Cold Hearted (Tooth & Claw, #1)

by Heather Guerre

She knew what to say, how to act. She knew how to leave people feeling that she was charming and sweet and engaged. And all the while her mind was just a mess of white noise.

By the end of the day, she was out of steam. After eight hours of performing a one-woman play about a mentally-engaged, emotionally functional human, she had nothing left in her.

Clearly, Teekkonlit Valley was looking for fresh blood, and they weren’t going to let outsiders waste their shiny new genetic material on each other.

“That’s what happens when the aunties get you,” Jessica said, licking her fork.

The sight of such a big, rugged man, fully engrossed in a book of historical nonfiction sent a staggering bolt of attraction straight through her body.

But really, how dare he? How dare he be so fucking hot and also be such a massive jerk?

Yes, she was reluctantly attracted to him. But only to his face, and his body, and his smile, and how he looked when he was reading, and how competent and in-control he was as a pilot. But that was it. His personality needed more work than big muscles and intense eye contact and unexpected literary interests could make up for.

She couldn’t remember not feeling lonely. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt welcome and loved and wanted. Was it when her grandma was still alive? That long ago? Hot tears pricked at her eyes.

But maybe she could choose to belong here, in this otherworld, where the sky was made of diamond dust and magic. Where the killing cold was somehow melting the ice inside of her.

“Goddamn it, Grace! Quit using your feminine wiles to pull information out of me.” “I’m just laying here!” “And you’re very good at it.”