Rolling over to face her, he caressed her cheek in his hand. The sincerity in his gaze scorched her. “I know you had your choice of males, Felicia. I didn’t want you to regret picking me.”
Yeah, right. They hadn’t exactly lined up for her. She’d only had two other interviews. Not to mention… “Talyn, keramon, why would you think that? I wasn’t even your first choice.”
He scowled at her. “That’s not true. You were the only reason I went to your agency. Any agency, for that matter. I saw your profile online and when I contacted them about applying to adopt you, they said I was too late. That you were in negotiations with someone else. It devastated me that I’d missed out.”
Felicia wanted to believe that, but she knew better. “My friend Rynara told me that you’d tried to contract with her before me.”
“No, I didn’t. When you weren’t available, they submitted my application to her without my consent or knowledge and pissed me off to no end.”
“Really?”
“How else would I know you were in negotiations with another male?”
She narrowed her gaze at him. “You really didn’t ask for Nara?”
“God, no. Check with the agency. I had a fit that they did that without consulting me. Hell, I’ll show you the e-mails. Even if she’d said yes, I would have turned her down. I didn’t like the way any of the others looked, and I was highly offended they pitched me to her without asking first. You were the only female I was interested in.”
“Oh, honey!” Tears filled her eyes as she hugged him close and laughed. “I’m so glad I was a bitch to Rynara.”
He arched his brow. “What’d you do?”
“She kept being a snot. Telling me how the only reason I had you was because she found you completely unacceptable. To get back at her, I showed off condo photos and rubbed her nose in what she’d said no to. Told her that I was eternally grateful she was an idiot.”
Talyn laughed. “So what happened to your other contract, anyway?”
“He wasn’t you.”
Rolling his eyes, he gave her a droll stare. “You didn’t know me then.”
“True. But he was a beast when we met. I didn’t like him at all. You, on the other hand, looked at me and I melted on the spot. Best of all, you seemed to respect me even though I’m a —”
“Don’t you dare insult yourself.”
She smiled at him. “That right there is why I chose you. And one day, I hope we can actually have sex.”
He laughed again. “It would be nice…” He glanced down, then wagged his brows at her. “I’m up for it if you are.”
She tsked at him. “Not today. I can tell by the jagged way you’re breathing how much pain you’re in. I wasn’t kidding. I don’t want you back in the hospital. But if you’re a good boy…”
He dutifully closed his eyes and feigned a soft snore. She kissed his forehead.
There was a light knock on the bedroom door. Dimming the lights, Felicia went to answer it.
Galene peeped around her to look at the bed. “How’s he doing?”
She opened the door to admit her. “He’s in bed, but resisting sleep.”
“He’s always been that way. I used to get so frustrated at him when he was a boy. There were times I thought I’d have to stun-blast him to get him to settle down.”
“And she would threaten my pudding if I didn’t obey,” he said sullenly.
“That’s because spanking never mattered to you. I should have known then you’d grow up to be a fighter.”
“Only because you numbed my ass from all the beatings I got as a kid.” He grinned at her.
Galene scoffed at him. She met Felicia’s curious gaze. “The lies my boy tells. I rarely ever got onto him. Honestly, he was an angel and a joy… when he wasn’t literally climbing up walls, furniture, and countertops. He took much better care of me than I ever did of him.”
“Now who’s lying?”
His mother ruffled his hair. “Can I get you anything?”
“I’m good. I’ve got my pillow. My bed. And best of all, my two taras. Life couldn’t be better.”
His mother kissed his cheek. “Good night, baby. Love you.”
“You, too.”
She paused in front of Felicia. “I’ll head back and leave the two of you alone.”
Felicia stopped her. “If you want, please feel free to stay. Not like we don’t have plenty of room here for you.”