The Ring Bearer (27 page)

“Miss?” Duke said as if he might be interrupting her. “I need to take you to the office.” She smiled at him. He always sounded apologetic to her, as if he was sorry that he had to exert anything resembling authority over her. She imagined that his mother had been tremendously exacting in her rules regarding the treatment of ladies.

Duke was torn between letting her lead the way—as a ladies first gesture, and guiding her to the office. Since she already knew the way, but she didn’t exactly want to have a gun at her back, she did her best to walk just one step ahead of him. “How have things been here?” she asked when the silence seemed to demand some kind of filler.

Duke nearly lost his balance going up the stairs to the office hallway, but he recovered and nodded at her. “It’s been just fine, Miss, thank you for asking.” After a short pause, he added. “And with you miss.”

She sighed. “I accidentally rubbed a lamp and I completely erased my life here.”

Duke stopped midway down the hall and looked at her. She turned to face him. “I’m sorry to hear that. Those wily genies have been a pain in my buttocks as well.”

Cori smiled at his reference to buttocks over ass. No swearing in front of the ladies. “Thank you, Duke. I only hope I can convince everyone else as easily as you.”

“I’ve never been much for fibbing, Miss, so I just assume that nobody else is either. I’ve been wrong on a number of occasions, but that doesn’t mean I’m going change my ways. If that makes me a simpleton, then so be it, but I’d hate to miss out on something wonderful, just cause I didn’t believe it to be true.”

“That’s a fine way of looking a life, Duke. I respect that, and maybe someday I can learn to be the same. Might keep me out of trouble.” She smiled and rolled her eyes.

He smiled warmly, albeit uncomfortably. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “I beg your pardon Miss, but I still have to take you to the office.”

She nodded, stifling a giggle. “I know, Duke.” She continued on down the hallway as he instructed. She was going to have to hang out with Duke more often when she got back to her reality. He seemed like the type of man she could turn to for an honest opinion on just about anything.

Duke knocked on the glass windowed door before pushing it open and directing her inside. He stayed outside, no doubt to avoid removing his weapon. She expected to see Danato behind the desk, but it was Ethan. She smiled at him happy that he was here and still him. His hair was shorter, and he didn’t smile back at her, but it was him. He lifted out of Danato’s chair and circled around to examine her.

“She’s unarmed,” Duke apprised him.

“Clearly,” was all Ethan said in return. “Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir,” Duke reached for the knob.

“Thank you, Duke,” Cori said since Ethan wasn’t going to give him any kind of kudos for his performance.

“You told her your name?” Ethan glowered at Duke.

“No, sir, she already knew it.” Duke closed the door before any other questions or accusations could be posed.

Ethan approached her and stalked around her like she was a statue he was critiquing for an art show. “Who are you? How do you know about this place? Who sent you?”

“Ethan…” She started to explain, but he clamped onto her face and shoved her head back so he was effectively looming over her.

“Don’t toy with me. Whatever your plan is, I will find out? You might as well tell me everything. Who are you?”

“I’m your wife!”

About the Author

When I was child—I don’t really know how old—we had a cat named Gramps. This cat was an indoor/outdoor cat, and by design, a true hunter. One day, he came home with a baby rabbit.

Naturally, my siblings and I were traumatized by a predatorily animal killing a fuzzy-wuzzy, wittle bunny. So, my parents took away the prey to spare our gentle hearts.

Gramps, dissatisfied by his interrupted meal, went back to the nest and retrieved another baby rabbit. Once again, my parents did their duty of protecting us from the violence of nature, and made the bunny
go away
.

As you might imagine, Gramps was still unhappy with the outcome of his efforts. So off he went. When he returned, he brought home the momma. With a rabbit nearly half his size, Gramps vaulted over the fence and into our backyard.

Impressed by the cat’s feat of strength and hunting prowess, my parents decided that whether or not their children were ready to understand the grim reality of nature; the cat had earned the right to keep his dinner.

There you go. That was something about the author. Of course this isn’t really about me, it’s about the books.

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Have I said thanks—
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