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Her cheeks burned even brighter and Nora quickly put herself to rights. "Someone might walk in."
"I can't wait until we have our own place, baby. Then maybe I'll walk around naked just to see you blush."
Said blush was cherry red at this point. "River, you can't just walk around without clothing."
Oh, he could. And probably would. But he didn't want to tease Nora too far today. "Okay, I won't strut around so you can ogle my bare ass until you say the word."
Nora opened her mouth and then closed it. Shaking her head, she picked up the pen nib again. "I'm going to ignore that. Since you have to meet with my brother soon to start your training, we need to finish this. Or at least as much as we can."
He stared at her chest for a moment before meeting her eyes. "I just need a snapshot to keep for later."
She shook her head. "Dr. Vale, you're trying to embarrass me on purpose." He waggled his eyebrows and Nora laughed. "You're incorrigible."
"Only for you, baby. Only for you."
Still smiling, Nora gestured toward the paper. "Work first and teasing later. Now, let's think of any of the finer details we still need to address, and maybe put in a bit about revisiting it after the first year."
He nodded. And as they went over some minor details, they avoided one major topic—children.
But River was fine with waiting. He had no idea if Nora even wanted more children, or if the pain of four being stolen from her was too painful.
He didn't care either way. He wanted Nora more by the day.
And oddly, he instinctively knew she'd be enough. Well, provided he didn't spook her.
He somehow resisted asking how wet she was from his kisses and they finished out their draft. Then River went to find the security guard who was going to help start his training.
ChapterEighteen
After an hour with the extremely tall, tanned, and browned-haired Stone—Leo's half-vampire and half-shifter head of security—River could barely breathe, let alone stand up straight. "You're a tough motherfucker, you know that?"
Stone never smiled and didn't start now. "Leo said to push you, and so I am. Nora is special to all of us, and I won't have her leave here with a male who can't protect her."
River leaned over with his hands on his thighs, but slowly stood up to face the towering, pale-skinned male. Ignoring the sweat trailing down his body or his slightly wobbly legs, River growled, "I have magic, asshole. I'm not completely defenseless."
Stone raised an eyebrow. "I've seen dead dogs in the street look healthier than when you first showed up here."
River wiped his sweaty hair away from his forehead. "Have you faced like fourteen vampires at once, all determined to beat the shit out of you?"
Stone crossed his arms over his chest and said nothing.
River rolled his eyes. He'd had patients exactly like Stone before. They usually lacked a sense of humor and it was just best not to engage.
He turned to grab a towel from the side of the room—Leo had a sort of gym and boxing ring underground, below his main casino floor—when his brother-in-law strode into the room. Since he'd expected to clean up and see Leo after his training session, he wasn't sure about why he was here. "Now what's up?"
Leo glanced to Stone and back. "I'm not going to dance around it. I've decided you need to go to the country to rest, train, and learn how to protect my sister, and you'll leave tomorrow."
He paused his towel. "Why the fuck do I need to go to the country when you have a perfectly good gym here?"
Leo raised his brows. River was learning how the look meant, "Why the hell are you questioning me?" The dude was seriously used to being on the top of the food chain.
Leo answered, "I was trying to do you a bloody favor, but if you're going to be an arsehole, then maybe I'll just let you stumble about on your own and keep my sister away from you until either you get yourself killed or wise up and accept my help."
Arrogant motherfucker.His first instinct was to cuss Leo out and give him a piece of his mind. However, River took a deep breath and calmed down a fraction before asking, "Stop with the declarations and just tell me how the hell you're going to help me by sending me away?"
Especially since distance would probably take away some, if not all, of the progress he'd made with Nora so far.
Leo pierced him with narrowed eyes. "First, let me say I don't like you rushing into marriage with my sister. I know she must complete the claiming, but that doesn't mean she has to marry you. She could bloody well do better." River opened his mouth, but Leo beat him to it. "But I talked with her privately just now and she seems determined to become your wife. However, before I allow that to happen, I want her to spend some time with you away from the gossip, and rumors, and harsh looks in London. Maybe without all those distractions, she'll realize how you two don't suit."
