Captivated: 3 (Mating Ritual) Read Free Page A

murmured, “Good morning.”
    “Yes, it is,” Amra snapped with her usual grumpy demeanor. She speared Bannor with a suspicious glance, but he pretended not to notice it. Snatching up an array of fruits and vegetables, he placed them onto the counter.
    “I’ll take these.”
    “Very good.” Trying her best to look collected and calm, rather than the raging mass of nerves she currently felt like, she grabbed a sack and concentrated on filling it. The sooner this Spygian was out of her store and out of her life, the better off she’d be.
    * * * * *
     
    Later that night, after taking her evening bath, Cindra bid Adamon good night, stealing a few chaste kisses while his parents pretended not to notice, and went off to her bedroom. She tried in vain to sleep, but it eluded her. Her skin felt hot and tight in the long cotton nightgown she wore, and her legs were unaccountably restless.
    Opening her eyes, she blinked at the dark. How different this small, Spartan bedroom was from her luxurious princess quarters back in Chivea. Her opulent four-poster bed had given way to a narrow, hard bed, and instead of silk coverings she now had to make do it with serviceable cotton. But it was something, more than she’d had when she’d landed here, and the Nashors had been so kind to offer her a room in their house. When they’d witnessed the growing feelings between her and their only son, they’d given their approval for them to marry.
    You have a good life, Cindra.
    So why did she feel as if she wanted something else? Something… more ?
    Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. A cool breeze blew in from the open second-story window, caressing her heated flesh with twilight. There was no electricity on Keulot, but thankfully it wasn’t as hot on this world as it had been on hers. She wouldn’t have survived a night in Chivea without air-conditioning.
    Lost in her thought, she didn’t hear the creaking of the wooden floorboard until it sounded right beside her. Cindra’s eyes flew open…just as a hand closed over her mouth. She tried to jerk up, but a rigid wall of flesh held her in place. She let out a scream, but the sound was so muffled that she knew no one else would have heard it.
    Opening her eyes, she blinked until the figure above her came into view.
    Bannor.
    He’d tied his long, black hair back behind his neck, but otherwise he looked just as tall and formidable, just as delicious , as he had this morning.
    She tried to struggle against his grip, but he only said, “Shush. Shush, beloved. I’m not here to hurt you. I promise.”
    When he did nothing to harm her, just held her gently, she slowly stopped her struggle.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said, the flash of his silver eyes assuring her he meant it. “I but wanted to speak, and you are a difficult woman to catch alone.”
    She sort of knew what he meant. Once she’d left the store, Adamon had trailed her the remainder of the day, as if he feared she’d run off the moment he wasn’t paying attention.
    “I won’t let you come to any harm, I vow it,” he continued. “Do you promise not to scream?”
    She thought about it for a moment. He truly did seem contrite, and if his intent was harm, wouldn’t he have done it by now? Well, she could always agree then scream later, if she wanted to. Right now, she truly wanted to hear what he had to say.
    Nodding slowly, she forced her breath to regulate as he drew his hand from her face.
    “What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?” she whispered harshly.
    A slow smile lit his features as he sat back. “Ah, so the kitten does have claws.”
    Flushing, she scooted backward until she sat against the wooden headboard. “You didn’t answer my question. How’d you get in here, anyway?”
    He shrugged, the movement making his white shirt go tight against his broad shoulders. Her mouth went dry and she tore her gaze from his body to his face.
    “I climbed the tree outside