always said I was meant for someone else, that he would always have the love of a father for
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me.” She sat up quickly and used the bed to steady herself. “I need to take this dress off.”
Blane offered a hand and helped her to her feet.
She turned her back to him. “Unzip me.”
He did as she asked, then took off his own coat and tie as she went to the bathroom. If Christiana had been with Khalil since she was turned, her entire life had been spent in the crazy circus of his reign as their Council. It certainly explained her need to meet everyone else’s expectations. It was time for her to learn what it meant to live.
“You need to break a few rules, Princess. Have you thought about moving away from him for a while?”
Christiana wiped away the ruined mascara in the mirror. Her head was still a little funny, like the world wasn’t solid anymore, but she could at least think and walk now. Her head was still swimming a little with the effects of whatever Isabella had given her, but she could feel his concern for her. It wasn’t as strong as when she’d first told him about her childhood, but it was as sincere. And sweet. “I did live in France alone for a time. But I got lonely and tired of having bodyguards everywhere I went.”
Blane was pacing in the other room. “How long ago was that?”
She hooked the gown on the hanger on the back of the door and grabbed her long black nightgown. “I guess it was the thirties.”
“The nineteen thirties?”
“Yes.” She stepped into the room.
His eyes went immediately to the slit up to the hip in the nightgown. His mood reacted, too. “Um. I’m going to go to my room because you need to sleep this off.” He started toward the door. “I’ll leave the window open on my side, so just call me if you need me.”
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“Don’t go.” She stepped in front of his path and put a hand on his firm chest. That shirt needed to go so she could see his hard muscles.
Blane stiffened, but didn’t push her away. “Not when you’re drugged.”
“I’m thinking more clearly than ever, Blane.” It was true. She was relaxed and knew exactly what she wanted.
“No, you’re not. You can’t even walk straight.”
“That doesn’t affect my thinking.” She trailed the hand from his chest to his neck. For the briefest moment, his eyes closed.
“Sleep well, Christiana,” he whispered. Then he was out the door before she could say another word.
She cursed and fell to the bed, plopping down hard enough to make her head spin again.
The jab to her pride brought a dull ache in her chest. The one time she ventured after what she wanted, and he rejected her. He just stood there and turned away from her when she was practically throwing herself at him. It wasn’t fair, and—
And she was beginning to sound like a whining child.
What was it Blane had said? That she needed to break the rules? Being with him would certainly do that.
Christiana stood, moved to the open doors, and walked onto the balcony. As she’d suspected, Blane’s doors were open. She stepped up onto the railing, then leapt to the other balcony. Inside, the bathroom door was open with light spilling into the darkened bedroom, and the sound of the shower filled the room.
She moved quietly to the bathroom doorway and peeked around. Behind the fogged glass was the dim image of Blane pushing the wet hair back from his face. That lovely inverted
96
triangle of his body, from those wide shoulders to narrow hips, made something quiver inside her. Then his body turned to the side. An erection stood away from his hips in stark relief.
Frustration and desire radiated from him.
Christiana stepped back into the dark room and pulled the gown over her head. She tossed it onto the floor and waited as the shower shut off. She would have another night with him, no matter what that meant to everyone else. She needed to feel him inside her, needed those strong hands sliding up her hips.
When Blane finally
94
me.” She sat up quickly and used the bed to steady herself. “I need to take this dress off.”
Blane offered a hand and helped her to her feet.
She turned her back to him. “Unzip me.”
He did as she asked, then took off his own coat and tie as she went to the bathroom. If Christiana had been with Khalil since she was turned, her entire life had been spent in the crazy circus of his reign as their Council. It certainly explained her need to meet everyone else’s expectations. It was time for her to learn what it meant to live.
“You need to break a few rules, Princess. Have you thought about moving away from him for a while?”
Christiana wiped away the ruined mascara in the mirror. Her head was still a little funny, like the world wasn’t solid anymore, but she could at least think and walk now. Her head was still swimming a little with the effects of whatever Isabella had given her, but she could feel his concern for her. It wasn’t as strong as when she’d first told him about her childhood, but it was as sincere. And sweet. “I did live in France alone for a time. But I got lonely and tired of having bodyguards everywhere I went.”
Blane was pacing in the other room. “How long ago was that?”
She hooked the gown on the hanger on the back of the door and grabbed her long black nightgown. “I guess it was the thirties.”
“The nineteen thirties?”
“Yes.” She stepped into the room.
His eyes went immediately to the slit up to the hip in the nightgown. His mood reacted, too. “Um. I’m going to go to my room because you need to sleep this off.” He started toward the door. “I’ll leave the window open on my side, so just call me if you need me.”
95
“Don’t go.” She stepped in front of his path and put a hand on his firm chest. That shirt needed to go so she could see his hard muscles.
Blane stiffened, but didn’t push her away. “Not when you’re drugged.”
“I’m thinking more clearly than ever, Blane.” It was true. She was relaxed and knew exactly what she wanted.
“No, you’re not. You can’t even walk straight.”
“That doesn’t affect my thinking.” She trailed the hand from his chest to his neck. For the briefest moment, his eyes closed.
“Sleep well, Christiana,” he whispered. Then he was out the door before she could say another word.
She cursed and fell to the bed, plopping down hard enough to make her head spin again.
The jab to her pride brought a dull ache in her chest. The one time she ventured after what she wanted, and he rejected her. He just stood there and turned away from her when she was practically throwing herself at him. It wasn’t fair, and—
And she was beginning to sound like a whining child.
What was it Blane had said? That she needed to break the rules? Being with him would certainly do that.
Christiana stood, moved to the open doors, and walked onto the balcony. As she’d suspected, Blane’s doors were open. She stepped up onto the railing, then leapt to the other balcony. Inside, the bathroom door was open with light spilling into the darkened bedroom, and the sound of the shower filled the room.
She moved quietly to the bathroom doorway and peeked around. Behind the fogged glass was the dim image of Blane pushing the wet hair back from his face. That lovely inverted
96
triangle of his body, from those wide shoulders to narrow hips, made something quiver inside her. Then his body turned to the side. An erection stood away from his hips in stark relief.
Frustration and desire radiated from him.
Christiana stepped back into the dark room and pulled the gown over her head. She tossed it onto the floor and waited as the shower shut off. She would have another night with him, no matter what that meant to everyone else. She needed to feel him inside her, needed those strong hands sliding up her hips.
When Blane finally
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