Free Reawakening by K. L. Kreig

up and he inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement. He would never say, but she knew he appreciated the kindness. Just because these vampires were lords and all powerful, didn’t mean they needed to be assholes. A nice ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ went a long way as far as she was concerned. Maybe that was the Midwest girl in her.
    After he was gone, Sarah turned to Romaric. “You didn’t need to be so rude, you know.”
    He set his fork down on his plate, which had been halfway to his mouth filled to the brim with scrambled eggs.
    “Rude?” He seemed genuinely confused by her accusation.
    “Yes, rude. He works hard cooking and cleaning and doing whatever else it is that Dev demands of him. It’s not too much to ask to say thank you for all the work he went to making breakfast.”
    She turned back to her plate, but her appetite had vanished. Both her physical and sexual one. Romaric may be a hottie, but who was she kidding? He was waaay out of her league and she was still very much intimidated by him. He may think he wants her now, but he would quickly tire of her. She would never fit into his world. Into this world. And she’d been naïve to think otherwise.
    They were complete opposites.
    She had manners. He clearly didn’t.
    She wanted happily ever after. He just wanted to fuck her brains out.
    She was sympathetic and empathetic. He was emotionally closed off.
    She had a hair-trigger temper . He was calm, cool and collected.
    He intrigued her on so many levels and what she wouldn’t give to be able to peel away his protective layers one by one. To really get to know the untainted soul she saw hiding underneath his gruff exterior. He put on a very good front for everyone else, but the second she’d looked into his eyes, she knew there was so much more to Romaric Dietrich than he would ever let on to the outside world. She’d seen a deep wound that she’d foolishly wanted to uncover and heal.
    But it would never work between them. She was far better off keeping him in her dreams, where he belonged. Where he’d always been.
    “I’m not hungry after all.”
    Placing her napkin on top of her untouched food, she stood and walked toward the door. She didn’t make it five steps before running smack into a solid, immovable object, which threw her off balance and she began to fall backward. Strong arms reached out and swept her off her feet before she could hit the ground.
    “Where do you think you’re going, Sarah?” Romaric said, holding her tightly in his oh so strong arms. She had no choice but to put her own arms around his neck for support.
    Okay, so she did, but her momma didn’t raise no fool.
    “I’m going back to my room,” she retorted. She didn’t owe him anything, certainly not an explanation. And she’d be damned if she would give him one.
    “I don’t think so.”
    He didn’t think so? What?
    Me Tarzan.
    You Jane.
    If his hands were free, he’d probably be pounding his chest with his melon-sized fists trying to convince her of his male worthiness.
    “Um, I think so, buddy. Let me go.” She now used her arms in a fruitless attempt to push out his iron grip hold.
    “We’ve already been through this. You’re mine, Sarah. You’re not going anywhere.”
    She stopped her futile efforts and gawked at him in disbelief. Wow . He needed a lesson in twenty-first century courting, because he was sorely behind the times.
    “I’m yours ?” She couldn’t have kept the biting sarcasm out of her voice if she’d tried. Which she didn’t.
    “Yes.” The very matter-of-fact way he said that word burrowed under her skin.
    She laughed. Really laughed. She couldn’t help it. This entire thing was so unbelievably ridiculous and she couldn’t wait to gossip to Kate and Analise about how downright preposterous her morning had been.
    Me Tarzan, You Jane .
    “You’re mine, you’re not going anywhere.”
    They’d laugh about it for months and months. She’d just keep his impassioned