Bride of the Moso Prince (4 page)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Get on!” The rider commanded as he got off the vehicle. He was a head taller than she was.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Pardon me?” Sharon was so startled that she could utter nothing else.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Hurry up! Rain’s coming!” It was a deep masculine voice. The sound of it struck a chord in her body and the resonance made her tremble again.
As if being hypnotized, she was about to succumb to
command
and get on his bike…until she saw his hand reaching eagerly for her luggage.
She came to her senses: s
he had seen good-looking, charming thieves in movies and on TV.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“It doesn’t mean I’ll get on your bike!” She looked away from him, afraid her eyes would betray her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He was taken aback for a moment but smiled at once.
 
“I don’t see you have any other choice.” He took hold of her suitcase and lifted it onto the back seat.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Wait!” She held on to her suitcase desperately. The smile was irresistibly charming and it alarmed her. She shouted, “If you’re trying to rob me, you’re making a big mistake. My help is on his way.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It was an effective attempt and the man put down her luggage.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Then he straightened his long and masculine torso and looked down at her under the broad-brim hat. His lips curved up beautifully but contemptuously.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Unfortunately I am your help,
Miss
Snow!
”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miss Snow? Sharon frowned briefly and then
dared a mocking smile at him, “
Nice try. B
ut no, I’m not Miss Snow, neither am I Miss Rain.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Was she really the warm-hearted big sister that he had come to pick up? Nobul squinted at the almond shaped brown eyes under the thin, arched eyebrows.
So crystal clear. If they were warmer and softer, it would feel really good to be stared by them. But no, they were icy cold at the moment, and they made him shiver. After s
ilently observing her for a moment, he detected the vulnerability
distrust
in those
cold
eyes. He smiled
: of course,
she was waiting for U
rcher's truck!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Another devastatingly charming smile that
would put a prudent woman off her guard,
Sharon inhaled deeply to battle her agitation. What did this handsome stranger want from her?
Her luggage or her?
Could he be a bride-kidnapper? But this man in front of her was far from being either poor or ugly. And she bet he could have a dozen brides if he wanted to. Sudden she remembered that Snow was the Chinese translation for Sharon. Could he be Urcher? But he wasn’t driving a truck. Besides, Urcher was supposed to be amicable. And this guy was certainly not.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As she was thinking the man pulled out his cell phone.
 
“Hello, Summer? Has my mother spoken to you? Good. Listen, your sister doesn’t want to go with me.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He handed the phone to Sharon and Sharon took it with a moment’s hesitation. Who was Summer?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Charlene’s voice was on the phone, “Sharon?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Yes, Charlene?” Sharon spoke in English, “How are you feeling, sis?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I’m fine, Sharon. What about you? Are you tired?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“No I’m not. But listen, Charlene, who is this arrogant mule? Don’t tell me this is Urcher?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Hush, Sis,” Charlene pleaded on the other end, “he understands English. He is Nobul, Urcher’s brother.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Darn,” Sharon blushed as she was aware of the piercing gaze of the man on her side. She walked a few steps away, “
He heard it. Now
I have one more reason not to go with him.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“But Urcher took the truck to transport lumber. It was a sudden change of plan on the seller’s side. I’ve just found out from his mother. He wouldn’t be back until late tonight.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Are there hotels in town that where I could stay a night?” Sharon mumbled, knowing how ridiculous it sounded.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“But I’m dying to see you, Sharon. Don’t worry. Nobul is not as formidable as he appears.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sharon thrust the phone back to Nobul’s hand. She wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding but decided not to. After all, it wasn’t all her fault. He hadn’t introduced himself properly.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Without further questions, Nobul lifted the suitcases to the back seat
.
 
“Seems like you plan to live here for awhile,” he said while fastening her luggage on the seat with an elastic rope.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Not at all,” Sharon answered, “Most of the things are for my sister.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Oh? Let me guess. Corn flakes, raisins, and honey cashews.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“
Good guess
.”
Sharon smiled embarrassedly
. She had sent these items to Charlene over the months, but this time, she hadn’t had time to visit the grocery store. They were books that Charlene had asked her to send her over a month ago.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“More books?” He looked amused. “Half of her room is filled with books.”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

             
Sharon knew he wasn’t exaggerating. Back home, Charlene had filled their garage with books.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“By the way, my name is Sharon, not Snow.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I know. But I prefer Snow. It sounds better, don’t you think?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
What? Sharon was stunned by that haughty comment. “What do you mean you prefer? It’s my name!”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nobul grinned, “But I do the calling.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“How
would
you like it if I call
ed
you Devil?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He laughed unexpectedly.
“
Devil?
I like it. Much better than my other nickname.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Which is?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Prince.”