Oasis of Eden Read Online Free

than before and took her by the elbow, showing her the way.
    Havliah jerked out of Elydian’s grip and stumbled a few steps forward. Her eyes narrowed at Jade as she past.
    Lothar-Canute chuckled.
    “Ass,” Havliah murmured.
    “Whore,” he shot back.
    “Enough.” Elydian growled at them and turned back to Jade.
    Without a word, he parted the curtain in a blatant invitation for her to enter.
    Jade had two choices: she could refuse his arrogant, unspoken invitation, or she could step through the portal of his tent and thank him in any way he deemed worthy for getting Lothar-Canute off her tail, chest, or whatever she was inadvertently presenting to him at the time.
    What a conundrum. Were she to give in and enter his lair, she’d probably experience the petting of a lifetime—and by the look in his eyes, that was exactly what would occur. Gads, Elydian’s hands seemed twice the size of her own. Liquid desire pooled in her belly. Before her better judgment, which had been dormant for many a semester, reared its head, she swept beneath his arm and into the tent.

 
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
     
    “Omari?” The hairy vermin, Lothar-Canute, stepped forward and addressed Elydian, glancing over his shoulder. Havliah was well out of hearing range.
    “Yes?” Elydian said, reigning in his impatience.
    “When you have tired of your new guest, I would be glad to host her in my tent.”
    “Do not anticipate the opportunity too soon, Lothar. Take Havliah or one of the others. I do not plan on tiring of this one for quite some time.”
    Elydian turned from Lothar into his tent, hoping he comprehended the dismissal.
    He stopped short, his gaze scanning the inside of his sitting room. Had the Lambish slipped away? “Where—?”
    Deep in a corner of his tent, the girl whipped around. Her silky-looking, dark brown hair wrapped around her neck and shoulders with the action, her hand holding fast to the neck of his water decanter. He dragged his fingers over his scalp at the sight of her. Was she some sort of royalty? Smooth, pale skin covered every inch of her exposed body, and the lushness taunted him—dared him to reach out and touch it. Only the wealthy carried themselves so, and no family he knew produced daughters whose heads reached only as high as his chest. There was a slim chance that she was but a child. If this was the case, he’d personally escort her back to her family and request they send her back to him when she became of age.
    He shook himself out of his thoughts and strode toward her. “Are you thirsty?”
    She nodded. “Yes. This is a party isn’t it?” She removed the stopper and sniffed. Her sweet little nose wrinkled briefly between her big, fern-green eyes. “Where’s the—what’s the word for alcohol?”
    Elydian regarded her and her strange words. He was at once convinced of her womanhood, now that he could observe her up close in the light of the lamp. Unbelievably supple-looking in all the right places, she gazed up at him expectantly.
    He couldn’t wait to get his hands on her. “I don’t have any al—or whatever it is you are looking for. I only have water.”
    A comical expression marred her lovely features, then vanished. “Well, if I must.”
    He chuckled and pulled his gaze from her full, pouting lips. He liked that she was not afraid of him like so many others. No. No fear, only a sassy insolence that further intrigued him. Stepping forward, he poured her a measure of water and handed it to her. She murmured her thanks and tossed it back as if avoiding the taste. It seemed she was just as eager for him as he was for her. It would be the reason she rushed through her refreshment.
    Elydian took the goblet from her and set it back upon the table. He doused the lamp flames and he turned to her. “You may take your clothes off now.”
    * * * *
    “Excuse me?” Horsefeathers, this fella moves fast.
    He grinned. “My apologies.”
    “That’s more like it,” she murmured.
    He