TheWardersDemon Read Free

field. Makes it a little wonky.”
    “Doesn’t that make it harder to wed?”
    She snickered. “With an open mind, it is nearly impossible to get any men near me. They don’t enjoy the hovering of my relatives, literally in some cases.”
    “So, what is this?”
    She blushed. “This is a date no one knows about. How about your people? Do they appreciate your seeking companionship with someone as low as a Warder?”
    He grinned. “I haven’t told anyone about you either. It isn’t acceptable for one of my kind to consider someone outside the clans for a mate.”
    Elhara stared at him in shock. “Mate?”
    “You, my dearest, are no one-night stand. I intend to convince you that I am the male for you, no matter how long it takes.” He picked up his cold coffee and drank it down in one gulp, not even wincing at the taste.
    “You don’t have taste buds, do you?” It was more of a confirmation than a question.
    He cleared his throat. “They don’t taste food. They are reserved for more intimate moments.”
    She raised her brows so high she was sure that they disappeared into her hairline. Her blush made her skin match his true colour. “Oh.”
    He refilled her water glass and gestured for her to drink.
    She gulped the icy liquid down and pressed the glass to her cheek. “This is too much information for me.”
    He laughed. “Oh, but there is so much more to tell.”
    Despite her trepidation, she leaned forward and listened to everything he had to tell. By the end of the conversation, she had consumed two litres of water and they had made a second date.
    Roller skating, mini golf, go carting and a renaissance faire later, Elhara suspected that she was falling in love and he was wrong for her in every way…and right for her in every way. She was a Warder in love.

    Chapter Three
    She met Solar in the park and greeted him with a kiss that caused a few people to turn away, embarrassed, and others to stare with hungry envy. When they parted, she licked her lips and smiled. “Hello, Solar.”
    His hungry gaze focussed on her mouth.
    “Elhara.” His growled speech was the sexiest thing she had heard since he said goodnight the evening before.
    Her family was growing suspicious, but since she always returned to work in a good mood, they let her absences slide. Her father and uncle sniffed the air when she returned, but since she and Solar did little more than kiss and hug, the traces of him on her skin were minimal, while her hormones were rocketing out of control.
    Goblin fathers were notoriously protective of their daughters, but being in the human world meant that Reytil had to throttle back his responses. Her skills as a Warder gave him peace of mind, but he was still her father and still wanted to know if males were sniffing around.
    Solar inhaled deeply and relaxed as her scent surrounded him. “Today, we go for a walk.”
    He kept one arm wrapped around her. The perfectly fit business suit that he was wearing suited him as well as jeans and a t-shirt, though she did miss seeing the flex of his arms as he swung a putter.
    She was wearing a lacy blouse and a long skirt with moderately high heels. Her hair was in a chestnut curtain down her back and she was wearing work-appropriate makeup. This was her lunch hour and as if she needed it, her grandfather ordered her to take the afternoon off. There had been a twinkle in his eye when he said it.
    The sun was flirting with them through clouds as they walked down the path toward a private walkway. “Where are we going?”
    His hand caressed her waist. “It is a surprise.”
    She bit her lip as they made their way into a lush, green corridor. The scent of green and bright life was unmistakable.
    An elderly woman was waiting for them at the end of the path. “Solar, I am so glad that you could make it. Is this your lady?”
    He smiled and made the introductions. “Elhara Warder, this is Elise Macinaw. She is the horticulturalist that I mentioned on our first