Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“What was that for?” she managed to say.
“Just for being beautiful,” Grath rumbled, grinning down at her. “And to punish you for starting without me.”
“I wasn’t starting without you, I was uh, talking to—”
“Amanda Hutchinson. Well, actually Amanda Roberts now—but I’m going to go back to my maiden name as soon as my divorce gets finalized.”
Amanda thrust herself between Mattie and Grath, holding out a hand to the big Hybrid and fluttering her eyelashes at him just the way she always had with the football stars back in high school.
“You must be a Kindred warrior,” she exclaimed. “I can tell by that gorgeous red skin of yours. And those tattoos are so hot!” And she traced one long-nailed fingertip up the curving black tattoos on the big Hybrid’s arm.
Watching her flirt with Grath made Mattie boiling mad, though she refused to show it. It also made her think of all the mean things Amanda had ever done to her—the body shaming…the time she’d squirted ketchup on the back of Mattie’s skirt and then told everyone she had started her period…the time she’d claimed that Mattie had stepped in “doggie-doo” and the smell was making her sick…the way she’d written “Fatty-Mattie” in permanent marker on Mattie’s locker…
The list was endless. And now she was at it again, trying to push Mattie aside to get to her man!
Mattie didn’t even question the wave of possessive anger that washed over her when she thought of the big Hybrid as “hers”—it just seemed natural, especially after the last twenty-four hours they’d spent together.
“Now what is someone like you doing with little Fatty-Mattie?” Amanda purred, looking up into Grath’s face adoringly. “Did she tell you we used to call her that in high school? She was always such a chubby little thing! Still is, I see.”
“If you’re referring to my female’s curves, I find them beautiful. And I much prefer them to being able to see her skeleton poking through her skin,” Grath growled, his black eyes narrowing.
But Amanda wasn’t giving up.
“Oh, my—temper, temper,” she exclaimed. “You’re a growly one, aren’t you? Did you come all the way down from the Kindred Mother Ship just to help poor little Mattie with the Bake-off?”
“No, I came down to meet her family,” Grath said tersely.
“Oh. Well if you’re not helping her, then I could use an assistant.” Amanda fluttered her long, obviously fake eyelashes at the big Hybrid. “What do you say, big guy?”
“I say you’ll have to find an assistant elsewhere. Madeline is the only female I want to be with,” Grath said, taking a pointed step back from Amanda, who was very definitely in his personal space.
“Hmph.” Amanda made a pouty face—clearly she wasn’t used to being turned down by men. “Well, if you’re spoken for, I guess I’ll just have to go up to the Kindred Mother Ship and find a Kindred warrior of my own,” she said, flipping her long blonde hair flirtatiously.
“I wouldn’t bother, if I were you,” Grath said flatly. “Most Kindred like a female with at least some flesh on her bones. Even in the Unmated Males section, I don’t think you’d stir any interest.”
“What?” It suddenly seemed to dawn on Amanda that she was being insulted. “What did you say to me?” she demanded, glaring at Grath. “Do you know who I am? My family is important in this town!”
“All I know about you is that you seem to be a very fucking unpleasant person,” Grath growled. “And I don’t give a fuck about your family either,” he added, and turned back to Mattie. “Come on, baby—let’s bake.”
Mattie was working hard to keep from laughing as she watched Amanda’s face turn first red with embarrassment, then white with rage. She grabbed Grath by the arm and dragged him over to the oven that had been set aside for her. It had a big sticker with the number 9 on it.
“Grath, you didn’t have to do that!” she exclaimed, still trying not to laugh.
He shrugged.
“Why not? I just told her the fucking truth—no warrior is going to want a frastian harpy like that as a mate!”
At this, Mattie did burst out laughing—she couldn’t help herself.
“All right, well it was nice to see her get a little of her own back,” she admitted at last. “But don’t do it again, okay? We need to concentrate if we’re going to win this thing.”
“I understand.” Grath nodded. “And I promise to leave her alone.” He frowned like a thundercloud. “Though she’d better not say anything else about your curves!”
“I don’t think she will,” Mattie said, lifting her chin. “Now that she knows the guy I’m with actually likes me the way I am.” She blushed. “Er, I mean—at least you’re acting like my guy and pretending you like me the way I am.”
“I’m not acting or pretending,” Grath said simply. “Told you before, baby girl—I love your curves. We might be playing parts, but that’s for real.”