I watch Alexis’ reflection in the mirror before me as she wheels and runs from the large bedroom we’re going to share for the next few months.

I’ve known Alexis for less than twenty-four hours, yet watching her has already become my favorite hobby. I’ve never encountered anyone who had such an open and expressive face, and yet revealed nothing.

I can’t wait to spend more time with her. To dig deeper and start unraveling the mystery of exactly who she is at her core, learning what makes her tick.

The memory of her body arching beneath my touch while the sounds of her low moans echo in my ears assaults me.

She might have looked like a buttoned up, eighteen-year-old ice queen when we first confronted each other – I glance at my Rolex – just a little under twenty-four hours ago. But in this case, looks are deceiving. Alexis is of the most responsive women I’ve ever encountered, and all we’ve done is engage in some light petting.

I can’t wait to dive in.

As I knot my tie, the bathroom door swings open and Alexis steps out. I turn away from the mirror and stare at her.

I’ve gone out with some of the most beautiful women in the world. Women who adorned themselves with the most haute couture fashions and draped ropes of pearls and flashing diamonds about their bodies. The sight of Alexis blows each of them out of my memory.

Shelly has never favored the baggy sweats most women wear when they want to crash on the sofa and watch movies, she’s always preferred the ones that skim her body.

Alexis is a few inches shorter than Shelly, has a couple of extra pounds on her, and from where I stand, each of those extra pounds is in exactly the right place. I can’t help but drink in her curves. The sight steals my breath away.

The lightweight, long sleeved pink shirt reveals the tantalizing curves of her breasts and stops just short of the waist band of the stone gray and electric blue pants which hug Alexis’s impressive hips and mouth-watering ass like a second skin.

The way she’s wearing her dark blonde hair in a messy knot on the top of her head office me her graceful neck – and I fight the urge to leave my mark on it. The pants pool around her bare feet while she wiggles her multi-colored toes.

I stare at her toes. Each one is perfectly manicured and painted a different color. Bright green, eye-popping orange, electric blue, dark purple, fire-engine red. Blood pools in my cock.

Strange, I’ve never been turned on by a woman’s painted toes before. But apparently, I’m a toe guy now.

Or just an Alexis guy…

Even without make-up and shoes, Alexis is the sexiest woman I’ve ever laid eyes on and she’s all mine, at least for the next few months.

I’d give my right arm for the ability to sweep her up in my arms and lay with her in my big, gorgeous bed, and spend the next twenty-four hours learning all the different ways I can make her come.

She grabs the bottom of her shirt and twists the hem around her hands. She stares at the ground, refusing to meet my eyes. “The clothes are too small. They’ll be all stretched and misshapen by the time I get them back to your sister.”

“I’ll buy her new ones.”

And order some in every color combination for Alexis at the same time.

“I, um, borrowed your toothbrush. It was either that or use my finger.”

“Anything that’s mine is now yours.”

For the first time since leaving the bathroom, she looks up from the floor. Her eyes sweep the room, taking in the expensive furniture, the tasteful knickknacks, my collection of fencing trophies, the pricy cufflinks I carelessly tossed on the floor.

“Including your toothbrush?”

“Especially your toothbrush.”

She gasps. “And what about that?” Her bare feet slap against the floor as she hurries across the room to the shelves near my bed. She gently removes a heavy jade statue that’s about the same size as her thumb.

Pride warms my chest. It’s one of my favorite pieces. That she homed in on it seems … fated somehow.

I move to stand beside her as she carefully examines the statue. “My grandfather gave that to me before my first fencing competition. Ever since, I always take it with me when I compete. I keep it in my bag.”

I’ve never told anyone, not even Tim or Roderick, about my talisman. I guess it’s my edge – and for a swordsman, that means a lot.

Alexis’s thumb brushes against the fencer’s tiny boots. “You keep it in your bag.” Her tone suggests I’m an idiot. “Do you have any idea what this is?”

I shrug. “It was a gift. There are a few artists in town who work with jade, I assume my grandfather purchased it from them.”

Alexis’s shakes her head and places the figurine in my hand. “I’d have to run some verification tests but I believe this was made by an elderly Eskimo artist who carved bits of Jade into various statues which he sold to tourists to help support his village.”

“It’s valuable?”

Alexis shrugs. “If I’m right, it’s worth about five grand. Probably more since you use it as a lucky charm. Collectors love that kind of thing.”

I look at the figurine. I’m not interested in where it came from. To me it’s still the same simple statue I’d been carrying around for more than half my life. No, the only thing I’m interested in is Alexis. The way she comes to life when talking about her passion.

That, I could listen to all day.

I return the jade figuring the shelf, the act shifting me slightly closer to Alexis’s warm body. I inhale the subtle scent of her strawberry shampoo and whatever floral perfume she put on last night.

Her breath quickens.

Almost of their own volition, my hand moves, my fingers find the narrow strip of skin. She shivers and moans. The line of her body softens.

Blood rushes to my groin and coherent thought flees. I crowd closer, edging her towards the big bed.

I want her. I want her right now, right here and nothing is going to …

A soft knock startles both of us and we wheel.

Eileen stands in the hallway, looking through the half-open door at us.

“Prince Lucas, I’m sorry to disturb you, but your mother sent me up. She wants to see you … and your,” she appears to search for the right word, “new wife. Now.”

Her eyes flick to Alexis and something flashes in her expression. It lasts just a second, not long enough for me to put a name to it, but whatever thought darted across her mind makes me want to put myself between her and…

My new wife.

Weird, I’ve never been the protective sort before so why now? It’s not as if Eileen poses any kind of threat. In the three years, she’s worked as my mother’s assistant, I’ve never seen anything ruffle her feathers.

“We’re ready.”

Or will be as soon as my cock relaxes, anyway. I take a few deep breaths and force my mind away from Alexis and all the fun we’re not having. Cold showers, road kill, fencing moves.

I reach down and tuck Alexis’s hand into the crook of my elbow. All I’ve seem to have done since meeting her is push, pull, or carry her. It’s time she learns that I’m capable of behaving like a gentleman from time to time.

“Ready,” I inject as much warmth and encouragement into my voice as possible. It’s not easy. I’m not sure what the immediate future has in store for us.

She takes a shaky breath. “What did the grape say after a hippopotamus stepped on it?”

And we’re back to the weird jokes. Thanks to Tessa’s explanation, I now know that they’re a side effect of Alexis’s anxiety, but I still don’t get them. Hell, I don’t know if I’m supposed to answer or not.

But I kind of like it.

Alexis waits a beat before continuing. “Not much, just a little wine.”

She’s looking up at me, giving me the distinct impression she wants me to say something.

I don’t know what she wants from me. Her jokes are, cute, I guess, though a bit unexpected, but they’re not the type that makes the average adult roar with laughter, at least I don’t think so.

“Interesting,” is the best I can come up with.

Disappointment flashes in her eyes before she looks away. Now, how was I supposed to handle the joke. It’s not like I knew the punch line.

Unsure what to do, I choose to ignore the issue and guide her out of the room.

Time to face the music.