Aris: A Sexy Romance Novel (Thief of Hearts Series Book 1) by Elody Knight Read Free Book Online

plait that Saoirse had never seen before.  Her hands were crossed in her lap, her chin resting on her chest.  Aris took one of her hands in his, rubbing it gently,  “Mata.  Mata.  Wake up.  We’re home.” 
    The old woman started awake, “Oh!  Aris.”  she put her hands to his face,  “You’re home.” she smiled.  “Noah.” she stretched her hand out to him.  He came to her, taking her hand saying something in a language that she and Noah understood.  The little woman smiled.  She looked up at Saoirse stretching out her hand to her.  “Hello Saoirse.” 
    Saoirse was not sure how the woman knew her from Denise, but didn’t question it. 
    “Hello.”  she took the woman’s hand smiling back at her.
    Mata looked past Saoirse,  “Hello.”
    Denise smiled back at her, “Hello Mata.  I’m Denise.”
    “Oh.”  Mata said suddenly.  “It’s late.  You’re hungry?” she looked at Aris.
    “No Mata.  I ate on the plane.  It’s late.  Let me get Saoirse and Denise settled then I’ll take you home.”
    “I’ll take her, Aris.  You see to them.”  Noah reached out his hand to the little old woman helping her from the chair.  He wrapped her arm around his, walking at her pace, out of the house.
    “Guest rooms are already made up.”  Aris grinned, “Good thing because I certainly don’t know how to do it.” he picked up both their bags carrying them to the second floor.
    The hallway upstairs was square as it enclosed the courtyard below. 
    “You, ladies, are going to be right here at the top of the stairs across from each other.”  Aris took Denise’s bag into the room that looked out on the courtyard. 
    The room was done with white washed walls and bamboo flooring.  The overall decor had an up beat ‘roughing it’ feel without compromising any of the comfort.  Having set Denise’s bags down, he went across the hall to the room for Saoirse.  The decor wasn’t that much different.  Clean, neat, nothing fancy, with smooth bamboo flooring and natural colors throughout, but this room’s balcony opened to the ocean side.  A small dressing table sat against the wall that faced the ocean between the balcony door and the tall windows.  A tall dresser sat on the far wall where the bathroom was.  The third wall simply had a door in it that lead to the walk in closet which was large enough to be another bedroom by itself.  Aris set the bag down on the bed for her before opening the balcony doors. 
    “If you don’t mind, I’m going to bed.  I probably should have slept on the plane like Seers did!”  Denise waved to the two of them as she went back across the hall shutting the door.
    “Night Nise.” 
    Aris looked at Saoirse looking around the room.  “You didn’t need to pack anything.  Everything in here is for you.  If there is anything you need, let me know.”  Aris’s voice had that strange quality about it again that Saoirse couldn’t place.
    “Hungry?” Aris stood in the doorway.  “Kitchen’s this way.” 
    “Denise gets to bow out of eating but I don’t?” she looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
    “I thought we’d already had this conversation.  Denise ate with Noah and I several times on the plane.”
    “I heard.  Turkey with avocado something.”
    “Humor me.  Please?”
    Exasperated, she followed him down to the kitchen where he rummaged in the refrigerator,  “Any preferences?  Let me guess -- no.  How about anything you don’t want?”
    She shrugged her shoulders as she shook her head.  She wanted to tell him she honestly wasn’t hungry but somehow she figured that was going to go over about as well as it had on the plane.  Maybe she should have just blurted out Ben & Jerry’s Everything But..., it might have made him feel better.
    His head disappeared into the fridge again.  He was saying something but she wasn’t listening.  She wandered out beyond the steps of the outdoor room.  There was a hammock