Page 9 of Rejected By the Shifter King

THE NEXT TIME THEYmet, it was he who accidentally stumbled into her once more, with Star on the floor in one of the hidden corners of the library, an old thick book lying open on her lap.

"Ma belle étoile." The words were out before he had even realized what he was saying. French was the native tongue of his kind, but to use it was nowadays considered old-fashioned.

And truthfully, that was what he was: a throwback to the times, but it was also the part of him that he normally kept hidden.

And yet...

His lovely Star was proving to be an exception, and it was just more proof of how soothing he found her presence.

"Milord."She was blushing as she stared up at him, and he noticed the way her sweet bosom started heaving rapidly as she took the hand he offered. Unable to resist the temptation of teasing her even more, he made sure to have her body slide against him as he pulled her up.

She choked, and he laughed.

"Milord!" This time, her voice came out chiding and begging at the same time.

"I'm sorry, milady." But the wickedness in his gaze belied his repentant tone.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as he led her to the closest table and pulled out a seat for her.

"Escaping," he answered truthfully, "just like you."

"Mm."

"What is it?"

"I avoid parties because I'm shy, but I don't think you have the same problem."

"I don't. I avoid parties because I'm a grumpy old man at heart."

She laughed. "No, you're not."

"Only with you."

"Milord."

"Apologies." His voice was grave. "Did I make your heart race again?"

"Oh my God. Will you please stop?" She made a show of ignoring him and concentrating on her book, and it would probably have been convincing - if not for the sight of her still-pink cheeks and the way her bosom was still heaving entrancingly against the fabric of her dress.

She still had a crush on him, Lysander mused, and the thought filled him with satisfaction for some reason.

"So..."

The studied casualness in her voice made Lysander's lips twitch. This should be interesting.

"The French words you spoke earlier...what did they mean?"

"That's another secret for me to keep," he said lazily, and when Star made an adorably cute face at this, Lysander drawled, "I could be persuaded to change my mind though."

"Like how?"

"You could beg for it," he suggested wickedly, and just as he predicted, the innuendo was more than enough to have Star jerking and sputtering in her seat.

"Y-you...I-I...a-ah..."

"Oui?"

"Never mind." She tore her gaze away from him and went back to pretending to read. He glanced at the book she had brought with him, intending to tease her about it, but instead he felt his face harden when he realized it was about theGreat War.