the dead-serious Invicta warrior.

He was chuckling.

13

KINSLEY

Just a few short hours later, Kinsley headed for the kitchen part of the longhouse.

Though she had hardly slept, she felt incredible this morning.

It’s the mate bond, a voice told her in the back of her head.It’s because you are going to have a family.

That wasn’t necessarily true. It seemed that Kian could always choose not to submit to the bond.

But for today, she decided to think positively. Years of teaching preschool had shown her that attitude was everything.

And besides, shefeltgood today.

And it was not just because of the incredible physical release Kian had given her last night.

After all, by the time she was lying in her bed beside his last night, she had somehow been worked up and desperate for him all over again, the sound of his breathing and his weight shifting on the bed almost sending her over the top with need.

What she was feeling this morning was more than physical. It was hope and optimism.

Kian had smiled at her. He had evenlaughed.

Yesterday, her attraction to the silent, hulking warrior had frightened her, but today she was grateful for it. It was a sign that what they had could be real and permanent.

And she had seen that he wasn’t all frowns.

“Are you ready for a day of adventures?” she asked her daughter.

But she looked down and saw that the little one was already sleeping again.

Kian had explained the Imberian babies slept more than most other races did, but she hadn’t really taken it in until now.

As much as she appreciated that the baby wasn’t waking her a hundred times in the night, she also couldn’t wait to get to know her better.

But the sweet little one had stayed awake just long enough for a fresh nappy and a meal, and about half a song - one of Kinsley’s students’ favorites.

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