the term, but, just in case, I’ve sent for Kishan.”
“Kishan’s coming here?”
“He’s a good hunter and can help me keep watch on things. He’d also be less distracted than I am.”
“Oh.”
Ren pulled me close and rubbed my back. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
“But what if something happens to you? What can I do about it?”
“Kishan will watch my back so I can watch yours.”
9
Kishan
With no word of Lokesh, and thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary happening, I loosened up enough to enjoy the annual Valentine’s dance. The night would be fun, and all the proceeds would go toward funding the Jensen Arctic Museum.
Ren pulled a garment bag out of my closet and hung it on the bathroom door.
“What’s this, Tiger? You think you can choose what I’m going to wear now, huh?”
“I like you in anything you wear.” He pulled me into a tight hug. “But, I’ve wanted to see you in this dress. Will you wear it tonight?”
I snorted. “You probably want me to wear it because I haven’t worn it on a date with anyone else. You can’t stand the peach dress now because you say it smells like Li even after it’s been dry-cleaned.”
“The peach dress is lovely on you, and I picked it out especially for you. But, you’re right. It reminds me of Li, and I want tonight to be only about us.” He kissed my cheek. “I’ll pick you up for dinner in two hours. Don’t make me wait too long.”
“I won’t.”
He touched his forehead to mine and added softly, “I hate to be apart from you.”
After he left, I took a hot shower, wrapped a towel around my head and a robe around my body. Unzipping the garment bag, I found a claret-red chiffon dress with a trumpet skirt and double flutter sleeves. It was a wrap-dress style that tied at the side of my waist. A box on the floor contained strappy red shoes.
I sighed. What is the obsession that men have with strappy shoes?
Now that I had a billion lipsticks, I easily found one that matched my dress. I spent a long time with a curling iron twisting my hair into long ringlets that I swept up with jewel-studded combs, leaving a few loose to curl around my ears. I applied makeup and even had time to paint my fingers and toes with red polish to match.
Ren rang the doorbell, trying to be formal. I opened it and gasped softly. My warrior-archangel wore a brilliant white shirt with a gray vest and a red satin tie with a four-in-hand knot that matched my dress. His black tuxedo jacket was thrown casually over his shoulder, and his hair fell appealingly over one eye. He looked like a supermodel that had just stepped off the pages of GQ.
I suddenly felt like a little girl playing dress-up compared to him. I could imagine every girl at the dance wanting to reach up and brush his hair off his forehead.
Ren smiled, and my heart dropped down into my shoes where it flopped like a fish out of water. From behind his back, he brought out a bouquet of two dozen red roses. He stepped inside and put them in a vase of water he’d already prepared.
“Ren! You can’t expect me to go to a dance with you looking like that! You’re bad enough when you dress normal!”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Kelsey.” He reached up and pulled lightly on one of my spiral curls, tucking it delicately behind my ear. “Nobody will even notice me when I’m standing next to you.
You look absolutely lovely. Now can I give you your Valentine’s present?”
“You didn’t need to get me anything else, Ren. Believe me, you are present enough.”
He pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket and opened it for me. Inside was a pair of diamond and ruby drop earrings set in gold starbursts.
I whispered, “They’re beautiful!”
He helped me take them out of the box. I liked the feel of them dangling from my ears and tapping against my face when I turned my head.
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. “Thank you. I love them.”
“Why do I see a ‘but’ in your expression?”
“The ‘but’ is that you really don’t need to buy me expensive things. I’m perfectly happy with normal, average things like . . . socks.”
He scoffed, “Socks are hardly a romantic present. This is a special occasion. Don’t spoil my night, Kells. Just tell me