Since being reasonable wasn’t going to work, she lowered her voice and tried menacing. “I’ve got a skillet, and I know how to use it.”

His quick grin wasn’t the reaction she’d hoped for.

“That’s fine,” he said, turning. “Now you’re going to acquire skill with a traditional weapon.”

“I’m not—”

He spun back toward her, and shouted, “If you get hurt because you’re too damn stubborn to learn how to defend yourself, I will beat the shit out of you!”

Goaded by the unexpected verbal shove, she shoved back. “If you ever raise a hand to me, I will gut you!”

They stared at each other. She had that one moment for fear to zing through her as she realized she’d just threatened a Warlord Prince. Before she could move, his hands clamped on her waist. One quick toss in the air. As she came down, he wrapped his arms around her lower back and buttocks and spun her around and around.

“Ha! I knew you had it in you!” He laughed as he spun her.

“Stop!” Marian grabbed his shoulders. “Lucivar, stop!”

He stopped. Since the room was still circling, she clung to his shoulders. Her feet didn’t touch the floor, which put them eye to eye. With her heart pounding, she dared to look at him, hoping he wasn’t too angry with her.

He didn’t look angry at all. His eyes were lit with amusement, and he grinned at her as if she’d just done something wonderful.

Giving her a friendly squeeze, he said, “That’s my feisty hearth witch. Now give us a snarl. Say Grrrr.”

Heat flooded her face. She pushed at his shoulders, wanting to get down, wanting to get away. He just tightened his arms.

“I’m not putting you down until I get a snarl,” he said.

She looked away, mortified—and saw Tassle standing to one side, watching them. The wolf curled his lips, revealing an impressive set of teeth. After a moment, the lips relaxed. He waved the tip of his tail, then did the whole thing all over again.

She lowered her head, let her hair fall forward to hide her face. Great. Wonderful. A wolf was coaching her in how to snarl, and the man holding her off the ground . . .

She peeked at him. His grin had changed to that lazy, arrogant smile.

... would hold her like this all day if that’s how long it took to get what he wanted.

She took a breath. Blew it out.

As soon as she was free, she was going to hide in her room. He could fix his own meals, wash his own dishes. They’d just see how long he grinned about that.

She took another breath. Blew it out.