happened last night?”
“Nothing.”
“Trust me, what happened last night was definitely something.” Robbin’s voice was soft and whispery and sexy and his eyes held a look that would have melted my panties if I wasn’t so unbelievably annoyed at him.
“There is a limit to my patience, Turnbough,” Alex snarled, “and you are quickly approaching it.”
“Am I supposed to care?”
There’s nothing charming or sexy about having two men fight over you, in spite of what you may have heard. Mostly, it’s annoying to watch people who are old enough to know better act like children.
Alex stood up and got right in Robbin’s face. “What did you do with her?”
Robbin smiled. “You don’t really want to know.”
All right, maybe it’s a little sexy. Still, I couldn’t let them start fighting and breaking up the antiques just because I found the whole thing to be a bit of a turn-on.
I grabbed Alex’s hand just in time to keep him from throwing the first punch. He glared at me for a long cold moment; I could tell he was wondering if I could possibly be worth all this trouble – if the whole kingdom was worth this much trouble. Then he looked up and smiled at me, making my stomach flip flop and I knew he wasn’t mad anymore, not at me anyway. I found myself smiling back, thinking about how beautiful he was with his pale gold hair and his bright blue eyes. I wanted to reach out and trace the shape of his mouth with my fingertips. Or with my tongue.
“You may go now,” he said, waving at Robbin in an offhand way.
From the corner of my eye I saw Robbin walk towards the door. I was beginning to assume he had gone when he said, “So I guess I’ll wait for you in the kitchen?”
I nodded – at least I think I nodded. I was pretty busy looking at Alex, remembering what it felt like to kiss him. The enchantment, long denied the pleasure of his company, was buzzing and crackling now that we were together and so very close to being alone. I was vaguely aware of the clash of feelings I had for Robbin, of the sweetness of being with him, and the bitterness of being left by him – but only vaguely. The enchantment was in control of me and it wanted Alex.
“Okay. I’ll just wait for you in the kitchen,” Robbin said. But he continued to linger in the doorway.
“Close it and go, Turnbough.”
Finally, I heard the door click shut. Alex and I were alone.
I pulled my eyes away from Alex’s and started unbraiding my hair just so I’d have something to think about but kissing him, just to distract myself from staring at him. He swept my hands aside so he could do it, gently unwinding the complicated plait.
“You made your mother proud today. Francis was right; winning Estella’s approval was an important victory for you.”
“I didn’t know there was a reason for me to worry about winning anyone’s approval.”
“There’s not really. The Inbetween is yours to rule. Still, it’s always good to have powerful friends.” He ran his fingers through my hair until it hung around my face in soft waves.
“I’m having trouble concentrating,” I said.
“Why?”
“Because you have your hands on me.” One on the back of my neck, the other resting on my hip.
He shrugged and smiled. “Should I not to touch you?”
“No, I want you to.”
What are you saying? I could feel my face get red.
“Good,” he whispered, pulling me a little closer, “because I don’t want to stop.”
The enchantment was vibrating around us, eager and demanding.
“You didn’t give Pop my key.”
“I told you I wouldn’t, didn’t I?”
“People lie to me a lot. I’ve developed some trust issues.” I promised the enchantment if he didn’t kiss me soon I would kiss him. “I want to trust you.”
Oh my God! Shut up.
“You can trust me.” He brushed his fingers against my face. I
“Nothing.”
“Trust me, what happened last night was definitely something.” Robbin’s voice was soft and whispery and sexy and his eyes held a look that would have melted my panties if I wasn’t so unbelievably annoyed at him.
“There is a limit to my patience, Turnbough,” Alex snarled, “and you are quickly approaching it.”
“Am I supposed to care?”
There’s nothing charming or sexy about having two men fight over you, in spite of what you may have heard. Mostly, it’s annoying to watch people who are old enough to know better act like children.
Alex stood up and got right in Robbin’s face. “What did you do with her?”
Robbin smiled. “You don’t really want to know.”
All right, maybe it’s a little sexy. Still, I couldn’t let them start fighting and breaking up the antiques just because I found the whole thing to be a bit of a turn-on.
I grabbed Alex’s hand just in time to keep him from throwing the first punch. He glared at me for a long cold moment; I could tell he was wondering if I could possibly be worth all this trouble – if the whole kingdom was worth this much trouble. Then he looked up and smiled at me, making my stomach flip flop and I knew he wasn’t mad anymore, not at me anyway. I found myself smiling back, thinking about how beautiful he was with his pale gold hair and his bright blue eyes. I wanted to reach out and trace the shape of his mouth with my fingertips. Or with my tongue.
“You may go now,” he said, waving at Robbin in an offhand way.
From the corner of my eye I saw Robbin walk towards the door. I was beginning to assume he had gone when he said, “So I guess I’ll wait for you in the kitchen?”
I nodded – at least I think I nodded. I was pretty busy looking at Alex, remembering what it felt like to kiss him. The enchantment, long denied the pleasure of his company, was buzzing and crackling now that we were together and so very close to being alone. I was vaguely aware of the clash of feelings I had for Robbin, of the sweetness of being with him, and the bitterness of being left by him – but only vaguely. The enchantment was in control of me and it wanted Alex.
“Okay. I’ll just wait for you in the kitchen,” Robbin said. But he continued to linger in the doorway.
“Close it and go, Turnbough.”
Finally, I heard the door click shut. Alex and I were alone.
I pulled my eyes away from Alex’s and started unbraiding my hair just so I’d have something to think about but kissing him, just to distract myself from staring at him. He swept my hands aside so he could do it, gently unwinding the complicated plait.
“You made your mother proud today. Francis was right; winning Estella’s approval was an important victory for you.”
“I didn’t know there was a reason for me to worry about winning anyone’s approval.”
“There’s not really. The Inbetween is yours to rule. Still, it’s always good to have powerful friends.” He ran his fingers through my hair until it hung around my face in soft waves.
“I’m having trouble concentrating,” I said.
“Why?”
“Because you have your hands on me.” One on the back of my neck, the other resting on my hip.
He shrugged and smiled. “Should I not to touch you?”
“No, I want you to.”
What are you saying? I could feel my face get red.
“Good,” he whispered, pulling me a little closer, “because I don’t want to stop.”
The enchantment was vibrating around us, eager and demanding.
“You didn’t give Pop my key.”
“I told you I wouldn’t, didn’t I?”
“People lie to me a lot. I’ve developed some trust issues.” I promised the enchantment if he didn’t kiss me soon I would kiss him. “I want to trust you.”
Oh my God! Shut up.
“You can trust me.” He brushed his fingers against my face. I
Similar Books
