Page 128 of Tiger's Voyage

Within his bending sickle’s compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

—William Shakespeare

“What’s wrong?” Kishan asked.

I shoved the note back into my pocket and blushed furiously.

“Nothing. I’ll, umm … be right back. Okay?”

“Okay. Hurry though. We’re almost there.”

“I will.”

I ran down the steps and slammed into Ren’s room as he was pulling a shirt over his head. “What exactly do you think you are doing?” I yelled.

He froze and then smiled disarmingly at me and lowered his shirt over his very nice chest. “Getting dressed. And good morning to you too. Now what’s all the yelling about?”

“I don’t know how you snuck this into my jacket, but you’ve got to stop.”

“What exactly did I sneak into your jacket?”

I thrust the crumpled paper into his hand. “This!”

He sat on the bed and opened the paper slowly, smoothing it out on his jean-clad thigh. I involuntarily squeaked as I realized I was mesmerized by his movements.

“It looks like a Shakespeare poem, Kells. You like Shakespeare so what’s the problem?”

“Theproblemis that I’m no longer entertaining poems from you.”

He leaned back and assessed me boldly, grinned, and said, “‘Was ever woman in this humour woo’d? Was ever woman in this humour won?’”

“Give it a rest, Shakespeare. I’m not a shrew to be tamed. Like I told you last night, I’m dating Kishan now.”

“Really?” He stood and stalked toward me.

All of a sudden I couldn’t breathe. I kept backing up until I hit the wall. He pressed his hands against it on either side of my head and leaned in close to me. I stubbornly thrust out my chin, refusing to be intimidated by him.

“Yes. I am. It’s a good thing I came here to talk with you about it anyway. I don’t want you … chasing me around or making things,” I swallowed thickly, “difficult.”

Ren laughed throatily and leaned closer to nuzzle my ear. “You like me to be …difficult.”

“No.” I groaned when he bit my earlobe. “I want my life to be simple and comfortable. And with Kishan, it will be.”

“You don’treallywant somethingsimple, do you Kelsey?” His lips pressed against the soft skin behind my ear, and I shivered. “Complication,” he began trailing slow, teasing kisses down my neck, “is what makes life,” he cupped the back of my neck and slid his hand into my hair, “exciting.”

I turned my face away, but he just took the opportunity to explore more of my exposed neck.

“Loveiscomplicated,iadala. Mmm, you taste delicious. Do you know how good it feels to be able to touch you without pain? To kiss you?” He pressed tingling kisses along the length of my jaw, and whispered, “I want to drown in the pleasure of being close to you.”

I groaned and gripped his upper arms.Speaking of drowning, I wasgoing under, and fast.Blinking open my eyes, I grabbed his shoulders, faced him, and used all my strength to push him away, but he only backed off a few inches.