Chapter 7 The Hunter

• He tilted his head chidingly in my direction. Peering at me over his shoulder. Making a pale, yellow curl slide over his forehead. Though he was working hard to appear harmless, his presence seemed to fill the room until it felt stifling. He was meandering past the shutters across the room from me. And still, he felt far too close.
• My gaze slid to the door. Looking at it longingly.
• He brushed some dust from the windowsill as if considering sitting there. Saying without looking, "don't bother, Baby Girl. You'll never make it past the stand."
• I glanced at it about two steps away and grunted. Probably accurate.
• "How'd you get here so fast?"
• "You don't move nearly as quickly as you think." He murmured. Rounding to level his gaze on me. "Besides, you know well I can move bout during the day."
• "Ah, yes." I tapped my lip thoughtfully. "Still hiding that secret from your knights, are you?"
• "Your attempts to threaten me are marginally adorable." He said boredly.
• "It's not an attempt. How do you suppose they'd react if they knew you were part hound?"
• He grunted. Amusement making his lips flash in what might've been an amused grin. Dimples appeared next to his mouth for less than a heartbeat.
• He could be breathtaking if he truly smiled. I hated that I knew that. Hated even more that I was thinking it now.
• "So beautiful." He walked over to set his cloak atop mine.
• I looked at it disdainfully. Realizing it meant he intended to stay awhile.
• He stopped just before me. Brushing his thumb over my lower lip. "Yet, so stupid."
• "If I were stupid, I wouldn't keep getting away from you."
• ***
• He gave a long-suffering sigh. "Has it ever occurred to you, Baby Girl, that I let you go?"
• Yes. Actually, it had. But I preferred not to consider that.
• His gaze slid down to my mouth. Looking at it hungrily.
• "You're a pig."
• His lips turned in a half smile. "You're trying to goad me."
• He sighed, his hand falling away. "Always trying to goad me..."
• He moved around me, beginning to circle.
• Like a hungry vulture.
• "It's as if you think if you make me furious enough, I'll go away rather than do what I'm going to do to you."
• My head whipped to keep him in view. "And what, exactly, is that?"
• He clucked disapprovingly in his cheek. "Don't play games with me, Baby Girl. You
• always know what I want."
• "The same thing every other man wants from me."
• "Are you so sure of that?" Still that low, husky voice. Indicating how dangerous he was. Making my skin tingle and fine hairs on my neck spike.
• An instinctive urge telling me to flee, had me easing toward the door.
• "Why do you keep looking over there?" He stopped circling to eye my profile. His hands leisurely locked behind his back as if he were an interrogator quizzing a subject. "Waiting for the door to magically fly open and beckon you to freedom?"
• My jaw tightened and I could only stare at it yearningly. "If only."
• "Come now. I thought we'd already established I'd never let you get that far."
• "Why are you toying with me, Gray? Just get to it." I let my head lull sideways to give him an impatient look.
• His voice dropped. "You know I hate when you call me that."
• "What would you prefer? Commander? My Lord? Your Royal Pain-in-my-Ass."
• "Watch how you talk to me." He lifted a finger. "You're pushing your luck. Pressing me may result in precisely that."
• A pain in my ass? I winced. Not missing his meaning.
• I clamped my lips closed.
• "Good to see you still have the tongue of a sailor."
• "Why is King Eternus still after me?" I snapped. Not liking the direction of this conversation. Or his superior tone.
• He shrugged. Resuming circling with his hands still linked behind him.
• Challenging me to bolt.
• He wants me to run.
• It was often easy to tell what men wanted. And I rather enjoyed not giving it to them.
• I stiffened. Rooting my feet. Determined to not move, no matter what he said.
• "Take off your tunic."
• I glowered at him. Not moving.
• "Take it off." He nodded toward it. "Or I'll rip it off you. Something I'm more than happy to do."
• Of course, he was.
• So, I obediently reached to catch the bottom. Tugging it over my head and slapping it to the floor furiously. Letting his eyes rove my naked form while I stared ahead. Refusing to acknowledge his careful study.
• "Do you enjoy treating me like your slave?"