Page 11 of Beauty and Her Beasts (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 1)

I cleared my throat. “Likewise.”

“I was just getting ready to take her on a tour of the building. Maybe introduce her to King if I can find him,” Gunnar said.

“What do you mean by ‘find him?’” Allana asked.

Gunnar frowned. “He’s… a hands-off type of owner. He will be around soon enough, I’m sure.”

Yeah right. He probably didn’t even realize this girl had even stepped foot on his land. Otherwise, I was sure he would already have her in his bed and screaming his name. I rolled my eyes.

“I’m sure he’s busy. Or sleeping. It’s getting late, isn’t it?” she asked.

Gunner nodded. “If you would rather put off the tour for the morning, that can be arranged.”

“No, no. I’m too wound up to sleep right now,” she said and placed her hand on his chest.

I wanted to growl, but that would have given me away. I didn’t care to acknowledge that it was pure jealousy that had that urge lodged in my throat. Gunnar likely had no idea to think I was anything close to interested in the girl, and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

But I also had to stall them from making it to her room. If that happened, the plan was done for. With my quick wit, I came up with a distraction.

“Perhaps, you should start with the outside first,” I said and settled my attention on the girl. “You can give me ideas on how to better spruce this place up. I could start on those as early as tomorrow morning.”

“I like that idea,” she said and looked toward Gunnar who glared at me.

“If that is your wish,” he said with an edge to his voice. He pointedly glared at me after smiling at Allana. I almost threw up.

“Oh, what about my luggage?” she asked.

“All of that has been taken care of,” Gunnar said. “Don’t you worry.”

As much as I hated interacting with people, I was never more thrilled to have interrupted anything as I was in the moment. Gunnar was already weaving the girl around his finger, that much was plain to see. He wanted her so bad I could taste his need in the air.

“This way, if you please,” I said, getting on with the tour. With luck, I could drag it out until she was too exhausted to continue. Gunnar would have no choice then but to show the girl her room and be done with it. I would approach the next morning when the time came, but for now, I was happy to delay whatever plans he had with her. Even at my own discomfort.

As I gave the tour, I pretended to make a mental note of all the suggestions Allana gave me, and there were quite a few. I held on to some of the better ones and let the rest go. It took a couple of hours to get through the tour of the grounds. She started slowing down and yawning through the last half an hour.

“Tired?” Gunnar asked.

She nodded as she tried to stifle another yawn. “I think maybe I will take you up on holding off on the tour of the hotel until the morning after all. I'm more tired than I thought I was.”

“That is understandable,” Gunnar said. “The journey is hard on the body. Especially if you’re not used to it.”

“Thank you for the tour, Declan,” she said.

I nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“Come see me tomorrow if you want more ideas. I’m full of them,” she added.

“I can tell,” I said. “I love that.”

She smiled. “Good night.”

“Goodnight,madame,” I said.

As she and Gunnar turned toward the castle, I caught Gunnar’s damning gaze. He must have caught on at some point during the tour. I wasn’t going to let on that I knew he knew. I would wait to reveal myself in time, or maybe not at all.

I turned myself toward my cabin. When I got close to the door, I whistled for my wolf, Moon.

He came trotting up to me, tawny fur matted in a couple of places.

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