Impending Reprisals by Jolyn Palliata Page B

you…advanced on me. But I did not until you rolled me over.”
    Anya groaned as she continued hiding her face.
    “Perhaps if I had not wanted to believe your desire for me, I may have come to the obvious conclusion sooner. But I must say” —he tugged lightly on a lock of hair as mirth crept into his tone—“I was quite enjoying myself.”
    She issued a shaky laugh as she lifted her head. “Is that so?”
    “Oh, yes.” He grinned in return and placed a hand to his chest. “Memories I will cherish always.”
    A more natural laugh came out as she playfully tipped him over. “And I suppose you are now going to tell me that was the first time a woman ever threw herself at you.”
    He sat up again with a smirk. “It was the first time an unconscious woman did.” He tipped his head as he appraised her. “Do you make it an everyday occurrence to sleep out here? I would be happy to oblige should you require someone to wake you up tomorrow.”
    Anya tried to hold a glare against his teasing, but she could not resist the burst of giggles erupting from deep down. “Enough now.”
    “Very well,” Lord Merivic conceded. He pulled his knees up into a similar position as Anya, resting his elbows on them as he hooked his hands together. “I apologize that it got so carried away. It was unfair to you.”
    “I would not say unfair,” she replied wistfully, causing him to arch a brow. “It was a good dream.”
    Lord Merivic groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck, quickly averting his gaze.
    Anya giggled again, delighted she was able to put him off guard with her light comments, and aware once more of the influence she was coming to know as a woman.
    She knocked her shoulder into his and let him off the hook by changing topics. “I thought I would not see you today.”
    “I wanted to spend time with you so I altered my plans. Your father told me where he thought I would find you. And my heart nearly stopped when I did.”
    Anya glanced at his expression to see if he was teasing again, but saw he was not.
    “The tiger.”
    “Oh!” Anya twisted to look for Tajvek, and spotted him watching from the branch of a tree.
    “I believe he was embarrassed by our behavior and retreated.”
    Anya laughed. “His name is Tajvek. He is a familiar of sorts—a guardian.”
    “Yes, I eventually came to that conclusion. Your father had mentioned him in passing once, but I did not realize he was a seven hundred pound white tiger.” He shifted to get a better look at Tajvek. “How does it work? Does it mean he trusts me since he let me approach?”
    “As long as I do not feel threatened, he does not view you as one.”
    “I am glad you have such a creature to keep you safe.”
    “I am as well. Although the one time I ever truly needed him, he could not help me—I was not wearing my amulet.”
    “The alley,” Lord Merivic growled, his shoulders stiffening.
    Anya laid a hand on his arm to ease him back. “Yes. But you were there in his stead.”
    “Thankfully.”
    “I will forever be grateful for your actions that night.” She planted a soft kiss on his jaw.
    Lord Merivic gathered her hand in his. “I am still ashamed you found yourself in such a predicament in the first place.”
    “Do not be. It was not your fault.” She patted his hand and stared off at Liberwood Castle in the distance. “Lord Merivic—”
    “Merivic,” he insisted. “Just Merivic.”
    “No, I—”
    “Anya, for months I have been asking this of you. And after the moment we just shared, you are hardly in a position to argue further.”
    She giggled as he squeezed her hand with a sly expression. “All right. Merivic, then.”
    “Hmm. If that is what it took to finally have you agree with me, I should have performed such a sacrifice long ago. I will need to keep that in mind the next time you refuse my wishes. I would be more than willing to suffer through another display.”
    “Oh, I am sure you would.” She grinned before turning to the