“Willow? Are the children all right?”
“Yes.” I gulped, chewing anxiously on my lip. “They’re fine.”
He seemed perplexed by my state of dress, the random clothes from my bedroom floor I’d thrown on. Seeing his gorgeous features made me suddenly wish I’d bothered with a little blush. I was sure I looked like a total mess.
He sighed. “Come in. Whatever it is, you have five minutes while I finish getting dressed.”
It was only then that I noticed his crisp shirt was half-buttoned, the sleeves undone. He left the door open as he disappeared deeper into his apartment. Hesitantly, I followed him in…and immediately forgot why I had even come.
Severn Wilde’s personal residence had been the subject of much speculation in New York’s gossip magazines and on the lips of every socialite. But whatever opulence they could have dreamed couldn’t possibly compare to the reality.
The European hunting lodge theme from the tower’s lobby carried through here, but the tapestries were woven with golden thread, the furniture carved in the shape of forest animals. A chandelier of gold-tipped antlers spun in a shimmering slow circle. Seamlessly mixed in with the Old World elegance were modern touches: beautiful marble countertops, sleek minimalist touches. And a wall of windows with a balcony beyond that had to have the best view in the entire city.
He cleared his throat as he finished buttoning his shirt. “Four minutes now, Willow.”
Blinking out of my stupor, I sputtered, “It’s about the dog.”
He started in on his cufflinks as he walked around toward the hall closet. “What about it?”
I followed him out of habit, not sure what else to do. “I just…did you really…did you really buy Henry and May a dog? Can they keep it? You can’t just take it back, you know.”
“I didn’t get Henry and May a dog,” he said evenly, and as sad as it was, I almost felt relief.Of courseit had been too good to be true. It was just another cruel fae joke. He opened the closet and started sorting through various silken coats and cloaks. “I gotyoua dog.”
I blinked. “Me?”
“Henry and May are children. They aren’t capable of caring for a pet, you said so yourself. The dog is yours to feed and keep healthy, and the children shall enjoy its company.”
Before I could say anything else, he selected a shimmering cloak and started to pull it on. “Furthermore, I didn’tbuyit. Talon is a benefactor of the city’s animal shelters. I mentioned your desire to him, and he procured it. One of the shelters happened to have a mixed breed that was half that type you liked…”
“Dalmatian,” I said softly.
“That one. Yes.”
I could only stare at him. I hadn’t thought Severn had even been listening to me when I’d rambled on about my lonely childhood and watching101 Dalmatians. The last thing I had expected was that he’d not only actually been listening, but even more so, that he’dremembered.
It was possibly the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me, and I could only stare at him, knowing such a thoughtful act didn’t fit with this cold, cruel prince. Before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him, squeezing tightly around his neck. It was all I could do not to burst into tears.
He went rigid. “Why are you holding me like this?” he snapped.
I shook my head against his chest and breathed, “Because of the dog. It’s perfect.”
I pulled back slightly, and our eyes met. Suddenly, I was very aware of the fact that our bodies were pressed together. I hadn’t exactly meant to embrace him; it had just happened. I’d never had anyone do something so thoughtful for me, certainly not someone who wasn’t evenhuman. Severn Wilde, billionaire, boss, and fae prince, actually had a heart rattling around in that cold chest of his.
All I could think about had been our kiss in Central Park. It had been part of a child’s game, just a ruse, and yet it hadn’tfeltlike a ruse. Certainly, since then, I’d stayed awake plenty of nights thinking about it.
On instinct, his hand slipped around my waist. For once, there was no scowl or smirk on his face. My skin felt incredibly sensitive to his touch, as if being around him awoke my senses. His sparkling eyes searched mine.
And then he abruptly looked away, the scowl falling back into place. “Good.” He glanced at a clock in the kitchen over my shoulder. “Because your five minutes are up anyway. Next time, don’t bother me about something so trivial.” He extricated himself from my embrace. His arrogance only rolled off me this time. Because I knew that for as harsh as he sounded, there was a man inside who had actually listened to my deepest wishes, who had made it happen simply because he could and it would make me happy.
I realized I was in danger of starting to like Severn Wilde. My boss, the one person I couldn’t have a crush on. Exactly the kind of man I’d sworn to never fall for ever again.
He turned away sharply and called, “Briar. Bramble. Hurry. We’ll be late.”
I tilted my head, confused. I’d assumed we were alone in his home. But in the next moment, two of the most beautiful women I had ever seen strode out of some back room. They were clearly fae, with fairy-tale flowing black hair, alabaster skin, and emerald eyes. One wore an elegant pantsuit and the other a black dress.Twins.
I could only stare at them. The one in a dress pulled out her phone, tapped on it, and said in a gorgeously sexy voice, “A werewolf is on the way to pick us up.”
The other woman stopped dead when she saw me, like one of the city’s sewer rats had somehow crawled into Wilde Tower and up to Severn’s living room.
