Challenging Saber by S. E. Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

bedroom pink again,” she threatened, staring at him with a decided smirk on her face.
    “I hate pink,” he muttered, his lips twitching again. “And gnomes.”
    Taylor raised her eyebrow. “Wait until I add the goblins and spiders,” she threatened.
    “You are a cruel female,” Saber hissed.
    Taylor smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m not,” she retorted in a quiet voice. “I’m a star who knows what she wants.”
    “And what is that?” Saber asked in a husky tone.
    “I want my old Saber back,” she whispered, staring into his eyes.
    Saber’s eyes shuttered and he pulled back on the controls. Turning around, he steered the airbike back in front of the windows. After several minutes of silence, he finally spoke.
    “The old Saber is gone, Taylor,” he murmured. “Go home. One day a warrior fit to protect you will come; accept him when he does.”
    He heard Taylor rise up off the lone piece of furniture in the house besides the bed in his bedroom. She walked over to him and pressed a kiss to his neck. He curled his fingers around the arms of the airchair to keep from pulling her into his lap.
    “I’ll see you tomorrow, Saber,” Taylor whispered in his ear before she straightened and walked back to collect her belongings. “Oh, and for the record, I’ve already picked the warrior I want. He just needs to get his head out of his ass long enough to realize it. Bye!”
    Saber didn’t say anything. Releasing the breath he had drawn in, he reached up and touched the spot on his neck that he swore felt like it was burning. Dropping his hand back down, he turned the airchair toward the one room that Taylor hadn’t been in. The door opened as he drew close.
    Inside was a training room that he had installed while Taylor was in school. Pulling the chair up to the side of one of the benches, he slowly scooted forward and grabbed the bar along the side. He pulled himself up, forcing his shaking good leg to remain stiff until he could turn and sit down.
    “Spiders,” he whispered with a chuckle as he began his nightly workout. “I really hope she wasn’t talking about real ones.”
     
     

Chapter 7
    Present day:
    “I’m going over to Saber’s house. I might be back later,” Taylor hollered as she grabbed her jacket and slid it on before picking up her backpack.
    “Taylor, are you sure you should?” Jesse asked with a worried smile. “I overheard him telling Hunter to keep you away from the house.”
    Taylor rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Okay, then I’m going down to the Quikie Mart for an iced coffee,” she said.
    “Where is this Quikie Mart? I have never heard of it,” Hunter said, walking up to wrap one arm around Jesse and their five-year-old son, Lyon while holding one-year-old Leila in his other arm.
    “Quikie Mart! Quikie Mart! I want to go to the Quikie Mart!” Lyon demanded.
    Jesse snorted, drawing a giggle from Lyon who reached for her mouth. Taylor’s expression softened at the lovable little boy who had the entire household wrapped around his small fingers. Pulling her hair out from her jacket, she leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss against Lyon’s soft cheek.
    “That’s because those were only on Earth,” Jesse responded in a dry tone. “She’s going over to Saber’s house.”
    Taylor could feel Hunter’s eyes narrow on her stubborn expression. She didn’t care what he said, she was going – period. She was an adult now. She didn’t need to ask his permission to do anything.
    “Taylor,” Hunter started to say, but stopped when Taylor turned away.
    “He needs me, Hunter,” Taylor said in a quiet voice. “You know it and so do I.”
    Her shoulders relaxed when she heard his sigh of resignation. A smile tugged at her lips. That was what she loved about the Trivators, they were big bad teddy bears when it came to the women they loved. She knew deep down that Saber loved her. He just needed to understand that she loved him back to the very core of her soul and