My breath caught in my throat and my heart stuttered as I scanned the letter again.Something cold and prickly washed over me, giving me goosebumps.
A kingdom in peril.A dying queen desperate for a successor.And my new house was the key to the hidden kingdom.Holy heck!I justknewI was meant for something amazing even though I was a complete nobody before today.
Hot postal guy put a hand on my shoulder.“Are you okay?What is it?You look so worried.”He glanced around, his big body tense and his dark eyes scanning for threats.“I know I only just met you, but I’ll protect you to the last drop of my blood!”
I blinked at him.Wow.That was so…sweet.“I think you’re my destiny,” I breathed, leaning into his touch.
He glanced at my lips.Then at the box I still held between us.“What’s in the box?”
Oh!Right!Playful Petal Pink!I reached into the box and wrapped my fingers around the bottle of nail polish.Another wave of cold prickles washed over me, and I glanced up at the hulking hottie.“What was that?”
He shook his head.“I don’t know.But stay here.I mean it.Don’t follow me and risk yourself!”He dashed over to the door, three whole feet away.
It was hard, but I did as I was told and resisted the urge to follow him all the way over there.He wanted to keep me safe.And I couldn’t possibly open my own doors.Not when there was a man here to take care of me.
But don’t worry—if there wasrealdanger I’d definitely not listen and rush right in so he’d have to rescue me in some really dramatic way.I wasn’t born yesterday.
His big hand wrapped around the door handle and he tugged, his ripped arms bulging.I was going to have to change my underwear by the time he got the door open.Silly lady bits, always gushing like a fountain.
He pulled on the door again.Nothing happened.
“We’re…trapped inside,” he said, on a low, meaningful exhale.
I looked down at the letter I still held.And so it begins.
Chapter 2
Acommotionfrombehindmedrew my attention and I turned to look down the hall, toward the back of the house.I could hear Hedwig arguing with someone, his cultured voice a perfect contrast to the gruff, sexy growl of the other man.They rounded the corner and headed down the hallway toward me, and I had to scoop my jaw up off the floor.
Holy fiddling fairy farts!Another one!
A tall blonde guy with piercing blue eyes came to a halt before me, Hedwig scampering to keep up with the man's long, powerful strides.I let my eyes slide over blondie's ripped bod, which was pretty much identical to the postman’s, because of course all hot guys looked the same.The new guy was wearing soft, worn jeans and an old t-shirt that stretched taught against his massive pecs.He crossed his arms—hisbulgingarms—over his chest and raised an eyebrow at me as his gaze traveled over my body from head to toe, leaving me feeling undressed.And horny.Holy wow.I suddenly just couldn’t think about anything but sex.
"Can I help you?"I said, drawing myself up to all my teeny-tiny, height.
Hedwig pushed past the man and rolled his eyes."This is the groundskeeper," he said on an exasperated sigh."He seems to be having some trouble leaving for his lunch break."
I blinked."He works for me?"
Hedwig nodded.
Oh my God, I was going to get a new garden feature installed right outside my bedroom window.Maybe something with big heavy stone blocks so he'd have to carry them, shirtless, in the sweaty sun.
"Why is she making that noise?"the postal guy said from behind me.
Hedwig rolled his eyes again, and I decided I was going to have to have a very firm talk with him about disrespecting his employer—no, hisqueen.
"If you'll excuse me," the cheeky old coot said in a flat voice, "I have…silverware to polish."Then he turned and left.
"So?"the groundskeeper insisted."What the hell's going on around here?I just tried to leave, and my truck hit some invisible wall!My poor, sweet baby has a dent!"
I shook my head at him and handed him the note I'd found in the box.Poor men, with their genetic attachment to cars.It was sad.But they couldn’t help it."It must have something to do with this," I said, as if I had any clue what was going on.
He skimmed the letter, his lean, chiseled, manly jaw clenching.Then those bright blue eyes pinned me."Are you kidding me right now?"
I shook my head.Postal guy came up close behind me to look over my shoulder at the letter when I took it back.His animal heat radiated into me from behind, making my brain short-circuit."We're…trapped in a magical kingdom that only exists in your mansion?”he muttered.“What the hell is a pocket world?"
I shrugged.I had no idea.But I did understand one thing."The letter says I'm the queen of this hidden kingdom."So, yay!
