Free A Fox's Love (American Kitsune Book 1) by Brandon Varnell Page B

like the dang thing was purposefully doing that because it knew he was watching.
    "How was your shower, beloved?" Kevin started with the realization that she was actually talking to him. His mind quickly tried to think of something, anything to say.
    "Uh.... fine, I guess..."
    Well, it wasn't the smoothest, most sophisticated of answers, especially when speaking to a girl like Lilian, but at least he was talking. It was certainly an improvement over his previously tongue tied state.
    And at least he didn't pass out again. That would just be embarrassing. Not to mention hilarious.
    "Breakfast is almost ready," she said with a smile as she turned back to the stove. "Why don't you sit down at the table and I'll bring it over soon."
    It was only after she finished speaking that he realized the smell was actually because this girl was cooking. No. Not just cooking. She was cooking for him. Kevin didn't know whether he should feel embarrassed that some girl he had just met was making him breakfast, or warm and fuzzy for that very same reason. Really, this whole situation was just too confusing.
    "Okay."
    Unable to do much else, Kevin did exactly as Lilian asked and sat down at the small table next to the wall that separated the dining room from the kitchen. As he did, his eyes could not help but stare at the girl who was humming away while she cooked, using the fork to lift what looked like the edge of cooked eggs.
    Was this really happening? Was there really a Kitsune ― a creature he hadn't even believed existed until just last night, standing in his kitchen, cooking him breakfast, while wearing nothing more than one of his shirts? This had to be some kind of dream. That was it. None of this was real. He would just pinch himself and he would wake up and be back in his bed and none of this would have ever happened.
    "Ouch!"
    "Are you okay, beloved?" Lilian turned from her cooking to give him a concerned look.
    "Ah... I'm fine," Kevin's ears turned pink as he rubbed the small nail marks on his arm. Lilian looked at him for a moment longer before turning away to finish cooking.
    Kevin sighed. This definitely was not a dream. Which meant, of course, that everything happening to him was real. He had really found a small two tailed fox, brought her home and bandaged her injuries. That fox really was a Kitsune, a creature of ancient Japanese Myth, and she really had proclaimed her love for him the night before and was now making him breakfast. There was so much going on that shouldn't be possible that Kevin didn't know what to think.
    It was probably better to just not think at all. Don't think about it, Kevin. Just don't think about it.
    "Here you go."
    Not thinking about his impossible situation was going to be impossible with Lilian here.
    "Thank you," Kevin mumbled as a plate was put in front of him. For a good several seconds, he found himself staring at the food like it was some kind of foreign entity. How long had it actually been since he had not been forced to make his own breakfast (and lunch and dinner)? A year? Two? Something like that.
    He had to admit, the breakfast looked really good. It was an omelet that had been folded around spinach and various chopped vegetables; carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus. A glance towards the sink confirmed that Lilian had chopped them just a little while ago. The cutting board was sitting on the drying cloth, having already been washed sometime while he been in the shower or getting dressed.
    "Is something wrong with the food?"
    "No," Kevin shook his head. "I was just thinking about something."
    Not sure of what else he should do and not wanting to look like a jerk after this girl had gone through the trouble of making breakfast for him, Kevin grabbed a fork and cut a portion of the omelet so that he could stab it and stick it in his mouth. As he chewed the food, Lilian sat herself on the other side of the table, placed her elbows on the wood, propped her chin on the butt of her