Page 9 of Scales and Seduction (Monster Match #1)
M y mind races over the rhythmic sound of Gideon’s knife slicing against the cutting board, and the soft crackle of things on the stove. I’m perched on one of the stools at the island, my chin propped up on my hand, zoned out.
The moment his lips touched mine, there was an electric surge of warmth, and the cottage, I swear, melted away. It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before in a kiss—it was intense, overwhelming, but also achingly perfect.
I feel so disappointed he stopped because the greedy little slut inside me wanted to take things so much further. I’m glad he had the foresight to stop us both because he’s engaged. I still need to ask him more about it, because why would he want to find his soulmate if he already has someone he loves?
I don’t think he’s a cheater because he continues to say his fiancée gave him the idea to download the app. I’m not sure I should believe it though. Who cares what sort of magical fated thing he seems to think we are—which I’m sure is absolute bullshit, right? I’m just horny; that’s all it is. It doesn’t help that I want to touch him; I want to kiss him and love the feeling of his lips brushing mine. There’s tension bubbling between us every second, and I feel like I might combust.
“I didn’t peg you as someone who could cook,” I break the silence and my unsavory thoughts. There’s a teasing note there. I can’t help it. Watching him work so methodically feels surreal, and I want to poke at that a little. It’s strange seeing someone otherworldly doing something so ordinary.
The way his broad shoulders shift as he maneuvers the knife and his teal scales flicker in the light has my attention locked on him now. I never would have pictured a naga cooking dinner in a rustic kitchen on my bingo card for the year.
He snorts softly, cracking a garlic clove under the flat of his knife. “What, because I’m a prince?”
“Or because you’re a sna—” I catch myself just in time before I call him a snake again. “Naga,” I finish, smiling at him.
He turns toward the stove, dumping onion and the garlic into the skillet. The hot pan hisses in protest as the water meets the heat. “What did you think I would do, eat those mice and have servants tend to me, waiting on me hand and tail?”
“Maybe,” I admit, grinning. “I figured you’d be, you know...useless. In movies and books, royalty are hardly self-sufficient.”
Gideon shakes his head, his lips twitching as though he’s trying not to smile at me. “Cooking is relaxing for me,” he mumbles. He adds a pinch of salt to the pan, and the smell of butter and garlic fills the air. I find myself leaning forward to peek at what he’s doing instead of looking at him.
“My mother always wanted me to take full advantage of the perks, but here in the Vale, the title has no real weight. The council makes most of the laws, though the king does have some say. I am mostly a figurehead.” He pauses momentarily, looking thoughtfully off into the distance as if he’s thinking of something from the past. “I wanted to be more like my father, who was a botanist, though he passed away when I was really young.”
His words linger in the air, and for a moment, I watch only him. There’s something about the way he says it, so matter-of-fact. He’s so determined to keep his independence, something I can understand.
“So, you and your brother only have your mom?” I ask softly.
Gideon turns back toward the stove, stirring the vegetables and butter around the pan. “It’s just my mother and me now,” he replies, though there is a hint of grief in his voice. “My stepbrother disappeared a year ago.”
I blink, taken aback. My cheeks heat, and I chew at my raw lips again. My chest aches at his vulnerability with me. He’s so open and earnest in telling me this. Maybe I should ask more about his fiancée. I need more information before I make a true judgment on whether I should flirt with him or not.
“Why would you be on a dating app if you’re getting married?”
Gideon’s hand stops its stirring momentarily as he glances my way. “Don’t worry about Avalon. It’s just as I said—she told me about the app.” He gives me a soft smile. “Our marriage is strictly business.”
“So, you have an open relationship then?” I blurt before I have a chance to think about it.
“Yes and no,” Gideon replies as he takes out what looks like dried pasta from a canister. “Avalon and I started out as play partners. She was my first foray into kink, and as time went on, we grew fond of one another. Our parents mistook our fondness and decided to arrange the marriage for us.”
My mouth goes dry, and heat rises up my neck to my cheeks. I don’t know what to say to that. I don’t even know if I want to respond. Instead, I go silent, watching him as he moves around the kitchen, reaching for another pot. He’s so at ease in the kitchen that it almost feels...intimate. It’s not the first time I’ve seen someone cook, but watching him feels different.
He pauses, aware of my silence, pinning me with a stare. “Is that too much for you?”
If I tell him the truth that I’m intrigued, would he want to play with me? I don’t think I want him to know that side of me. At least not yet.
“No, it’s not too much.” It feels like a ploy to keep him guessing more than a denial, but I don’t care. He can guess for all I care. “I just don’t see how that made you two want to get engaged.”
“It didn’t, I assure you of that.” He shakes his head with a chuckle. “If anything, it might be why she gave me the app. We are bored of one another, but because of my status, it’s impossible to trust someone new. I wonder if she wanted one of us to find our mate so we could be free of the engagement. She doesn’t often tell me her feelings.” Something about the way he says it makes me believe him, though his words carry weight. I look up at him, finding his gaze fixed on the skillet as he stirs, his face unreadable.
“So, you aren’t in love with one another?” The way I say it sounds so juvenile, but I can’t help the way my voice grows softer, more unsure if asking this is worth it in the end.
Gideon’s glance is filled with what looks like determination. “I am not in love with her in the slightest, and she is not with me either.”
“Then why get engaged at all?” I watch as Gideon plates the pasta into large bowls for us, setting it down in front of me with the barest hint of pride in his expression.
Gideon gives me a gentle smile, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Avalon has a particular set of magical skills that are beneficial to the crown. Her family is one of the strongest ruling families in the Underdark, and they have access to a magical power source that would easily allow for further expansion here. Plus, they have one of the strongest protection forces called Night-Weavers. They’re highly skilled in protection magic and hand-to-hand combat. Since my brother’s disappearance, the council decided I should wed Avalon to show our power has not diminished. Atticus was powerful, and his lineage is directly related to the first king of Acadia, something my mother envied.”
“I see,” I whisper as the weight of his explanation settles over me. “So, her magical power and family are an asset to the crown in some way, and both of your parents set this up so both families benefit?” I mull it over. It’s so old-fashioned that I can’t seem to understand why he would agree.
“Yes, that’s exactly it. You see, Avalon is from the Underdark. It’s deep and stretches far beyond just the boundary of this territory. If we were married, then what is hers is also mine.”
“None of this makes sense to me; you know that, right?” I pick up the fork and poke at the pasta in the bowl in front of me absentmindedly. “I’m ruining your families’ plans, and I am willing to bet they won’t like it.”
“I understand it’s a lot to take in, but you’ve ruined nothing at all. Your presence here confuses me though. Why would the app bring a human into this realm when we expressly wanted them to stay out? There’s so much I want to understand.” He reaches across the island; his clawed hand touches my cheek softly. “I assure you that you’re safe here as long as you’re with me, and they might not like it, but I do.”
I believe him, the way he says it, the determination that brims within his golden eyes—all of it tells me he means it.
We eat together after that in silence that feels full of unspoken words. I catch myself glancing at him between bites, the way his lips twitch into the smallest smiles when he notices me watching him. Why was I brought into this strange world, and why do I wish this moment wouldn’t end?