Noticing how little she had picked up in her plate, Kaizan cut pieces of lamb meat in neat squares with a knife and fork and placed them on her plate. "Eat," he said, gazing in her eyes and dying to trace the pale blush that she so often got. She picked one piece with a fork and then raised it to her lips. As her lips wrapped around it, he stifled a groan seeing that flesh and those succulent lips in an O. His mind went to gutters thinking how his cock would look over there. And Olivia wasn't making it any better of him. She chewed the meat and lightly moaned with a sigh, appreciating how succulent it was. Kaizan found himself staring at her lips that were now glistening with oil.
"What are you looking at?" Ileus said with a raised eyebrow when Kaizan didn't reply to his question.
A muscle ticked in Kaizan's jaw and he pursed his lips in a thin line while shooting dark glare at him. "What was your question?" he asked, totally distracted by Olivia and completely annoyed by Ileus.
Ileus shook his head. "First cut the meat for me in the same way you did for her, then look at my lips while I chew it and then I might— I just might, repeat my question."
"Are you having some mental sickness?" Kaizan rumbled. As for Olivia, she was so embarrassed that she lowered her eyes on the plate and focused on a small crumb of bread that was on the corner as if that was a pearl from the depths of Zmjia.
Ileus shrugged. "Well then, I won't repeat it!"
Olivia coughed on the side in her hands, cleared her throat and in a soft voice said, "He said that why don't you send you men instead of going yourself."
"This!" Ileus commented. "This is called attention!"
Kaizan took a deep breath and prayed to God to let him spend the night without punching his friend. "No, I don't trust those men. My mother's grove deserves the best price. Tomorrow I will be asking them to load the wagons and will personally escort them to the market. In this season, I will get a great price for them. After all, my estate has the sweetest oranges." He wiped his mouth with a napkin and picked up his wine after having eaten sumptuously. It had been so many days since he enjoyed a hearty meal at home.
"But how is it possible that your groves are still producing oranges despite the cold weather?" asked Olivia, curling her legs below her for a more comfortable position. Kaizan gave her more pillow to prop herself up. Even though she had finished eating all the food.
Ileus grinned. "That's the magic of these fingers," he said, fluttering them in a dance-like movement. "I do it for Aunt Ookashi."
Olivia was sweetly surprised. A smile came on her lips as she felt impressed by Ileus. Seeing the way she looked at him, Kaizan's chest vibrated with a rumble. He removed the plate from her side and lay down. He put his head in her lap in a way that he faced her stomach and wrapped his arms around her waist. He inhaled her smell and closed his eyes.
The whole process made Ileus grunt and make noise as he had to move away the plates and the food tray to make place for him.
Olivia was stunned with the way Kaizan was in her lap. She wanted to touch him but feeling extremely coy of exhibiting her feelings in front of Ileus, she kept her hands to herself. Though her husband didn't have a speck of coyness.
"Tell me about your pack, Olivia," said Ileus, changing the topic. "Though there will be more talks about it tomorrow when Kaizan and others will be presenting the report to my father, but I would also like to hear from you."
Kaizan was now softly snoring in her lap. "What would you like to know, Your Highness?"
"Cut the highness part. You can call me Ileus. Tell me everything."
Olivia jerked her head back at his straightforwardness. She recovered a moment later and started. "Our pack is reeling under trade restrictions and there is paucity of food, especially amongst the families on the fringe. The war has brought many… problems." She lowered her gaze as a pain settled in her heart. She looked away from Ileus to hide her tears. And at this point of time, she didn't know if she was an enemy or a friend.
"I understand," Ileus replied. "I think it would be better if Kaizan reports it all to the king tomorrow. However, if you would like to meet Murtagh any time, let me know."
Olivia was shocked for the hundredth time in a short span of the night. Meeting their Alpha would be huge. "I will like that very much."
"Good!" Ileus brushed his hands and the food along with other things disappeared from there. "I will call it a night. See you both, tomorrow. You must accompany Kaizan to the market to sell the produce. That way you will learn about Silver Vales and your mind will be diverted too."
She nodded at the prospect, forgetting about the pain that was putting her at discomfort.
When Ileus got up, she also wanted to get up, but realized that Kaizan had gripped her too hard. Ileus chuckled. "That's fine. I, too, am very sleepy. Good night, Olivia."
"Good night," she replied politely. He walked out of the room and closed it softly behind him. Olivia looked at Kaizan and she threaded her fingers in his silky curls. She pulled the comforter up and covered them both with it before going off to sleep. Kaizan sensed it. He pulled her close to him and tightly wrapped his arms around her. He placed his legs over her in complete possession. Little did they know that before Ileus had left, he had placed a sleeping spell on the tired lovebirds.
At night—
