Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Why?” I prompt again.
“Because….because I don’t know who I am,” she replies after a moment. “Because they’ll see me as a fraud. You keep saying I’m amazing and when I’m not, they’ll make fun of me.”
“No they won’t. They will mock me, not you, if they think I am wrong.” I shrug. “And I will not care, because I know I am right. To me, you are the most incredible female, with a sharp mind, a lovely body, and a strong spirit. No one can convince me otherwise.”
Her shoulders sag and she sighs. “Oh, Skarr.”
That sounded…oddly sad, and the last thing I wish is to make her sad. “Come with me,” I say, waving her forward. “I wish to show you something.”
Vivi’s expression changes to one of skepticism, and she shakes her head, turning back to the poles. She lines them up against the rocks, pretending to be busy. “Why should I? After you’ve ignored me for days?”
My chest puffs up with pride. So she did see I was avoiding her? “You noticed my absence?”
Running her fingernail along a hairline crack, she pulls one pole to the side and barely glances at me, and yet I can tell I have her full attention. She is just pretending not to be affected by me. It is a feint, a fantastic strategy to lure in an opponent. Or it would be if her khui was not singing to mine so boldly.
Vivi rubs her chest, as if coming to the same realization, and frowns over at me. “Of course I noticed. I notice everything you do. We’re resonating. I was just waiting for you to come and talk to me in private.” Her gaze flicks to mine, accusing. “And you never did.”
Wait.
She wanted my attention?
I am stunned. How could I have misread her signals so badly? “I did not know, Vivi. I thought you wanted me to leave you alone.”
She gives up any pretense of selecting the poles and turns to face me. “How could you not know what I wanted, Skarr? I’ve told you over and over how much I like privacy. How much I hate it when you bring things up in front of everyone. Why would you think I’d want to talk to you in front of everyone? I left each time you came to the fire so we could talk. So you could come to me.”
“I…I…” I trail off, speechless.
I am stunned. I pride myself on my cleverness, and yet I have missed this entirely. I thought she wished for me to leave her alone because I was not worthy of her attentions. That I should work harder to become worthy.
But we have clearly misunderstood each other and in doing so, I have wounded her. Made her think I did not care.
“Vivi,” I breathe. “Do not think that I avoided you because I wished to. It was agony to know you were close by and that I should stay away. It is just…” I dig my hands in my hair, frustrated. “I know how to please a crowd, yes? I know how to make the audience get on my side. And I know one of the biggest things is that when the crowd is turning against you, you lay low. You make yourself scarce until you can return with something that will impress them and bring them back to your side.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, her expression vulnerable.
“I do not know how to please a female, to please you. That much is obvious. So I have fallen back on my training. I have approached you—us—as if you were a tournament battle. I thought if, perhaps, I was not around, you would forget why you hated me until I returned—”
“I don’t hate you. Why does everyone think I hate you?”
I grin, hiding behind cocky words. “Because you do not swoon in my arms?”
Vivi rolls her eyes and gives me an annoyed look. “Remember what I said about everyone being in our business? This is why I hate it.”
I don’t point out that she ran away from me. It seems not wise to point that out in this moment. “Well, I am here now, and I have returned with something I wish to show you.” I reach out and take her hand in mine. “May I please show you?”
“You don’t have to bribe me. Just talk to me.” Her expression is soft now as she leans in toward me. “You and I probably have a lot of talking we need to do.”
“Talk. Yes. Talk is good.” I tug on her hand. “But may I show you first?”
“Show me what?”
I grin, delighted. I know she will love this. It will make her realize what a good mate I will be for her. I cannot wait to show her the new hut. “Come. I will lead you.”