Page 86 of Red King

“We need to finish this later. I’m so sorry, Paisley.” Then he’s tucking himself away and doing up his pants. “I wouldn’t leave unless it was critical. You brought perfume like I asked you to?”

“Of course.”

“I have a bathroom through that door.” He disappears into the room in question, and I hear the tap running. When he comes back into the room, I smell cologne.

“I have to go. I’m sorry.” He leans in and kisses me softly on the cheek. “Make sure you brush your teeth and gargle with mouthwash. There are supplies in the top drawer. Your place tonight after the party?” He lifts his brows.

“Yeah…sure.”

“Don’t touch yourself, Paisley. You hear me? You wait. Am I clear?”

I nod. “It’s not fair, but okay. You’re the boss.”

He smiles, but it’s tense. “Good girl. Now go into the bathroom and clean up, or everyone will know what went down here. Shifters have fantastic senses. Much better than humans, and semen has a distinct odor.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Noted.”

“I like it on you.” He grins.

I roll my eyes. “That’s a little disgusting.”

“It’s a shifter thing. Don’t take too long; freshen up and leave.” Then he pulls down my skirt and leaves his office. I hear him saying something to Sally before the door closes.

I wonder what that was all about. He tried to look relaxed, but I could see that he wasn’t relaxed at all. He looked…upset. He looked off-kilter, which isn’t like him at all. I guess that, as the king, he has a ton of responsibilities. That must be it.

I go into the bathroom, which is pretty impressive. It has a shower and a tub. I suppose Arctic sometimes has to work late.

I quickly wash as best as I can, brushing my teeth and gargling with mouthwash, too. I wash my hands with soap. Last of all, I spray myself with perfume and head out.

If Sally is suspicious that something happened between Arctic and me, she doesn’t show it.

22

Arctic

Why am I falling for this?

I’m a fucking idiot.

I walk down the hallway, flanked by guards. It’s stifling. I want to tell them to leave me alone so that I can think, but I don’t. There isn’t much to think about.

I’m being played.

I keep walking. Within a minute, I round a corner and see Steel. He’s pacing; his face is pinched. He stops when he sees me approaching.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have called you.”

“You did the right thing.”

He sniffs at me, frowning. “What the hell is that smell?” He sneezes and groans in disgust.

“Don’t be so damned dramatic,” I tell him. “I’m wearing human cologne. I’m a candidate; I need to play the part. The humans like it. I’m shocked you haven’t bought some for yourself. Jen arrives on Monday.”

Then he rolls his eyes and smirks. “Wearing cologne to play the part. Are you trying to entice anyone in particular with this cologne of yours?”

“No.”

“It stinks, but it’s a great cover, I’ll give you that. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important.”

---