Read Online Garden of Serenity by Nina Pierce - Free Book Online

now silhouetted in the fabric and moved tantalizingly as she paced the small space. “The water will help drown out our voices, but I suggest you keep that raging storm of yours to a dull rumble.”
    She didn’t slow her pacing. Several times she paused and stared at him, her mouth opening as if to speak, but then closing with an audible snap and she paced some more. Dark tendrils had escaped from her long braid, framing the confusion pinching her brow and pouting those very kissable full lips. She wrung her hands and sputtered under her breath. Her nervousness created a charming picture that warmed his heart. He couldn’t have been happier that this woman who had been prophesied to find him was no timid mouse. His joy bubbled out of him in a rolling laugh that echoed off the tiles.
    She stopped moving and stared at him, planting her fists on her full hips. “What on earth could be so funny? I don’t think any of this is humorous.”
    “You, Jahara. Just you.”
    “What about me?”
    “You’re fluttering around as if you’ve got bugs crawling on your skin and I find your nervousness over your first mating … cute.” Something sparked in the depths of her eyes and he had no doubt it was fear. Concern softened his voice. “You’ve never been with a man, have you?”
    She flinched but recovered quickly, her eyes shuttering any emotion. “I don’t believe that’s any of your business.”
    Hope soared. He’d lost track of her in the confusion after the demonstration. It had been a pipe dream that she hadn’t been with a man yesterday. But this beautiful creature didn’t have to admit the truth. He saw it in the way she worried her trembling fingers and stiffened her spine. He wanted to gather her in his arms and comfort her, let her feel the strength of a man. But she wasn’t ready to accept that from him and Brenimyn willed himself to stay put. He dropped his hands to the edge of the sink, hoping the relaxed posture would ease the tension knitting her brow.
    “Jahara, it is my business. You see, I’m leader of the male breeding stock and primary breeder responsible for training. When one of the partners for the first mating …” He paused. When she didn’t refute his statement, his pulse jackhammered. He would be her first. “It’s part of my responsibilities to replace the breeder.” Of course Ishawny’s partner wouldn’t be home puking his guts out if Brenimyn hadn’t laced the man’s noon meal with the vile medicine he’d stolen from his friend’s bag of herbs.
    “But you’re Kylie’s mate. Even I know I can’t usurp another woman’s claim on a breeder.”
    The woman was nothing if not thorough in her understanding of the Garden’s hierarchy. “That is true. But my position nullified that rule.” That was a complete lie. Any breeder could have taken his place. Brenimyn had had to do some quick sidestepping to get around Kylie’s vehement protests. But his need to be with this woman had pushed him to act recklessly. He needed to know if the connection he’d felt arc between them yesterday had been real or a figment of his overzealous imagination. He’d put his plan in action the moment he’d found out she’d requested a breeding guide.
    Jahara stared at him, her doe eyes full of confusion and fear. “Why have you come to me?”
    Now that was a loaded question. One he couldn’t answer without scaring her. Jahara definitely wasn’t ready for complete honesty. “I’m responsible for making sure the first copulation is pleasant.”
    She turned from him, her voice barely above a whisper. “Perhaps we don’t need to do this tonight? You see, I’m already committed to another.” Jahara waved her ring finger in the air.
    His heart sank. He wanted to believe the piece of jewelry was nothing more than a ruse. Jahara wouldn’t have been the first woman to wear a commitment band to keep the breeding to a minimum.
    When he didn’t respond she turned back to him. “Brenimyn, I