Choosing Theo: The Clecanian Series Book 1 Victoria Aveline (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📖

exposing the majority of her back. She could just imagine Theo running his warm palm over her bare back.

Now what to do with her hair? She knew Theo liked it to be loose but she thought an updo might work better with a backless dress.

“Over the shoulder it is,” she said and started haphazardly pinning her hair in place.

“I approve,” came a deep voice from the doorway.

Jade screamed, tumbling backward off the stool she sat on.

Theo laughed heartily, and she couldn’t help but smile at the sound.

Clutching her heart, she chuckled. “That wasn’t very nice.”

She returned to sit on the stool. “I don’t understand how someone who’s your size can move so quietly.”

He sauntered over to her, carrying a deep purple bag. “That’s my job, remember? If my targets saw me coming, I’d be out of work.”

Theo had always refused to talk about his job, and she’d learned not to ask questions. Why was he talking about it now? Did he finally trust her?

He crouched behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder and placing the small bag on her lap. “I have a present for you.”

She grinned at his reflection in the mirror and began rifling through the bag. She opened a small box to find the most stunning pair of earrings she’d ever seen. “They’re beautiful,” she said, holding one up in front of her.

The earrings were made of large, glittering green jewels more vibrant than emeralds. They were long and would dangle just above her shoulders when in place. A second strand of smaller jewels curved upward and would wrap around the edge of her ear from her lobe to her cartilage.

There was no needle on the end of the earrings but rather a very small magnet. All of Jade’s holes from piercings had healed in the magic tube weeks ago. Clecanians from Tremanta didn’t believe in those types of body modifications, or so Zikas had told her.

“I’m glad you like them,” he said, squeezing her arms.

“I love them. Is that what you went out to do today?” she asked, clipping one to her ear.

“Yes. I had to retrieve them from Asivva.” She gave him a questioning look. “They were my mother’s. A gift to her from my father. I never thought I’d have a wife to give them to, but Asivva convinced me to give them to her rather than sell them just in case.”

Jade eyes watered at the sweet gesture. He’d not only brought her a beautiful gift but a family heirloom. All her treasured belongings were still on Earth. He had no idea how much it meant to her to have a tie to a family now, even if she’d never met them.

Turning to look him in the eyes, her voice full of emotion, she said, “Thank you.”

He studied her face for long moments before rising. “We need to leave soon; I’ll go get changed.”

Jade dabbed at her eyes and continued to fuss with her hair. “Okay, I’m moving.”

He just keeps getting better, Jade thought as she finished getting ready and donned her dress.

As she hopped on one foot then the other, slipping on her sandals, she called out to him, “I’m ready!”

From just outside her doorway, he said, “There is no need to y—” His words died in his throat when he saw her.

She spread her arms. “You like?”

He gave her a predatory grin. “Your efforts weren’t in vain,” he joked.

“You haven’t even seen the best part yet.” She turned, watching him over her shoulder, and showed him the back of her dress.

His jaw slackened and he scrubbed a hand over his face.

Jade took in his formal attire. She didn’t know why but she’d been expecting a suit or a tux. The clothes on Clecania had been so normal for the most part. His outfit now reminded her that he wasn’t human.

His pants were black. The fabric like soft leather. His shirt was made out of the same silky material as her dress and flowed open at his chest. Hard charcoal plating covered the sides of his legs, arms and the tops of his shoulders. He wore a heavy cape, similar to those of Roman centurions, knotted at his shoulder. The outfit as a whole was sexy and dangerous and intensely alien.

“You look so handsome,” she breathed.

“We should go before you turn around again,” he said, grinning at her.

“Don’t wait up, Cebo!” Jade patted the annoyed-looking hound on his head and hurried to join Theo. “How far away is it?”

Theo guided her outside to a waiting floating vehicle. “Not far,” he said, gesturing for her to get in.

He sat opposite of her in the cab, reminding her of the first day they’d met. He’d been so angry and quiet then. Now he was angry and stoic. He sat stiffly and seemed to be lost in thought.

As the vehicle started moving, she crossed to sit next to him. Taking his hand, she asked, “Are you alright? Nervous?”

He glanced around, not meeting her eyes.

Maybe he is worried about me talking to other men.

“I probably won’t even be able to speak to most of them, remember?” She tapped the ear in which her translator had been implanted.

Theo gave her a tight smile. “I’m sure most if not all of the Tremantians attending have had their translators updated specifically to speak with you.” He glanced down at their joined hands and squeezed. “Others may not speak well of me tonight.”

“What will they tell me?” She grazed her hand over his jaw. “That you’re a brute?”

With a playful smile, she sat in his lap and kissed the corners of his mouth. “That you’re going to chase me down in the woods like an animal?”

His purring started, and she could feel the corners of his mouth lift in a smile.

“Will they tell me all about your temper and how at any moment you might rip off my clothes and have your way with me?”

He sucked in a breath when she reached down to stroke his length.

Sliding down his