Intent on His claim (Beauty and the Beast #3)

Chapter 4

Warren leaned back, his arm around me as he watched his family with a lazy smile on his face and sipped his juice. "Mother, where is my pie?"

"How can you think of pie when we haven't even had cake?" Roger mumbled.

"Okay Ash, light the candles," her mother ordered.

She did as told and Warren blew out nineteen candles.

"What did you wish for?" Kyle asked and Veronica shot him a look.

Warren just grinned wickedly and Kyle rolled his eyes. We had cake and Warren stole most of my piece. After we ate we played games like Monopoly and card games. It was Scrabble that Veronica loved most. She laughed like an angelic child all through it, squealing when she won.

Finally, Veronica announced, "Okay, moving on. High points of Warren's year. You get two each. We'll start with... Ashley," she decided.

"Okay," she giggled. "When he took me shopping in Paris and," she paused, thinking, "oooh! When he played my song at prom." She smiled at him. "Thanks."

I'd caught on to the game and frowned - we could go that far back? - as Veronica prompted, "Kyle?"

Kyle grunted and sat up straight. "His bravery in the Ringer mountains rescue and his hard work in clearing Simon's name."

"Roger?" Veronica went on as I wondered who Simon was.

"When I got to reach wicked speeds with his new sports car," Roger grinned wolfishly.

"Warren!" Veronica turned accusing eyes on her son.

"Wicked' is a term that's open to interpretation, I assure you," Warren soothed.

"Go on," she prompted Roger with a pout.

"And for bringing me home when I got hurt in the forest."

"Okay, me next. Getting Belle back certainly tops my list," she announced, daring anyone to challenge her. "And of course, the new car he got me. The one that basically drives itself. It's very handy," she added as we laughed. "Belle?"

I felt all eyes on me and squirmed, tucking my hair back. I was beginning to understand that this was a show of appreciation for Warren, showing him that his thoughtfulness and help had not gone unnoticed. "Um, I guess when he composed my lullaby and all the million times he's gotten me out of trouble." Whew, I'd survived this!

"Although he's usually the one who gets you into it," Ashley muttered.

"I vote that Belle adds two more points," Warren suddenly said and I stared.

"Why?" Kyle asked.

"As it is her first time, she must get in the mood for tradition."

"Can't you prove Ashley wrong just once?" I glared. "Okay, um... Oooh! When he suffered through a whole case of fairytales just for Jenny's project and," I looked up into his eyes and smiled, "when he convinced me again that he loves me."

He flashed my favorite smile as Roger cooed and Ashley jabbed Roger in the ribs.

"Okay, your turn Warren."

"Both prom dances - although I seem to be the only one who found pleasure in them," he said drily and I blushed. "And just being present in this very moment, with all I love in the same room, celebrating my life with me."

Veronica melted then seemed to snap out of it. "Okay, now it's time to see the highs - and lows - of your life so far."

Ashley clapped her hands in glee as Warren raised his eyes heavenwards and groaned, "Mother!"