Page 18
Story: It's A Little Bit Bunny
He’s like a cute, century-old penguin.
“Here’s my chicken coop. Do you want to meet them?”
“You have chickens? Oh my god, yes! I love birds of all shapes and sizes.”
Jules paused with his hand on the door in the fence around the chicken pen. “That is so sweet.” He pursed his lips as if to stop himself from smiling but failed, giving me the cutest pouting grin. One that could bring me to my knees.
I didn’t know why I reacted to Jules the way I did. I’d felt an instant connection to him, and not out of sympathy.
God, I wish it were just sympathy. Thoughts of him had surfaced so much over the past week, it had been disconcerting.
“Come in, they don’t bite.”
I flinched when his voice pulled me back into the moment. He held the door open for me, and I joined him in the pen.
Eight fat chickens surrounded us, clucking and cooing.
“You can give them a few of these if you like.” With a timid smile, he offered me an old-fashioned metal pot filled with grain.
Shy Jules is so sweet.
“Here, hold your hand out to them. They are gentle.” He crouched low, and I joined him, taken by his smile and the way the sun shining through the canopy of leaves glinted on his hair. He was so soft and delicate compared to me. There was no gentleness in my life. I worked hard and played harder. As one of the two enforcers on our team, I couldn’t afford to show any weakness.
That was until you lost your footing.
“Okay.”
I can try to be gentle for you, Jules.
I took a handful of grains and offered them to the chickens. Their happy clucking made my heart squeeze in my chest.
“Yes, that’s it, Nikolai. They won’t peck you.” Jules’ voice was a soft caress in the clearing.
“These are Cassiopeia and Lyra.” He indicated first a red and green, then a chocolate brown chicken.
“She’s so pretty. Aren’t you, Lyra?” The bird cooed and took some grains from me.
“Hecate, and this is Mania.” Jules rested his hand on my forearm. “Go slow. She’s a bit shy.” I didn’t hear the rest of his chickens’ names. His touch sparked feelings in me I’d never felt before.
Is this his magic?
Fourteen
Jules
Arushofsomethingpowerfulrippled through me when I took hold of Nikolai’s arm. It reverberated in my head, and I couldn’t let go of him.
What is happening?
Tearing my hand away, I rose to my feet. “I wanted to show you my pond. Would you like to see it?”
Nikolai’s warm brown eyes met mine, then one corner of his mouth curled up in a smile. “Anything, Jules.”
My bed chamber?
“Oh, wow, this is beautiful.” He slowed down as we approached the pond.
“When it is warm enough, I sometimes bathe in it. I know every fish, every water snail, and every frog.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93