The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (3 page)

~~

When Wei entered, Daiyu glared at him, folding her arms across her chest. “What do you want, Wei? Haven’t you and your father done enough damage to my father and me?”

“Daiyu, I know you overheard our conversation. You must know how deeply sorry I am for the grave injustice you endured. I am here to ask your forgiveness and to give you this.” Wei inched closer to her holding out a small velvet covered box.

Daiyu lifted her chin, her voice rich with disdain. “I am uninterested in either your apology or your gift.”

A wicked grin tugged at Wei’s mouth. “Hmm, seems you are as stubborn as you ever were. Looks like I’ll need to take matters in my own hands. I propose we settle this the way we did when we were children. I challenge you. As a warrior, you must accept my challenge or concede that you are a coward and unwilling to fight with me.”

Ignoring her surprise, Wei continued. “The stakes are these. If I win, you must accept and wear this gift.” He added with a brash wink, “In the odd event that you win, you may choose how to reward or punish me.”

Daiyu frowned, then turned away as if to leave, but instead swung around arching a fierce kick at his shoulder. Wei stumbled back, shrieking with laughter.

“Ah, my ferocious warrior woman! That’s how it will be? A sneak attack? Damn, that’s the way you fought when you were nine years old!”

With a fierce spirit yell, Daiyu whirled around and drove a hard kick at Wei’s groin. Wei caught her foot and dragged her close to him. Avoiding her sharp elbow jab, he wrapped his foot around her knees and jerked her to the floor, landing squarely on top of her. Daiyu struggled for a moment, then burrowed her face against his shoulder.

As he settled over her, Wei’s hand slipped across one firm, full breast. He grinned and said with a wry chuckle, “Hmm, some things are definitely different than they were ten years ago…”

Daiyu pulled away with a snort, but not before he saw her smile. Wei stroked her cheek and whispered, “Say it, Daiyu. Say you concede.”

She shoved him aside and jumped to her feet, her eyes glittering with scorn. “Fine, dammit! I concede. You win.”

Wei leapt up beside her and handed her the velvet box. “I brought you this pendant from China. It made me think of your eyes.” Pointing to the silver dragon and snake entwined around the gleaming dark green stone, he said, “I added these while I worked to prove your innocence. Turn around.”

Daiyu allowed him to fasten the pendant around her neck, then walked toward the door. She looked back over her shoulder and said with a saucy tilt of her head. “It is just as well that I did not win.”

“Why is that?”

“If I had, I would have forced you to kiss me.”

Wei’s eyes flared in disbelief, but he quickly recovered, a broad grin stealing across his face.

Assuming a solemn expression, he said, “I see. Given that, it is only honorable that I give you the opportunity to regain your standing. I challenge you to a rematch.”

Ignoring Daiyu’s shocked gasp, Wei strode toward her. He fell to his knees in front of her, his eyes sparkling with laughter. Raising his hands in defeat, he said, “Enough. I concede. You win.”

A hint of a smile tweaked Daiyu’s lips at his antics. But, when Wei stood up and reached out to pull her into his arms, Daiyu startled, her eyes widening in wonder.

Wei’s voice was whisper soft, but commanding. Lifting her chin, he looked deep into Daiyu’s dark jade eyes and held her close. “And now, my feisty warrior, I will pay the price of defeat and take my punishment like a man.”

As he leaned down to kiss her, he added, “The man who loves you.”

# # #

Afterword

Thank you for reading
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
.
I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. This sweet romantic tale is softer than my usual sizzling romantic suspense. It is my Valentine tribute to strong women who refuse to be cowed by the prejudices of their culture and the times they live in. AND a tribute to the strong men who love and support them.

If you enjoyed
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,
do me a huge favor. Go back to
www.Amazon.com
, and please leave an honest review. Authors live and die by their reviews. The few extra seconds it takes really helps us authors out. Thank you!

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