Savage King: New Worlds - Milly Taiden Page 0,13

the moment as she stared at the work of art within touching distance.

Was she fantasizing and lost in her own head? “Hey, Lil, Daph, you guys seeing this?”

“Yeah,” Lilah squeaked. Her two cousins had stopped.

The man’s body was perfect. A soft brown, just like hers. Black hair hanging in wet strands around his chiseled jawline. His teeth were freaking dazzling.

He glanced at her feet, one with a shoe and one without. Then he lifted his hand in which he held her other shoe. She gasped. She saw his mind put two and two together, and he gently cupped his hand around the back of her ankle and slid the shoe on, so her toes slipped under the flip-flop loops.

His hand was chilled from the water, but heat from his touch warmed her like nothing else ever had. She felt like Cinderella at the end of the story with Prince Charming putting the flip-flop on her foot while the two stepsisters gazed on in jealousy. Her heart was stolen. Yes, he was perfect for Prince Charming.

“Thank you,” she managed to get out. “I didn’t know where I lost it.”

When he spoke, the timbre in his voice sent chills down her back. So deep and rich. Too bad she didn’t have the slightest idea what he said. Her thoughts about being somewhere in the Amazon were looking more possible. His little loincloth/diaper outfit matching exactly what she’d think a native would wear.

She smiled and he stopped talking, just staring at her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your language. But thank you for finding my shoe.” She pointed to her shoe and lifted her foot. He continued to stare, unmoving in the water.

“Um,” Wren said, glancing at her girlfriends down the way, “I have to go. We’re looking for help.” She got her feet under her and when she put pressure on her injured foot, pain jabbed her lower leg again, and she sucked in a sharp breath, hopping onto her other foot.

In a blink, Mr. Stunning eyes and body was out of the water and lifting her into his arms, cradling her against him. Her arm ended up around his neck, and her other hand against his chest. His flesh was hot despite the cool water he’d been in. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

Was this for real? No, she had to be dreaming of her next book. Stunning men didn’t come out of the water and scoop her up into their muscular arms. Then he pulled her closer as if to kiss her. And she was sure as shit going to let him. Just like she would write it.

Except instead of kissing, he leaned his head to her shoulder and sucked in a huge breath, filling his chest pressing against her.

Hmm. She’d never been sniffed before. She wasn’t sure if it was romantic or scary. He pulled back and his eyes were hazy. He whispered beautiful garble to her. “Vi estas mia edzino kaj mi por ĉiam protektos kaj amos vin.” It sounded so sexy and relaxing. She wondered what he’d said.

He carried her toward her friends. She could barely take her eyes from him to glance at them. When she did, she giggled. Both girls stood with wide eyes and open mouths, staring at her Prince Charming.

He gave them a nod and said more words. Her cousins looked at her. “Do you know what he’s saying?” Daphne asked.

She scowled. “You know I don’t speak anything but a few words of Spanish.”

Daphne’s star-struck gaze turned back to him. “Only the cuss words you picked up at school.” Wren rolled her eyes. That was not true. . .completely.

Everybody stood silently staring at each other. Well, if this wasn’t awkward. Just showed that no matter where she was, being around a gorgeous man dropped her IQ fifty points.

She wiggled in his arms. “You can put me down—”

“Ne,” he gruffed out, tilting his head to the left. More words flowed out as his arms smashed her to him. Okay then. She’d stay right where she was. Who was she to tell the hunk to not touch her?

Lilah looked at her. “Ask him if he knows where we can find help.”

Her eyes popped wide. “Me? I don’t know his language any more than you do.”

Daphne grinned. “Yeah, but clearly he likes you for some reason.”

She wasn’t sure she would call this “liking.” It verged on the cusp of creepy.

“Jes,” he said with a head tilt to the right.

With surprise, the