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The upcoming launch of my “sweet & spicy” romance, My Fair Princess, has encouraged me to post another bit of a teaser. Dana Pratola, author of the fantastic edgy romance THE COVERING, made a comment on Facebook about my unique spin on an arranged marriage in MFP, encouraging a bit of a teaser yesterday as well. So, here is another….

Shamus tucked her hand around his arm and led her to the dining hall.

“Shamus, wait.” Nia met his gaze, her blonde lashes enhancing the clarity of her eyes. Those eyes always made the breath get lost somewhere on the way to his lungs. “Can we talk first?”

“Sure. I haven’t given Rufus his morning run yet. You mind?” Nia shook her head. “I usually throw a stick and wrestle with him first thing. I slept in this morning. Just couldn’t get up.” Shamus felt his ears burn, mostly because he spent most of the morning reliving their time at his fishing hole while trying to figure out how to kiss her again. Sammy, you’re never going to ask, so you might as well stop trying.

“Neither could I. Same as yesterday.”

He ushered her past to the dog-run beyond. Rufus barked a greeting and bounded toward them, tongue lolling out of his mouth as his tail and ears wagged a furious and ecstatic welcome.

“Hey, Rufus. Did you miss me?” Shamus scrubbed behind the dog’s ears. “Good morning, big fella. Hope you don’t mind me spending so much time with princess. Been helping her get settled in.”

Rufus grumbled and groaned, not caring about anything other than the spot behind his ears. Nia giggled. “I believe as long as you keep scratching that spot, Rufus won’t care a bit.”

“Yeah, you like that dontcha. Right there.” Shamus laughed and pushed Rufus back. “Where’s your toy, Ruf? Huh? Go get your toy. Go on.”

Rufus bounded back to the border of his dog-run, sniffing out the requested item. Shamus gave a shake of his head and sat upon the grass. Nia did the same, wrapping her arms around her legs as she drew them close. He grinned at her. Sammy boy, I do believe you’ve lost your mind. He leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. Never before had he felt so… at ease and… content. No, not like this.

“Great morning, huh? I love it when it’s like this. Kind of chilly but still shining and pretty. Kind of makes you believe everything’s perfect in the world.”

Nia watched his expression, smiling the same as he. Though he felt certain his smile looked a lot less… refined. He just couldn’t stop, even with all the negative possibilities that tried to steal his blissful ignorance. So bring up the subject. Might as well, since you’re smiling like a loony. “So… what did you need to talk about—?”

A bark preluded a thud, Rufus sending him and the toy end over end.

Nia laughed. “Shamus! Are you all right?”

“Rufus, gosh darn it!” The great black beast licked and slobbered all over his face. “Rufus, I was trying to have a deep conversation with my wife. Get off!” Shamus tossed away the dog’s toy, Rufus giving chase with a thunder of paws.

Nia smiled down at him, his head very pleasantly positioned in her lap. Shamus grinned. “You were saying…?”

“I will need your help with a few things.” Nia brushed some curls from his forehead, sending thoughts scattering every direction.

“Sure. Like what.”

“Such as moving my things into your room.”

Shamus bolted upright. “What?”

“Be careful,” she laughed. “You’re going to give yourself a headache.”

“Nia, think about this a second—”

“I have. All night and most of this morning. I understand it is a large step, especially in trust, but I want to keep moving forward. Sharing our bedroom is the next logical one.”

Shamus gulped. “Of course I know that, and we can if you want, I just….” He just didn’t know if he trusted himself as much as she did.

“I know, and I appreciate that, but—”

Rufus interjected with a nudge and a lick, fussing and grumbling and yipping for the toy until Shamus tossed it far away. He had to force himself to shift his gaze back to Nia, afraid she would see equal parts fear and eagerness to be so intimately close to her. Sammy boy, you are in deep trouble.

“I do not wish to make things difficult for you, so I do understand if you would rather not.”

He scrubbed at the back of his neck, the pain helping keep his mind from wandering to the bedroom. “It’s not that, Nia… well, not really. I mean— Sure you can move your stuff, princess. I just….” He cleared his throat and looked away again. Yeah. How do I say that?

Nia covered his hand with hers. “I know. Truly, I do. That was the one hesitation I had all night.”

Shamus’ ears burned. “I don’t want to hurt you, or scare you, or….” or anything else a big lummox like me could do! “Nia, are you sure?”

“Shay, I know what may happen. If I did not want the sharing of an intimate moment as a future, I would not be making this suggestion. I do not dread the possibility, so neither should you.”

Shamus blinked down at her, the clunk and crash of his heart making it difficult to hear his own thoughts. Or breathe, for that matter. “I don’t. I….” He looked forward to it more than he should, in all honesty. Shamus tried not to gulp.