Page 123 of Tamed By Her Touch

“No, you first,” she said.

“I asked you,” he said frowning.

“And I said you first,” she returned, giving him a teasing grin.

He gave her a stern look, though she could tell he wasn’t really angry.

“Clair…”

“Kaelus…” she said, in the exact same tone.

They stared at each other for a moment and then Clair started laughing.

Kaelus sighed and shook his head.

“I have missed this considerably less than you might imagine,” he remarked.

Clair looked up at him from under her lashes.

“Aw…you missed me, big fella?”

Kaelus frowned and she smiled even wider.

“That is not what I said,” he protested.

“It kind of was.”

“I said I missed this.” He made a motion with one hand.

“This being me.” Clair loved teasing him. She did a little twirl and bumped him with one hip. It was like bumping a brick wall.

“This being your irritating habit of arguing about everything,” Kaelus said, but she could tell he was fighting to keep the grumpy look on his face when he really wanted to smile at her antics.

“So you missed arguing with me,” she said, deliberately misunderstanding him. “Aw, honey, that’s so sweet—I missed arguing with you, too.”

Kaelus blew out a breath.

“Clair, I swear by all the gods that ever were…”

“You totally missed me.” She poked his broad chest with one finger. “Missed me all day.”

Kaelus gave her a dark look.

“Would you like to discuss our findings or not?”

Clair laughed.

“I would. But I’m also enjoying teasing you.”

He made a sound somewhere between a growl and a groan.

“I am aware.”

Before Clair could tease him further, a soft chiming sounded near the suite door and a recessed panel opened in the wall. Then a floating silver tray drifted into the room.

Clair stepped back in surprise.

“What in the world?” she murmured.