One year.
But business partners don't look at each other like that. And they definitely don't set up bedrooms with pink blankets and roses and books.
I push off the door and take a good look at the room. The roses, the pink—for a moment I hold my breath. This isn’t a room for someone Eryx merely tolerates. This is a room for someone he’s trying to woo.
That someone is me.
My throat tightens and to push thoughts of him away, I stop staring at the flowers and gaze at the bed. The mattress is three feet off the ground and looks perfect for jumping.
You know what? Screw it. If I'm going to be married to the Nightmare King in a gothic manor full of shadows, I'm going to enjoy this ridiculously fancy bed.
So I do it. Because if I stop moving, if I let myself think about what just happened—who I just married—I might lose it completely.
I kick off my sneakers and jump onto the bed. The first bounce is low, so I push off harder—and smack my head on the wooden canopy.
“Ouch!”
The compact in my pocket falls out and opens.
Elmore appears, takes one look at me and says, “Looks like someone’s living their best life.”
I stop jumping and fall in a heap onto the bed. “I mean, did you see this bed? It’s so awesome.”
Elmore grins, his teeth sparkling. “And did you kiss him?”
“Look, Elmore, Beauty didn’t kiss Beast first thing.”
“Is that who you are?”
“I mean, have you seen this place?”
“No, because I’ve been trapped in a mirror going over paperwork for the bookshop. I swear, if Charlie sneaks intoMrs. Chatterley’s Loverone more time, I’m going to tell Ovie.”
“Why haven’t you?”
He shrugs. “You know. We protect her.”
“I think by protecting her, all we’re doing is making things worse.”
“Then I’ll tell her.”
I bite off a hangnail clinging to my thumb. “Before you do, would you like to see the manor?”
“Is milk white?”
I giggle. “I knew you would.”
I pick up the mirror and show him my bedroom. “Look at those sparkles. They are so good. What about clothes? Did he get you clothes?”
“Let’s see.”
I rush to the closet and fling it open. It’s a walk-in with under lighting that illuminates lots and lots of?—
“Why is it all lingerie?”
Elmore laughs. “Do you really have to ask that?”
“We haven’t even kissed!”
