Page 22 of Tiger's Quest
Ren got up, knelt at my feet, and took my hand. “I decided to find you, throw myself at your feet, and beg you to have mercy on me. I’ll acceptwhateveryou choose. Honestly, Kelsey. Just please don’t ask me to live apart from you again. Because . . . Ican’t.”
How could I remain unyielding?Ren’s words penetrated the flimsy barriers around my heart. I’d meant to set up a barbed wire fence, but the barbs had marshmallow tips. He slipped right through my defenses. Ren touched his forehead to my hand, and my marshmallow heart melted.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugged him, and whispered in his ear, “A prince of India should never have to get down on his knees and beg for anything. Alright. You can stay.”
He sighed and hugged me close.
I grinned wryly. “After all, I wouldn’t want PETA to come after me for tiger abuse.”
He laughed softly. “Wait right here,” he said and walked out the door that connected both our houses. He came back in with a package tied with a red ribbon.
The box was long, thin, and black. I cracked it open and saw a bracelet. The thin chain had a white-gold oval locket. Inside were two pictures: Ren, the prince, and Ren, the tiger.
I smiled. “You knew I’d want to remember the tiger too.”
Ren clasped the locket to my wrist and sighed. “Yes, even though I’m slightly jealous of him. He gets to spend much more time with you than I do.”
“Hmm. Well, not as much as he used to. I miss him.”
He grimaced. “Believe me, you’ll get to see plenty of him in the coming weeks.”
His warm fingers brushed my arm, and my pulse hammered. He pulled my arm up to eye level, inspected the charm, and pressed a kiss on the inside of my wrist.
Ren’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he said, “So do you like it?”
“Yes. Thank you. But . . .” My face fell. “I didn’t get you anything.”
He tugged me close and wrapped his arms around my waist. “You got me the best present of all. You gave me today. It’s the best present I could have wished for.”
I laughed and teased. “Pretty poor wrapping job I did then.”
“Hmm, you’re right. I’d better wrap you up properly.”
Ren grabbed my grandmother’s quilt from the back of the recliner and wrapped me up like a mummy. I kicked and squealed as he scooped me up in his arms and onto his lap.
“Let’s read something, Kells. I’m ready for another Shakespearean play. I tried to read one on my own, but I had a hard time sounding out the words.”
I cleared my throat noisily from within my cocoon. “As you can see,my captor, my arms are trapped.”
Ren leaned over to nuzzle my ear, and then suddenly stiffened. “Someone is here.”
The doorbell rang. Ren jumped up, set me on my feet, and spun me out of the blanket before I could blink. I stood there for a moment dizzy and confused. Then I flushed in embarrassment.
I hissed, “What happened to your tiger hearing?”
He grinned at me. “I was distracted, Kells. You can hardly blame me. Are you expecting someone?”
It suddenly hit me: “Li!”
“Li?”
I grimaced. “We have a . . .a date.”
Ren’s eyes darkened, and he repeated quietly, “You have adate?”
“Yes . . .” I said haltingly.
My mind raced with thoughts of the man next to me and the one outside my door.Ren is back, but what does that mean? And what am I supposed to do now?
