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EACION STARED DOWN at the shorter form beside him. “That woman was unpleasant.”
“Cassy is always so,” Anni said, snorting in an unladylike manner that was definitely refreshing.
He chuckled, reveling in the sensation of walking beside his true mate. Her hand sat lightly on his arm. The touch burned all the way through his sleeve until he swore he felt it down to the bone. It wasn’t a painful searing but an electrifying one. All in all, it was a moment he’d always remember.
The sun hung low in the sky, heralding that dusk wasn’t too far off. The air had cooled, but a chill hadn’t settled in yet. If Anni became cold, he’d only be too happy to warm her. If she allowed it, which was a huge “if.” He’d have to develop his relationship with her carefully so he wouldn’t scare her off. Even though he was impatient to bind to her, he’d be doing them both an injustice if he frightened her away.
He might not love her yet, but he soon would. That was the way of his kind. He already desired her in a way that he’d never wanted another. The primal feeling roared through him, calling out for him to take her. With more difficulty than he would’ve liked, he urged that innate part of him to be patient.
A flow of expressions played over her face. It was fascinating to watch. By the way her tongue would dart out and wet her lips, he could tell she wanted to ask him something. Though her confusion was clear, he could sense she wasn’t averse to him.
He wanted to set her at ease, so maybe if he could draw her into some light conversation... “So tell me what your life is like here in Bending Willow.”
She shrugged, casting him a shy, uneasy glance. “Not much to relay. My father’s the mayor, as you know, and my mother takes an active part in seeing to the wellbeing of the village. Me...I just am.”
“Your father said you’re indispensable when it comes to helping him with paperwork, especially those that deal with arithmetic.”
A charming red flushed her cheeks. “I’m not that much of a help but do what I can.”
“I think you do yourself a disservice. Your parents speak highly of you and—”
She cut him off with a slight chuckle. “They’re my parents. Of course, they do.”
“And so do many of the townspeople.”
Her brows shot up. “They do?”
“Yes. They say you often lend a hand if you can.”
A considering look had overtaken the surprise on her face. Her response was quite informative. He’d noticed a concerning reticence about her and thought it stemmed from her leg. If he was correct, he needed to make her see that he held no judgment over a birth defect she hadn’t asked for. Knowing humanity, and even some of his own people, though, there was no doubt she’d faced such a thing. Though she tried to hide it, she walked with a limp. Once in a while, a grimace would slip out, so her leg must be paining her.
Several more moments of silence passed. “Why did you call me your lady?”
Ah, there it was. The question that she’d been yearning to ask. Such an easy query to answer in some ways and so impossible in others. He didn’t want to overwhelm her, but he refused to be anything but honest. “Because you are.”
That seemed to freeze her feet to the ground, and she stared at him with wide eyes. Oh, she was simply adorable, even if she didn’t sense her own worth at the moment.
Finally, she shook her head as if to clear it. “Why are you doing this?”
“There’s a valid reason, but I don’t think you’re ready to know it yet,” he said, setting them to walking again.
She frowned. “What kind of answer is that?”
He infused as much earnestness into his gaze as he could. Though he had no true desire to manipulate her, few could deny that look. He didn’t even have to put any compulsion behind it. “Let me have this evening, so we can get to know each other better. That’s not so unreasonable, is it?”
Clear hope and doubt warred on her face. Then a sigh of capitulation left her lips. “Fine.”
***
“FINE.” THE WORD LEFT Anni’s mouth before she could stop it. With a hopelessness she couldn’t hide, she stared at Lord Eacion.
A slow smile spread across his lips. “Wonderful.”
His eyes glowed with a look she couldn’t quite define, but nevertheless, it stole away her ability to breathe. She shook her head to clear away the daze fogging her mind. With a gentle hand, he snagged her arm and propelled her into walking.
Her feet readily followed, but her mind was awash in chaos. What had just happened? She should’ve turned down his request, not accepted it! Whatever his motivation was, she wouldn’t like it. That she knew. But common sense must’ve drifted out the window when he flew in.
When he flew in. God, what a statement and one she’d never pictured herself thinking. She was walking to a fest with a male who could shift into a dragon. The whole premise sounded like something out of a fairy tale, but she was no lovely princess. No, more like a frog from certain stories, if anything. She snorted to herself. A frog and a dragon. He didn’t want to eat her, did he?
Only a few stragglers remained on the streets, so they didn’t encounter too many stares—yet. Once they arrived at the town square, though... She shuddered at what awaited her. Damn him. Damn this whole day!
“You seem tense.”
“Really? How astute of you,” she said, sarcasm coating her tone. “Are you normally this sharp?”
As soon as her spiel was out, she cringed, the reality of who he was smacking her in the face. God, he could probably order her killed for such insolence.
For a second all expression vanished from his face. Her unease skyrocketed. Then he threw his head back and laughed. Laughed. She stared as befuddlement mixed with worry. Was he angry? Had he gone insane? Neither boded well for her.
“Oh, you’re a joy,” he said, a wide smile on his face. If anything, it only made him more handsome—and even more untouchable.
“I...I am?” She bit her lip, not sure what else to say. If someone threw her into Gatonby Lake, she’d be less out of her element, and she didn’t even know how to swim.
“No matter how unsettled you are, you speak your mind.”
“Me, unsettled?” She gave a wary laugh that was tinged with a bit of hysteria. “Anyway, if one is unsettled, isn’t he or she more likely to remain quiet?”
“Some, maybe.” He paused and drew her closer to one of the shops until her back was nearly against the brick façade. Leaning in much too close, he stared down at her. “And I know you are. I can sense it, feel it.”
Her mouth went dry, and her hands splayed against the brick for support. His words and presence were unhinging her unflappability and peace of mind. Anyone happening by could see them in this compromising position. Though she desperately tried to ignore that his body was only inches from hers, she couldn’t. Every nerve ending in her seemed attuned to him. Her breathing quickened until lightheadedness threatened to consume her.