Read Gargoyle's Mate for Free Online

own.
    “What?” Her brows furrowed at the question.
    “You make having wealth sound like a crime. So what exactly is it you think I do?”
    “I don’t know, and personally I don’t care --”
    “I’m an engineer by education but my passion is anthropology and archeology. I have funded and been a part of many archeological digs. My primary concern on any venture is the preservation of our discoveries. I don’t believe every find should be displayed in a museum, nor do I condone grave robbing. I am a purist if you will.”
    Fatima felt immediately ashamed. “I…I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
    “Now you do.”
    Before she could offer up the apology on the tip of her tongue, a young woman shyly entered the room, her eyes darting between the two. Quietly she announced dinner, waiting until Lorn nodded a dismissive acknowledgement in her direction before leaving.
    They sat opposite each other in the formal dining table and Fatima found herself greedily enjoying the first course, a smothered fish and some type of exotic vegetables she’d never tasted.
    “Why is your foundation so interested in proving the existence of gargoyles?” she asked.
    “Why not? Gargoyles have just as much right as any other species to have their history validated and chronicled.”
    His answer would seem logical if they were discussing an extinct creature like the Tasmanian tiger, or zebra horses but this was in a realm of its own. Still she had to admit a level of curiosity about the so called records he claimed to own.
    “I am intrigued to see the items you’ve collected.”
    He arched a brow at her. “And skeptical?”
    She nodded but didn’t rise to the bait.
    “Of particular interest are the samples you possess which would necessitate the need for a cellular biologist. You don’t - you don’t have some sort of biological sampling you think might be gargoyle in origin?” She couldn’t mask the fascination in her voice.
    “I’m sorry but I’m not at liberty to discuss particulars now,” he apologized. “As I said before, I am a preservationist which applies to information too. There is still the formality of non-disclosure documents which need to be signed. They should be dropped off later.”
    “Of course,” she answered with less enthusiasm.
     
    Dinner was completed with minimal conversation, although Fatima found her companion quietly observing her on several occasions, his face was an unreadable mask. The release forms arrived during dessert and she was eager to read and sign the papers which would allow her to question Lorn further and finally get some straight answers. Disappointment sank in an hour after she’d interpreted all the legalese and affixed her signature to the ten paged form, which basically imposed a gag order on her. It seemed she would need permission to even dream about the information she would be researching. Sadly, even after signing all of her rights away Lorn remained closed mouth about the evidence he claimed to hold in his vaults.
    “Tell me about Professor Singleton. Will you be able to part from him for the year required?” he asked suddenly as they shared a small sofa while he double-checked the forms she’d signed before pushing them aside on a low table opposite them.
    “Gordy? I thought I made it clear earlier, we’re just colleagues,” she supplied. Why was he asking?
    Lorn nodded his acceptance of her answer and Fatima could have sworn she heard a barely audible sound similar to a cat purring.
     
    Lorn was pleased with her response, not that it would have changed his decision to have her. There was already a connection between them. He knew she felt it, could tell in the way her pulse accelerated whenever he came close, the way she stole glances in his direction when she thought he wasn’t looking.
    “Is there anyone else you’ll have a problem putting an ocean’s distance between?”
    “No, I’m the only one left in my family and I don’t date much.”
    “Why?”