Page 6 of Satisfying the King

I wasn’t sure if what he was saying was true or not. Or if he was just feeling sorry for himself. Either way, it didn’t matter. “Thank you for your permission,” I scraped the fork along the plate, “but I’m fine where I am.” I offered him another forkful, and he accepted.

He chewed and swallowed, then spoke again, “Giselle, go. It’s okay with me. He’s—” Carlo started but I cut him off.

“Stefan is fine. He’s a big boy and can take care of himself.” I shoveled more food into Carlo’s mouth. He kept his eyes on me the entire time he chewed.

It was a bit unnerving to tell you the truth.

“Why are you being so stubborn?” he asked and took more food from me.

I giggled silently and asked, “Why are you being so stubborn?”

All he did was shake his head and sigh. But he did continue eating. I held up the glass of lemonade and he drank at least half of it.

I stole a sip before I set it back down on the coffee table.

“You eat, too,” he said when I shoved another bite in his mouth. I was a lot of things at the moment. Not one of them was hungry.

But I knew how Carlo got when I didn’t eat. So, I complied and fed myself along with him.

His big shoulders seemed to relax as we finished off the plate. Dani stayed asleep the entire time. My eyelids started growing heavier by the second.

I set the plate down and then snuggled into his side.

He put an arm around me. “Giselle, go upstairs. This can’t be comfortable for you. I know I smell.” Carlo’s arm pulled me close, and he kissed the top of my head.

I yawned and stretched. “Yeah, you really do.” And he did.

He smelled like a man who’d been carrying my daughter around for two days because she was terrified—and this was the only way to appease her fear.

He smelled like a man who’d do anything to help my kid.

He smelled like the lumberjack of my dreams.

I yawned one more time and fell into a deep sleep.

3

Giselle

Aloud ringing noise interrupted a wonderful dream I was having. Carlo and Stefan were in the hot tub—and they invited me in.

And bathing suits were not allowed.

I peeled my eyes open and stared at a huge, muscular chest I’d seen many times before. “What was that?” I mumbled out, not sure that I’d actually formed words together.

“The door,” Carlo said, his arm pulling me tighter to his body. I gazed up at him, and he gave me a tired smile.

He was three days past needing a shower. And a shave.

I let my fingers touch his scruffy lumberjack beard. Carlo’s eyes didn’t soften very often.

But right now.

At this very moment.

His eyes looked at me with such affection—it melted my heart. A large hand grabbed mine—and he kissed it. “I need a shave, I know.”

I shrugged and grinned at him. “Hmm, I don’t know. I kind of like it.”

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