immediate fear in her eyes slapped him with chagrin. “I’m sorry, jiâ z ǐ . I didn’t mean that. I’m just worried.”
“I’m sorry too, Sheng.” Jiao knelt beside his chair and laid her head against him. “I know what you’ve sacrificed. I’m just impatient. I think it will help when I can let my cat out to exercise.”
Such a small request, one he could give her, appease her with so she’d forget the rest for a while longer. “I’m chafing to let my feline out too. Which is why, despite my better judgment, I’ll hire the wolf. But,” he held up a finger. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him.”
When Jiao didn’t reply, Sheng wanted to grab a hold and shake her. He could tell she planned to do something. A part of him couldn’t really blame her. Given this insight, he realized he’d have to do his best to keep them apart. If the wolf had any honor, then perhaps he’d stay away from a married woman.
If not, then it wouldn’t be the first time Sheng did something drastic for his sister. Something for her own good.
*
Jiao left her brother with her heart heavy with sorrow and, at the same time, bursting with joy. On the one hand, Jiao would get to explore the feelings Chris evoked. Discover if he was her mate as she suspected. Indulge in things she’d yet to experience like flirting and maybe even a kiss.
But, on the other hand, Jiao hated going against her brother’s wishes. Sure Jiao didn’t reply when Sheng asked her for a promise to stay away, didn’t lie to Sheng’s face, but only because she knew she couldn’t stop herself from finding out more about this Chris. From seeing him. Touching him.
Hugging her brother’s stiff body, Jiao bit her lip at the realization Sheng already guessed her plan.
How she wished she could find her brother a mate of his own so he’d agree once and for all to drop the charade. Or, if that proved impossible, at least help him get laid so he’d lose some of his uptight attitude. Some relationship doctor on a late night show claimed sex cured everything. It wasn’t just her cat’s curious nature that wanted to test that theory out. Perhaps a good screw would fix her brother’s inability to laugh and smile.
How she missed that side of him.
Only seventeen when they escaped, Jiao barely sixteen, he’d taken the role of protector seriously. He’d kept his promise to their father made less than a year before, getting them out of that freezing river before a fish ate them or they drowned. He’d held her head above water when her leaden arms would have given up. Despite their captivity and inexperience with the outside world, he’d persevered and found them a way through the wilderness to civilization. A frightening time she’d never forget, where hunger seemed their constant companion, and terror haunted their footsteps. Lucky for them, they’d run into a grizzled bear of a man who knew who to call for help.
Even when Patricia took them under her wing, spiriting them across half a continent, Sheng didn’t relax. Didn’t let down his guard. Didn’t smile.
In an odd twist, freedom lay more heavily on him than captivity. He trusted no one. Constantly looked over his shoulder. Jumped at every shadow. How she wished she could change that. The only way she could think involved taking herself out from under his protective thumb, leaving him free to live his life without having to worry about her.
He’d never agree to that unless he thought her safe, which meant she couldn’t just move out on her own. But, if she found her soul mate, a strong male who could take over the role of protector, then perhaps Sheng would finally let go. Say someone like a big, strong wolf?
Just the idea made her giddy. Yet, she got ahead of herself. First she needed to find a way to get to know the wolf without having her brother freak. Then she needed to ascertain if what she felt truly was the mating bond and not just a delayed hormonal reaction to an attractive
“I’m sorry too, Sheng.” Jiao knelt beside his chair and laid her head against him. “I know what you’ve sacrificed. I’m just impatient. I think it will help when I can let my cat out to exercise.”
Such a small request, one he could give her, appease her with so she’d forget the rest for a while longer. “I’m chafing to let my feline out too. Which is why, despite my better judgment, I’ll hire the wolf. But,” he held up a finger. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him.”
When Jiao didn’t reply, Sheng wanted to grab a hold and shake her. He could tell she planned to do something. A part of him couldn’t really blame her. Given this insight, he realized he’d have to do his best to keep them apart. If the wolf had any honor, then perhaps he’d stay away from a married woman.
If not, then it wouldn’t be the first time Sheng did something drastic for his sister. Something for her own good.
*
Jiao left her brother with her heart heavy with sorrow and, at the same time, bursting with joy. On the one hand, Jiao would get to explore the feelings Chris evoked. Discover if he was her mate as she suspected. Indulge in things she’d yet to experience like flirting and maybe even a kiss.
But, on the other hand, Jiao hated going against her brother’s wishes. Sure Jiao didn’t reply when Sheng asked her for a promise to stay away, didn’t lie to Sheng’s face, but only because she knew she couldn’t stop herself from finding out more about this Chris. From seeing him. Touching him.
Hugging her brother’s stiff body, Jiao bit her lip at the realization Sheng already guessed her plan.
How she wished she could find her brother a mate of his own so he’d agree once and for all to drop the charade. Or, if that proved impossible, at least help him get laid so he’d lose some of his uptight attitude. Some relationship doctor on a late night show claimed sex cured everything. It wasn’t just her cat’s curious nature that wanted to test that theory out. Perhaps a good screw would fix her brother’s inability to laugh and smile.
How she missed that side of him.
Only seventeen when they escaped, Jiao barely sixteen, he’d taken the role of protector seriously. He’d kept his promise to their father made less than a year before, getting them out of that freezing river before a fish ate them or they drowned. He’d held her head above water when her leaden arms would have given up. Despite their captivity and inexperience with the outside world, he’d persevered and found them a way through the wilderness to civilization. A frightening time she’d never forget, where hunger seemed their constant companion, and terror haunted their footsteps. Lucky for them, they’d run into a grizzled bear of a man who knew who to call for help.
Even when Patricia took them under her wing, spiriting them across half a continent, Sheng didn’t relax. Didn’t let down his guard. Didn’t smile.
In an odd twist, freedom lay more heavily on him than captivity. He trusted no one. Constantly looked over his shoulder. Jumped at every shadow. How she wished she could change that. The only way she could think involved taking herself out from under his protective thumb, leaving him free to live his life without having to worry about her.
He’d never agree to that unless he thought her safe, which meant she couldn’t just move out on her own. But, if she found her soul mate, a strong male who could take over the role of protector, then perhaps Sheng would finally let go. Say someone like a big, strong wolf?
Just the idea made her giddy. Yet, she got ahead of herself. First she needed to find a way to get to know the wolf without having her brother freak. Then she needed to ascertain if what she felt truly was the mating bond and not just a delayed hormonal reaction to an attractive
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