Gena Showalter Bundle: The Stone Prince / The Pleasure Slave / Heart of the Dragon

“I have rules, though,” Katie rushed on.

He stopped midstride, then slowly turned to face her. “Rules?” he said, his tone deceptively soft.

“Three rules I expect you to obey if you want to stay with me.” She held up one finger. “Rule number one: no telling me what to do. I’ve noticed you’re a give orders kind of guy. Well, I’m a take-your-orders-and-shove-them kind of girl. That isn’t productive. Therefore, while staying with me, you obey me. And that’s not negotiable.”

As she spoke, Jorlan slowly unfolded the multicolored cloth at his waist. His nakedness had disconcerted her earlier, and he knew it would do so now. He wanted no talk of rules and regulations unless he was the one issuing them.

Katie’s mouth formed a small O, but far from silencing her, his action seemed to propel her onward. “Two,” she said. “No touching me without my permission.”

That one he liked even less than the first. “And the third?”

Another finger. “From now until I’m rid of you, you will always, always wear clothes.”

Jorlan crossed his arms over his chest. He actually preferred wearing his garments. When not coupling, of course. But the little witch sought to place him under her control, and that he did not like. The warrior in him rebelled, for not even the Great-Lord had dictated his actions to such a degree.

Yet how did one deal with such a brazen female?

The answer came to him in a flash; he almost smirked.

“Well?” Her hands anchored to her hips.

“I agree to your terms, katya.”

A genuine smile of relief lifted the corners of her lips, a smile that softened her expression and lit her features with radiance. The effect was devastating, and his breath hitched in his lungs. No woman had a right to possess such a grin. He resisted this newly discovered allure, vowing to remain impenetrably guarded against that captivating smile.

“That was easier than I expected,” she said, still smiling.

“I agree to your terms,” he added as if she hadn’t spoken, “with a few minor adjustments.”

That wiped the grin from her face, and he was once again able to breathe. “You have nothing to bargain with, Jorlan.”

He arched a brow. “Do I not?”

“If you’re planning to use your magic—”

“No magic, I promise you.”

“Well, then, you’re screwed, because I’m not changing the rules.” Her satisfaction rang loud and clear.

Pretending to mull over his next words, he stroked his jaw. “We must journey to your dwelling this night, must we not?” He didn’t give her time to respond. “I can do that clothed…or I can do that naked.”

She gasped. “Now wait just a damn minute. I can leave you here by yourself, you know.”

“If you think to leave without me, you will find yourself over my knee getting the spanking you so rightly deserve.”

“If you think to spank me, you’ll find yourself getting the beating you so rightly deserve!”

“You will listen to my adjustments or I will break every one of your rules. Beginning now.” With purposeful strides, he closed the distance between them.

“I agree,” she blurted out, her hands raised to ward him off. “I agree.”

He stopped only a heartbeat away. “Number one: I will give you no unreasonable demands, as long as you do the same for me.”

The tension in her shoulders relaxed a little. “That’s fair enough.”

“Number two: I will touch you only if you touch me first.” Now enjoying himself, he propped his arm against the wall beside him. “Or mayhap I will wait until you ask me, very sweetly, to put my hands on you.”

At first she looked as if she might snort. But then, her gaze raked over him, and her cheeks reddened. “I’ll maintain my distance,” she said, averting her eyes, “because there’s no way in hell I’m asking you to touch me.”

“You did before. In the garden.”

“That was different.” Her cheeks burned all the brighter. When he made no comment, she burst out, “It was different. The stone appealed to me. You do not.”

“Say no more, little witch. I would not have you regret more words than you already shall.”

She leveled a glare at him, but didn’t deny his claim.

He pushed his advantage. “Number three: I will wear clothing when the situation warrants it, and only then.”

Silence.

Stubborn woman. “These are the adjustments I wish. If they are not acceptable…” His voice trailed off, allowing her to assume whatever she would.

A sigh pushed past her lips with enough force to cast a sweet ripple of air upon his cheeks. “I accept them, okay. Are you happy now?”

“Not nearly as happy as I would like to be.” He reached out, intending to brush a fingertip across her cheek. Then he recalled her rule and his own stipulation. Unless she asked, he could not touch her. With a muttered curse, he dropped his hand to his side.

She grabbed the sheet and shoved it toward him. “This situation warrants clothing. Since you know nothing of my planet’s customs, you’ll just have to take my word on that.”

Frowning, he once again covered his lower body with the linen.

“Thank God we only have to put up with each other until tomorrow morning,” she muttered. “I might die from stress otherwise.”

More amused than irritated, he said, “Are you usually this surly with your guests?”

She swatted at the air with her hand once, twice. “I am not surly.”

“Aye, you are, and argumentative, too. But mayhap by tomorrow’s dawning you will be too sated to bicker with me.”

Her jaw clamped together with so much force he feared the bone would snap. But with a visible effort, she managed to relax. “Let’s go home,” she said. “I’m too tired to deal with you anymore tonight.” With that, she turned on her heel and headed toward the door.

“If I break one of your rules,” he called behind her, “I will allow you to give me a severe tongue lashing all over my body.”

She nearly choked on that one, and it required all of his strength to smother his laughter. Ah, life had never seemed so ripe with promised pleasures. For now, he was free from de Locke’s curse. In a matter of hours, he would lose himself between a woman’s soft thighs. And he would return home on the morrow. What more could a man possibly want?

CHAPTER FOUR

I’M IN SOOOOOO MUCH TROUBLE, Katie thought.