Free The Bride and the Brute by Jack Page B

towering above her, munching noisily on the carrot. A grim grin came to her lips as she held the rest of the carrot out to him.

    *****
When Jayce returned to her room, she was smiling softly to herself. She patted the pocket that held the few carrots left over from her victorious excursion, pleased with her little victory, then pushed the door open. And froze.
    Reese stood in the middle of the room with his back to her. He filled the space with his presence like a sculptured god. His bronzed skin glistened in a ray of sunlight; dust particles shifted around him in the light, showering him in what looked like a splash of magical powder.
    His black hair just barely caressed his shoulders in a touch that made Jayce feel envious. His shirt was off, and he held a piece of material in his hands.
    Jayce didn’t realize until a moment later that the cloth was his leggings.
    Her eyes dipped past his waist to his buttocks. They were rounded and firm. His long legs were well muscled. Her gaze traveled back up his body. His torso was strong, and she saw his shoulder muscles release as he drew himself up taller.
    He slowly turned to face her. “Come in.” His voice rumbled through her like a tremor.
    “And close the door.”

    Chapter Sixteen
    Jayce obeyed Reese without question, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. It was only when she heard the soft thump of the door that she realized with a start what she had done. Shut herself in with a naked man. And not any naked man, but her husband.
    She swallowed hard and pressed herself back against the wall.
    A smile curved his lips before Reese moved to the bed and sat down, pulling on his leggings.
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t realize you were here.”
    “It’s my room,” he replied.
    She swallowed again and could do no more than nod in agreement.
    He pulled a white tunic over his head. “Where were you?” he demanded.
    Jayce watched with a pang of remorse as his beautiful body disappeared beneath his tunic.
    “I didn’t know you were looking for me,” she responded.
    “That wasn’t my question,” he said, picking up a string to thread through the “V” in the neck of his tunic.
    Without thinking, Jayce stepped forward, taking the string from his hand. She stood before him, feeding the string through the first loop. “I was out walking. It’s a beautiful morning, and I wanted to see it before the village woke. I---” She paused, realizing what she was doing. She lifted her gaze to meet his amused blue eyes. “Sorry.” She dropped the string into his hand.
    Reese eyed her, and Jayce had to drop her gaze beneath his intense perusal. “You were with Satan again, weren’t you?”
    “You told me to stay away from him.” Nervously, she took a step back.
    Reese’s hand shot out, ensnaring her wrist. He rose before her like a god casting judgment and finding her lacking. He pulled her close to him.
    Jayce’s heart raced at his nearness. He was so strong. He smelled like leather and musk.
    His chest just barely touched the tips of her breasts and it sent swirls of desire and anticipation coursing through her. She stared into his blue eyes and found them smoldering like the blue at the center of a flame. For a breathless moment she waited. She felt his hand skim her waist to her thigh.
    “Then what’s this?” he asked softly, and patted her pocket.
    “My leg,” she whispered.
    A low rumble sounded from his throat, and his eyes lit up. Jayce had never seen a more wondrous sight. Her heart melted into a pool of contentment.
    Reese pulled a carrot out of her pocket and displayed it before her eyes.
    For a moment, Jayce frowned in confusion, her foggy mind refusing to relinquish the tenderness in his eyes. Then the cold realization of where the carrot had come from jarred her.
    She fumbled for a coherent thought. “I---I happen to like carrots,” she bridled. She grabbed the carrot from him and took a bite.
    “What a strange