He had to force himself to stare at anything but her hands. Her beautiful hands. So gentle. So feminine. Capable of delivering the most undeniable pleasure, he was sure. “I farm.”
Her mouth formed a large O as her gaze swept over him. “You don’t look like a farmer.”
Perhaps he shouldn’t stare at her mouth, either. “And you’ve met so many of us?”
“Well, no.” She lifted to her knees, practically bubbling over with enthusiasm. “Did you notice how quickly I answered that? I’m winning, aren’t I?”
The muscles in his stomach clenched as he said, “You’re definitely losing, and I’m definitely winning.”
She frowned, and he had to fight another laugh. “How?” she demanded.
“The more questions you can get a person to answer, the more points you earn. I’ve asked more questions.”
Her eyes narrowed, two lasers locked on him. “Perhaps I misunderstood the rules.”
“That’s understandable. You’re foreign.”
“But perhaps I didn’t,” she added. “You can’t just change them whenever you want.”
“I can, too. I’m the game’s inventor.”
“And what’s the score, Mr. Inventor?”
“Fifteen to one,” he said, choosing a number that wasn’t so high she couldn’t catch up, but wasn’t so low she could best him. “But because I’m such a nice guy, I’ll let you ask me the next question. Okay?”
“Okay.”
He tsked with false pity. “Another two points for me. One because you answered an unnecessary question and another because you fell for my trick. Better luck next time.”
“You dirty little swindler,” she said with a choked gurgle of delight that caused the muscles in his stomach to once again clench up. She tapped a finger against her chin, brightened. “Oh, I know! Will you tell me about your farm?”
“Of course.”
“Got you,” she said in a singsong voice. “Another point for me.”
Really will not laugh. “It’s situated miles from any other residence, and surrounded by rare clusters of trees.” Most forests had been burned to the ground during the human-otherworlder war. “There’s a natural spring that’s filled with fish, and birds constantly fly overhead. There are multiple flower and vegetable gardens, and there’s a pesky rabbit that likes to ruin both. I’ve named him Dead Man Hopping.”
Expression glazed with awe, she said, “I’ve never heard of such a promised land and cannot even picture its like.”
Maybe one day he would take her there.
The idea registered, and he froze. He’d once thought about locking her there, but now . . . he knew he would do no such thing. He wanted to have her there, yes, but he wanted her there of her own free will, happy and smiling. And naked.
“Do you have any secret talents?” she asked, unaware of his inner turmoil.
He had many secret talents, but there was only one he could share without scaring ten years off her life. “I can wrangle a bull with my bare hands.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Got you! That’s four points for me, for using your own trick against you twice, and practically in a row,” she said with a smirk. “And before you can ask, I’ll just tell. My secret talent is a backbend kick-over.”
He . . . had no idea what that was. “One day, I’ll want to see that.”
In a snap, all of her enjoyment drained. Her sparkle died.
“What?” he demanded, unsure what he’d done wrong.
“Those words . . .” she muttered. “ ‘One day.’ I hate them.”
“Why?” They were so innocent.
She waved the question away. “What’s, uh, your favorite memory?”
He wanted her back the way she was, and decided not to push for the truth. Not yet. Instead, he leaned forward, placing his lips at the hollow of her neck. “I’ll tell you, but I have to whisper because it’s personal.”
She shivered, the motion brushing her skin against his mouth.
He moaned. So soft, so warm.
She gasped. “Tell me.”
“What if I said it was when I kissed you?” he rasped through a throat gone tight.
Her pulse quickened, and he leaned back to study her expression. Spots of color had darkened her cheeks. Color that spoke of arousal, not panic. Exactly what he’d hoped to see.
“Was it?” she asked, hand fluttering over her heart.
“Yes.” And that was the truth.
“I would say . . .” She nibbled on her bottom lip, and his blood hummed with exhilaration.
Steady.
Another slow, luscious smile bloomed, lighting up her entire face. “I would say you owe me another point.”
A moment passed before her meaning sank in, and he nearly swallowed his own tongue. What a sneaky little vixen she was—a fact he liked. “What about you? What’s your