Taming of the beast - Completed.

Chapter Nine

A knock at her bedroom door drew Callie Carson across and answered surprised by the sight of Riyad on the other side, holding an extra blanket in his arms. She stepped aside. "We are in for a cold front. Not a storm as such, just a drop in temperature." Surprise by his arrival and his concern yet had seen his good heart and he had shown her often he actually cared.

"Thank you but it's already warm enough," she followed him across to the bed, where he flicked out the extra-large, thick blanket of silvery grey over the bed.

"I can't allow my cook to get sick, can I now?" There was a teasing note to his tone. Something she was hearing more and more, his bark down to a gentle yap, not that he was yappy, far from it.

"Although not your favourite?" she dared, running a hand over the super softness and silkiness of the blanket. "This is to die for," she purred sitting down upon the softness. She had never felt anything like it before in her life. "I'd be warm as toast," she smiled up at him, who stood there, arms crossed, legs apart, staring at her as if she was an unknown quandary in his life.

Yes, she wouldn't be his usual taste in a companion, she'd bet. "I did have a wonderful day today. I'm so glad you could get away as well for a while." She brought up her legs, sitting cross-legged on the bed, leaning back on her hands.

It was an enormous room, accommodating a large four-poster bed with a canopy high above, thick curtains draped down the sides. The bed itself swallowed her up. Had her own writing desk, sitting area, and sofa, and open fireplace that had never been lit. She glanced across at it and he followed her direction.

"Sorry, it cannot be used. I would hate for you to be smoked out. For all, I know it could be blocked." Raking a hand through his hair. "I have only had the fireplaces serviced in the rooms that were been used."

She could understand that, such a pity. Having a roaring fire going at night would've been amazing. "Why did you buy such a big place? I mean," she stumbled as he arched a brow at her then sighed. "None of my business. It's just if I had a place like this I would bring it back to her formal glory."

"Yes, I gather that by your behind the scenes activity," he eased down at her side. Guilt flushed her cheeks. "Do whatever you want, Callie."

Her eyes glowed. "Really? I want to wash the curtains, get rid of the rugs, and reveal the stunning floorboards. Have you seen them?"

"I did not buy this place for its boards," he smiled easing back across the bed, on his side; she joined him, resting an arm under her head that they were almost nose to nose.

"You didn't?"

"No," he tapped her small tipped nose. "I brought it because it suited my needs."

"The foxes?"

"They were an added bonus."

"They are so adorable," her heart melted at the thought of them. "How can anyone see them as vermin? It's just their nature to hunt and kill for survival." He gave her a strange look. "What?"

"Hunting and killing. I'm surprised you even acknowledge such things."

"I have done my research via the internet, thanks to you," she beamed at him. He reached across tucking hair behind her ear.

"Is that what you do, Callie Carson? Research to understand? Come to the study tomorrow and I would give you what you need to know about the history of this place. There are volumes of it."

Callie's mouth dropped open, with an incredulous stare. "You mean the family sold up and didn't take their family history with them!" she grabbed at her top with a hand, crunching tightly to her chest. "That's terrible."