Rumplestiltskin by Jenni James Read Free Book Online Page A

as shocked as she was. He could feel it too!
    A bit flustered, she rushed out, “What were you called before the ah—the accident.”
    “Curse. It was a curse.”
    “Very well. What were you called before the curse?”
    She held her breath as he took in all of her features, much as the king had. She wondered for a small moment if he too thought she was beautiful. He was obviously weighing his answer as she implored him with her looks to reveal his secrets. However, he grinned and shook his head, bringing a bit of easiness back into their exchange and said, “It does not matter what my name was then, does it? All that matters is who I am now. And I am most definitely nothing but a Rumplestiltskin.”
    She took a deep breath, abdicating the conversation to him. There was no reason to push the issue further. “Well, hello there, Rumple. I am very pleased to meet you.” She withdrew the hold from his hand and immediately took it up again to shake.
    * * *
    When he turned her wrist within his hand and brought it quite properly up to his rather nice lips, she giggled—her eyes sparkling mischievously down at him. “Thank you for asking, though,” he said. “I do appreciate the gesture.”
    He watched as a flash of something flicked across her face, but then she smiled again and answered, “You are most very welcome.”
    “Now, can we partake of some food?” He chuckled at her look. “I only ask because I assume you are more famished than I. Knowing the king as I do, he has probably neglected to send you up some nourishment, and if we are going to be awake all night spinning this straw into gold, we will most definitely need something to keep our vigor going strong.”
    “I—uh—you—?”
    “Yes?”
    “Halt! I cannot follow all of this train of thought quite so quickly. Can you step back a pace or two and tell me again about the part of spinning the straw into gold first? You say we will be doing it?”
    “Well, of course! That is why I am here, is it not?”
    She choked. “Is—is it?”
    “Well, that is why I came.”
    “Truly?” She grasped his hand tighter. “You are not jesting?”
    “No. I am quite purposely here to help you, my lady.”
    She brought his hand up to her mouth, her shoulders shaking greatly, as she processed all he was saying. Aubrynn’s eyes darted back and forth between each of his as she asked, “You honestly can do this? You—you can change straw into gold?”
    “Yes. It took me some time but I finally figured out how while you were sleep—”
    She rushed forth, interrupting his tiresome monologue and kissed him quite soundly upon the lips.
    It was not quite the kiss Rumple had always imagined experiencing with a beautiful maiden—especially with her sobbing, incoherent mutterings and salty tears, but who was he to complain?
    Without another thought he wrapped his arms quite tightly around the girl and kissed her back. He was not sure when another such opportunity would arise, and so of course decided it was best to make the most of it.
    And sob Aubrynn did. Great heaving sobs upon the poor man’s mouth, neck and chest and mouth again. “Thank you,” she muttered at the end. “Thank you. Just thank you, so very, very much.” She pulled back a bit and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her dress and her fingertips, his arms still holding her tight. “How will I ever thank you?”
    “Ahem.” A couple of surprise laughs burst forth from him before he stated, “I think you all ready have.”
    Embarrassed and a bit disconcerted, she broke from his hold completely. “I am sorry. It seems that is all I will be saying to you, is how sorry I am. But I am terribly sorry for accosting you just now. I do not know what came over me. Honestly, I am a much more calm person—not prone to such emotional outbursts and behavior as you have seen.”
    “Yes, so you have told me before. However, I do find it hard to believe.”
    Aubrynn flushed. “Please do not tease me. I am sorry to