Free Aris: A Sexy Romance Novel (Thief of Hearts Series Book 1) by Elody Knight Page A

ask her if she wanted anything.  You presumed what was best for her, albeit for good reasons, but to her, she’s still being burdened.  She’s being dragged to your home, to do things your way.  She probably can’t wait for her twenty-one days to be up.  She’s probably dying to hear Noah’s offer to send her home now. 
    She asked to see the contracts because it’s something she knows how to control.  So she asks for the contracts, which is what she’s supposed to be doing anyway, but then you ran over her trying to make everything comfortable and perfect for her.  She didn’t ask for all of that, she asked for the contracts. 
    You have nineteen days left.”  Anaya held up one finger.  “Shut up.  Stop offering her everything.  Stop trying to make everything perfect at the drop of a hat.  Ask her.  Accept her answer.  If she wants Koyn non stop for the next week, give her what she asks for.  She’s not likely hurt herself, she’s not in that kind of position.”  Anaya picked up the banana play acting hunger again, “Are you hungry?  Yes?”  she handed the banana over to Aris putting a second finger up,  “Just be.  Don’t fuss about stuff.  You’re hungry, I offered the banana, I gave you the banana.  Don’t fuss that there’s a black spot on it or that it’s not what her body needs.  Just be.  She wanted the contracts.  Take her to Martin’s office, give her the contracts.  If she’s uncomfortable in his office, she’ll say so.  Then you can offer her something else but wait til she says what she wants.  Do what she wants.”
    “I get it.”  Aris looked sad.
    “You and she are speaking different languages.  Until you learn to speak hers, there’s not going to be any communication.  You can love her with all your heart, til it bursts, but if she doesn’t understand that’s what your goofy behavior is, it’s not going to do anything except guarantee your heartache.  So.  You asked what she wanted for dinner tonight.  She said whatever Mata makes.  Ok.  Let her pick what she wants, ignore what she doesn’t.  Keep the hungry idea in your mind.”
    “Thank you, Anaya.”
    She shrugged her shoulders,  “It’s a process.” she stood up turning around, “I’ll take care of Denise’s itching too.”
    Denise stood up to go with Anaya.  The two women walked away from the outdoor room chatting with each other.  Noah and Aris watched them go.  Snatches of their conversations floated back to the outdoor room.  ‘...men are such blockheads.’

Chapter 6
    Mata cooked enough for Aris, Saoirse, and Denise for dinner.  As it was, Denise had not returned with Anaya yet, and Saoirse was still in her room from their fight earlier in the afternoon.  Aris made the decision to see Mata home hoping that Saoirse would come down by then. 
    Returning to the house, everything was still quiet.  He didn’t quite know what to do with himself.  He had pushed everything off his proverbial plate for the next couple of weeks so he could spend the time with Saoirse.  Aris plopped down on one of the couches with his tablet.  He had a reading list large enough to break an elephant if you put all the selections into paperback.  When he was a child, Noah would teach him stuff that he had learned at the citadel.  The greatest of gifts he had ever been given was Noah teaching him to read.  Noah didn’t like reading, but Aris read everything he could get his hands on.  He didn’t always adopt it, or agree with it, but he liked himself better with an open mind.
    Saoirse filled his mind more than the words in front of him.  Should he ignore this afternoon?  Should he say he was sorry?  Apologize that he didn’t know Denise wasn’t in the market?  Apologize for Jerith not pulling Denise out of the pineapple field when it was clear she was going to get all cut up?   Fortunately, Saoirse saved him having to figure it out.
    “Where is Denise?”  Saoirse stood at the