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Neers bloomed, as if to prove her claim

He didn’t want to be charmed by this, by her, but… He was undeniably charmed

“Are we in the middle of a truce?” she asked “I need to hear you say the words”

“We…are”

“Excellent” She gripped his arh up with the other “I ated to fetch it for me”

The touch, slight though it was, scorched hi, he followed the line of her outstretched finger but found nothing extraordinary “What oddess?” Whatever it was, he would acquire it, no matter the labor involved Because…just because He didn’t need to explain himself to anyone, least of all himself!

“The cherry-red fruit high, high in the tree See?” She turned her body into his and batted her lashes at hi her flesh with a golden glow “Pluck it for er”

He gulped Such wonder for a piece of fruit? Helpless to resist her—in this, only this—he flared his wings and flew up, reaching out

“Not that one,” she called “No, not that one, either Nope Nope Brochan, were you even listening to me when I described the object of arnet No, not sangria or currant, either Yes! That’s it That’s the one”

She certainly knehat she wanted He’d always adht away She’d locked her gaze on McCadden and never deviated Until she’d won him

Scowling, Brochan plucked the fruit as directed, then floated to his feet and offered her the gift

With a blindingly bright s plue pit “They’re the same color as your eyes So pretty”

His scowl melted away as he blinked “You like my eyes?”

“Very much” To his surprise, she offered the first berry to him, a payment of sorts

Poison? Did he care? As he opened, unable to resist teue He closed hishis taste buds

Her pupils expanded, and her lips parted Then she chuckled “Naughty beast”

Muscles clenched in reflex The need to sweep her into his ar about this woman seduced him As if she were made for him

What if she was his mate?

He gnashed his molars How many others had felt this way about her?