She's No Faerie Princess by Christine Warren Read Free Book Online Page B

thebedroom, Jake had managed to find and immerse himselfin a college basketball game, and Fiona was sevenseconds and half a breath away from climbing theapartment's Spartan walls.
    "You know, if you add short bursts of jogging every quarter mile or so, you'll get a better cardiovascular workout."
    Fiona kept pacing, but she still managed an irritatedgrumble in the werewolf's direction. "If I'm bothering you,feel free to call me a cab. I'll be out of your hair before themeter starts running."
    "Right. Sorry, but I'm really too young to die. Besides, if my uncle kicks my ass hard enough that I miss my statistics exam tomorrow, my mom will be happy to finish me off." He grinned at her. "You're hot, but you're not worth facing the wrath of a Lupine mother paying NYU tuition."
    "Gee, thanks. I see charm runs in your family." Tightening her mouth to keep him from seeing her almost smile, she turned away and went back to pacing. He was a cute kid all right, or he would be if he'd just stop being so uncooperative. Kind of like his uncle, who was way too sexy for her peace of mind when he wasn't being a

    stubborn jerk.
    "What did you do to piss him off anyway?"
    Tugged away from her thoughts, Fiona turned back to thesofa and frowned at Jake. "What are you talking about?"
    "My uncle. What did you do to piss him off? He looked
    ready to chew metal when he went to bed."
    "You mean that wasn't just his normal sunny disposition?" She shrugged. "I think he objects to my breathing the air of 'his' city. But he's gonna have to learn to deal."
    Jake raised an eyebrow, his amber gaze much tooinsightful for the pup he was. "Not that it's my place togive advice to a princess, but just so you know, he canget even crankier when he thinks you're beingdeliberately disobedient. Trust me. I speak fromexperience."
    "Okay, number one, what is this obsession you folk have with idiotic titles? And letter b, in order for me to be 'disobedient,' your uncle would need to have some kind of authority over me that required me to obey. Which is, by the way, a four-letter word. I don't do obedience."
    The werewolf's bark of laughter stopped Fiona mid-pace. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him herunamused look.
    "Sorry," Jake chuckled. "It's just that for someone who seems to be touchy about being called a princess, you sure don't have a problem acting like one."
    "Oh, shut up."

    Jake grinned and focused back on the game, while Fionabrooded at the reflection of his good cheer in thetelevision screen. Obnoxious brat. That had solidified thefamily resemblance. Two damned werewolf peas in apod. But at least the pup didn't get her hormones raging. Which would have just been weird. And kind of creepy. Itwas bad enough that she should lust after Walker, inspite of his nasty attitude. Was that kinky? Did that makeher some sort of masochist? Maybe heading back to Faerie was a good idea after all.
    "Not to be all nosy or anything, but what are you doing here in the first place? I thought Fae weren't allowed on this side of the veil without the queen's permission."
    " Not   to be all nosy?" He just nodded and kept grinning. Fiona sighed. "It's really none of your business, but I was trying to get away and relax. Fat lot of good that's done me."
    "What did you need to get away from? Tiara too tight?"
    She gave him a look that should have eviscerated him.
    He winked at her. She beat back the urge to strangle him.
    "Not what. Who. Though now I think I just traded in oneform of torture for another. Your uncle could give myentire family a run for its money, and I didn't think thatwas possible."
    "Yeah, well, running things is kind of my family's specialty." He flipped off the remote control and resettled on the sofa facing her. "So who in your family drove you off?"
    "Are you sure you're Lupine? 'Cause you're as curious as
    any cat I've ever met." She sighed and dropped onto the

    sofa next to him, since it didn't look like he was