Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
10
ALEENA
After the tour of the study which had an entire women’s shelf and her new husband’s promise that she could read and write as much as she wanted to, Aleena didn’t think she could be any happier. But then he showed her to a bathing room that was absolutely huge.
It had a vast marble soaking tub as well as a large shower stall and a steam unit. There was even a whole row of bathing products all lined up at the edge of the tub for her to try.
I can soak in the tub and read any one of the Salana books I want to! she thought as she surveyed the room with excitement. Or I can take a book down to the Sun Room and lay on the moss and read it there. And maybe if her new husband really did get her a journal, she could write stories in the Sun Room as well.
Just the thought that the big Kindred didn’t mind if she wrote made her feel almost giddy. She’d always had stories swirling around in her head, from the time she was a little girl. Setting them down on paper would be such a joy.
Truly she must be the luckiest girl in the world!
We’ll see how lucky you feel once he finally gets around to changing the color of your eyes, murmured a little voice in her head.
Aleena pushed it away—she didn’t want to waste any time feeling frightened or uneasy. So far her new husband had been extremely kind to her and he had promised not to hurt her. She decided she would take him at his word.
It was getting closer to evening by the time they finished touring the home where they would live together and Aleena’s stomach was beginning to growl. She’d been too nervous to eat breakfast so she’d only had a bite of the Joining Loaf and a sip of the Joining punch all day. It suddenly occurred to her that one way to thank Bear for being so kind would be to make him a magnificent feast with some of the gourmet ingredients downstairs.
“My Lord Hus—I mean, Bear—are you hungry?” she asked, looking up at him.
He nodded.
“I could eat. We didn’t have much at the Joining ceremony.”
Aleena felt a flash of shame.
“I’m sorry about that,” she apologized. “A true Joining ceremony ought to have a big feast afterwards, but my stepmother wanted to, er, keep expenses down.”
Bear arched one dark eyebrow.
“Mmm-hmm, I understand. But don’t worry about it. What would you like to eat? Should we go get something? Or do they have delivery here?”
“Go get something?” she asked, confused.
“Sure.” He shrugged. “Don’t they have restaurants here?”
“Well…yes. But they are only for special occasions. Generally, a wife is supposed to make dinner for her husband every night. And any other meal he wants too,” she added.
Bear frowned.
“Do you like to cook?”
“I do!” She nodded quickly. “I was thinking I might make something really good from the fancy ingredients that were left for us in the refrigeration unit.”
“Well…if you actually want to cook—” Bear began sounding doubtful. “I mean, I don’t want you to think that all the domestic chores are on you.”
Aleena was already nodding her head.
“Yes, of course! I would love to make a meal for you, my…Bear,” she said quickly.
The big Kindred smiled.
“I think I like that…’my Bear,’” he rumbled.
Aleena felt herself blushing. She’d slipped up and almost called him “my Lord Husband” again but had changed to his name at the last minute. But it did sound rather nice, she thought.
“I would love to make dinner for you, my Bear,” she said softly. “If that would please you?”
“If it would please you, it would please me,” he said firmly. “Have some fun in the fancy food prep area and I’ll be up here studying. Unless you want me to come help do the chopping or act as your sous chef?” he added, lifting his brows.
“Do the chopping? A male helping in the kitchen?” Aleena shook her head, trying not to laugh at the ridiculous idea. Everyone knew that males couldn’t cook!
“Sure,” he said mildly. “I don’t mind. I used to…” But he trailed off, a frown on his face.
Aleena wondered if he was going to admit that he used to cook the same way she had admitted to writing stories in a journal, but he didn’t say anything else.
“I can manage. You just study and do your manly work,” she told him. “I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
“All right, thank you,” he said nodding. “And I’m sure whatever you make will be delicious.”
“It will be perfect!” Aleena promised him.
She just hoped she could make something good to eat out of all the fancy ingredients in the refrigeration unit—most of which she’d never used before.
11
ALEENA
The first thing she had to do before cooking was to change her clothing, Aleena told herself. As much as she’d enjoyed wearing the pretty Joining Day outfit, she couldn’t risk cooking in it. Reluctantly, she went back to the bed chamber and dug in her shabby leather bag for the nicest outfit she had.