“I can see,” he growled at her as he walked closer. He pulled her into his arms, and her breasts flattened against his chest. Her body heated even more, wanting him.
His lips grazed her ear. “It is going to be very hard to behave when you look like this. I would love nothing more than to strip you bare, Addie.”
That was entirely her point. She smirked, proud of herself. Just then, another person appeared in the doorway, making her stiffen. Ruzyll gave them a smile, clearly unfazed by the affection in the room.
“I arranged a tour for you.” He looked at Mahes. “The weather should be nice all day, and they are having a market, so there will be a lot to do.”
“A market?” She pushed back slightly and looked at Mahes with a smile. “That sounds like fun. Is it anything like the markets on Earth?”
Mahes nodded. “Yes, but larger.”
Ruzyll pulled the door farther open, and Mahes took her hand, taking them out of the palace. She was eager as they got into a vehicle and headed away from the only location she knew.
She loved to explore, and the idea of doing that on another planet got her even more excited. She was giddy in the car, taking everything in.
Mahes explained the area and told her to stick close to him. She was going to, but as soon as they arrived at their destination, she understood why it would be hard.
It was packed with people walking past each other quickly. It was like a sea of bodies moving in waves. She could hardly keep track of it all.
There were vivid colors and different languages being spoken. As Mahes took her hand, a man stopped next to them. He was short with thin glasses that looked like they wanted to slide right off his face. He had dark red hair and a calm expression.
He bowed and pulled his head up quickly. “Morning, King Mahes and …” His eyes flickered to her, waiting for an introduction.
“Addie,” she said, giving him a smile.
He nodded. “Right. My name is Tyiers. I will be your guide today. Let us get going. The market is in full swing, and we don't want to fall behind.”
She clung close to Mahes, eager to start their tour. Tyiers took them down the road, where she watched people weaving baskets. There were even children working like it was another day.
They passed children running around with a ball, yelling at each other. There were guys yelling over their stands, waving various items to be sold. It all took her breath away.
They headed toward a jewelry stand, and her feet paused when she took in a set of earrings. They sparkled in the light with a light turquoise color and gold metal curling around them.
She leaned closer, amazed at how they were cut and polished. She'd never seen a crystal so bright and colorful before. Mahes stopped, and his hand pressed against her back.
“Do you like them?” he asked, his voice holding a growl in it.
She nodded. “They are gorgeous.”
“I’ll take them,” Mahes said, and she pulled her head up, looking at him.
“You don’t …”
Before she could finish, the girl handed them across her stand toward Mahes. He wiggled his finger, telling her to turn her head. He bent over, clicking the earrings to her lobes.
She chewed on her lip as she looked into the mirror. She loved them and looked back at Mahes. She reached for him, pressing a kiss on his cheek.
“Thank you. You didn't have to buy them.”
He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer, and turned them, heading back down the street. "I did. They look wonderful on you. Plus, I love to support the local business when I can."
She leaned into his touch, loving how she just seemed to fit perfectly beneath his arm. It almost made her forget people were looking at them. She expected others to look at her because she was with the shifter king, but it was different from what she was used to. There weren’t people screaming her name or running at her, trying to pull on her.
She loved her fans, but after a few scares with some who were out of control, she had to have bodyguards around her to keep her safe. She missed being alone, actually alone, without worrying about someone coming up from behind her and expressing their love for her.
It was odd how everything was different here.
There was nothing but calmness and people watching her. They made strange expressions, probably shocked to see Mahes with her, but otherwise, it was like any other day.