CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“I don’t even know what to say, stud.” We stood on the front lawn of our home. My head kept shooting in all directions, my gaze up high to the trees. Because his property was in a forest. An actual fucking forest that hadn’t been blown to hell with the last war. “This is unbelievable.”
Rune jumped from foot to foot in front of me, an adorable grin plastered on his face. He hadn’t looked away from me since we exited his train. The man was taking in every expression I had. It was as if he was savoring it.
“I do have a question, though. How the hell do we get up there?”
Our home was a mansion spread out amongst the treetops. It blended amazingly well with the actual light bark hue of the trees. The windows with darkness behind them didn’t even glare under the moonlight, and where a light was left on, it cast magnificent shadows on the trees.
“This is a neat part,” Rune stated, grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind him. “Alaric helped me with the concept of the house, and then my company built it.”
Rune stopped in front of a large tree, and stated, “Rune Mason.”
The bark pushed out from the trunk and spread apart, sliding around the tree.
It revealed an elevator hidden inside.
My jaw dropped and my breath caught in my chest. “This isn’t a real tree?”
“No. It’s the only one that’s fake. But it looks fucking real, even in the sunshine.” He stepped inside the elevator, dragging my shocked form inside. There was one button, and he pressed it. “This is the only access from the ground for humans.”
I looked at him as we started traveling upward. “How often do you use it?”
Rune skimmed his finger along the metal paneling. A fine dust showed on the pad of his finger. He grinned and murmured, “Not as much as I probably should. And my cleaning lady is slacking.”
The elevator opened up to an oversized foyer. Just wide open space.
Everything was light-grained wood paneling—the floor, the walls, the ceiling.
And sporadically throughout the empty space, trees were growing up through the floor all the way into the ceiling.
Rune explained, “It gets cold in here in the winter, but past the entryway, it’s all closed off. This area is mainly for entertaining friends in the spring and fall.”
I walked beside him and ran my fingers over the tree limbs as we passed. “This is beautiful.”
“Thank you. But you haven’t seen anything yet.” He practically skipped forward. “Come on. I want to show you my favorite parts before you pass out. And I need to talk to you about something else. Don’t let me forget.”
His excitement was invigorating, so I swiftly slid up next to him.
We had walked through so many rooms before we stopped that I had to brace myself. This was my home now. My home with Rune. It was, at the same time, intimidating and fantastic.
Rune gestured grandly, “This is where I work from home. It’s my office. My own little nook in the world.”
I chuckled as I turned in a circle in the center of the room. “Meaning, no mate allowed.”
He smiled, and it was sexy crooked. “That depends on how many clothing items you have on when you enter.”
“Scoundrel,” I murmured. Then I pointed at your desk. “That…is a mess.”
“My space. Remember.” He winked. “And clothing isn’t required.”
I couldn’t stop the yawn that crept out of my mouth, and I spoke behind a fist, “What’s next?”
“Your space. And our bedroom. I don’t think you can take much more.”
“That’s a pretty solid point.”
He pulled me through four different rooms and down a long hallway. Then stopped, and stated quietly, “This is your space. You can furnish it however you like.”
“Whoa,” I breathed out in a rush. I strolled forward across the wood paneling floor to the large floor to ceiling windows. Stars twinkled out in the dark, blue night. “Rune?”
“Yes?” he asked hesitantly.
“Don’t worry, I love it.” I cleared my throat and peered at him over my shoulder. “Is this all a dream?”
He shook his head, a pleased smile forming on his lips. “No, beautiful. This is your life.”
I stretched my back before turning back around. “Okay, show me to the bedroom. I need a shower and a bed. If you didn’t have all of this, those would be my only requirements.”
Rune turned and bent at the knees. “It’s a haul there. Jump on.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I jumped aboard.
He walked us for ten minutes up stairs and down different hallways until we came to a stop inside a bedroom fit for royalty. Rune turned his head and peek at me out of the corner of his eye. The man-god asked gently, “What do you think?”
“Honestly? I think you spoil the shit out of yourself, but I’m not complaining. All that pre-emptive spoiling led to my being spoiled. I’ll take it, stud. You outdid yourself here.”
“There’s a balcony over here. It spans the entire length of the wall. When it’s nice outside, we can open the walls up. There’s no need for scenery pictures. We have it live.” Still holding me against his back, he stepped out onto the balcony. “See? It’s peaceful out here. We can be lazy and bask in the sun, and no one will bother us.”
I pressed my cheek against the side of his head while we stared out at the tops of trees and the immense expanse of the night sky. I whispered, “I think I found my prince.”
He snickered quietly. “That is my reminder for what I need to tell you.”
“Yeah?” A bird with a massive wingspan flew across the sky.
“Well, I went ahead and got you that job. If you still want it.” He held perfectly still.
My eyes widened. “Worried you’re stepping over boundaries?”
“Maybe a little. Are you mad or happy? Then I’ll know if I did the right thing.”
I grinned and watched another bird fly. “In the future, definitely double check with me. But this time, I’ll let it slide because I fucking want that job so bad.” I kissed the shell of his ear. “Thank you, stud.”
He cleared his throat. “Don’t thank me yet.”
“Why?”
“Um, you start tomorrow. The manager wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Fuck,” I groaned, letting my forehead rest on his shoulder. “I need to take the quickest shower ever, and then get to bed like six hours ago.”
Rune helped me down to my feet, and he pointed at a door on the other side of the room. “That’s the bathroom. I’ll grab a shirt for you while you’re in there.”
“Thank you, stud.” I went on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I promise tomorrow you’ll get your reward. As long as nothing else life changing occurs.”
He pushed me gently toward the bathroom. “Get going, beautiful. Your dream job awaits in the morning.”