Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Surprise slips onto her face during her quiet confession, “I wasn’t aware DL & Co. did such a thing.”
“It’s a small subsidiary cleverly hidden and operated to allow the exploring of other avenues.”
“It’s your hobby.”
“It’s simply another profit opportunity.”
More shock splinters through her stare. “It’s your passion.”
“Yes, but a financially prosperous one.”
“Passions don’t have to make you income, Ptur. You can just have and enjoy them. You don’t have to feel guilty for relishing in something that simply brings you joy for the sake of joy.”
The words are out of my mouth without a second thought, “That hasn’t been my experience.”
“Then I look forward to helping you create a new one.” She offers me a smile so soft that it pains me to have to stay put rather than walk across the room to wrap her in my arms. “Would you like to take two vehicles or one?”
“One.”
“Then one it is, Ptur.”
Our transition from the office to Royal Finds is slower than I anticipated. While it doesn’t take long for either of us to put away our paperwork, shut down our computers, and load everything work related we need for the weekend into my DUV, the remainder of the journey is dragged out. Cameron picks the music after we slip off our jackets—some Sleepers named Anita Baker and Christina Aguilera—and while the style isn’t my usual go to—more of a Zeppelin and Smashing Pumpkins creature—I somehow find myself enjoying it. The melodies are soothing and sexy and most importantly, have my Fated Mate winding her body around like she’s putting on a private performance for me. This of course causes me to make an executive decision to take the most scenic route possible in order to prolong the prurient production.
I don’t think Cameron notices or if she does, then I don’t think she minds.
Something tells me that she loves having my attention on her as much as I love providing it.
And fuck me, do I look forward to providing it for a lifetime.
Once we’ve arrived at the store, I help her out of my vehicle and fold our fingers together, allowing me the connection I’m stuck craving from across the room during our work hours rather than actually permitted to have.
We walk side by side in content silence until we’re inside the shop. At that point, I casually inform, “This is Royal Finds. It’s owned and operated by Aurelia Teeger, a treasure nymph, which are actually descendants of cave and water nymphs.”
I begin guiding her past the front windows where Kraken statues and odd shaped floor lamps overwhelm the space towards the back jewelry counters yet am stopped by her glee. “Ooo! Look at that weird spider magnet!”
The other set of her fingers have almost grazed it when I caution, “I’d be careful. It may cause actual spiders to emerge from it.”
“What?!” Fear has Cami snatching her hand back and looking up at me in horror. “Why would someone create that? Why is that something they would want to happen?!”
“Perhaps they have a pet Tarantula Hawk and need an endless supply of spiders to feed it?” An unusual gagging noise from my mate is spewed prompting me to return to my previous explanation and guiding. “As I was saying, treasure nymphs tend to have hoarding behaviors-”
“You don’t fucking say,” Cameron sarcastically mumbles, head spinning in slow circles of admiration regarding the other objects we’re passing by.
“However, Aurelia decided to do something productive with her constant collecting and opened up this place. Once a month, she unveils her latest discoveries to the general public, but since I am one of her all-time favorite customers—her words—on occasion, she’ll personally contact me if she feels she’s come across something I just have to have.”
“You two sound close,” Cameron offhandedly comments while warily running her free fingers along the edge of a fuzzy scarf.
“Her mate and I used to be drinking buddies.”
She shifts her stare up to me along with a smile.
“Probably the only being I know who has gotten kicked out of more bars than me.”
Laughter pours past her lips prior to one word. “Impressive.”
Our eventual arrival to the jewelry cases is one to assume was expected given the way Aurelia has two glasses of champagne already out for the taking. “P,” she greets while pushing one towards me. “You’re much later than I was expecting. I should charge you for that.”
“You cannot charge me for being tardy, you greedy little noman.”
“Sure, I can. We’ll call it an impatience tax.”
“That’s not-”
“And now that you mention it, I have a new tax for name-calling me.”
She’s tossed a humor glazed glare. “Uh-huh and when did that start?”
“Two minutes ago.” Small sniggers are on the heels of the announcement. “And why are you late? Perhaps collecting the information will have me void the fee. I’m in an unusually generous mood this evening.”