Part 16 (1/2)
”Cozy,” she murmured. He threw her a smile that she returned. ”Do I get a room too or is there a Murphy bed hidden here somewhere.”
”You get your own room Kat. No need for us to appear improper.”
”But it's okay to act it as long as no one catches us, right?” She had made her way up to the bed, running her hand along the comforter. She was suddenly so tired her bones hurt.
”Right you are exotic American,” he teased. ”I'll go find Sergei and ask which room they've prepared for you. You can stay here if you want.”
Kat was already sprawled out across the bed. ”Sounds good. You know where to find me. Dear G.o.d these sheets are heavenly,” she murmured.
Sebastian snorted. ”Women usually call for a deity from that bed but not about the sheets,” she heard him murmur before she fell into a deep sleep.
It must have been hours later when she stirred, the room almost completely black. For a moment she forgot where she was and worried thoughts filled her head. When she remembered, the thoughts spoke louder. She hadn't called to check in with her brother.
”Hey there Sleeping Beauty,” a male voice rumbled at her.
Kat turned and saw Sebastian lying beside her. She didn't immediately notice the lecherous glint in his eyes. ”Sleeping Beauty had blond hair. You're off the mark.”
”I didn't think Rip Van Winkle was appropriate.”
”Funnier though,” she said, pulling herself into a sitting position and searching her pockets for her phone. She remembered seeing a lamp on the bedside table and groped for it. The drastic change made her blind for a moment.
”You think so?” Sebastian whispered seductively, drawing himself up as well. The blanket slipped slowly across his naked torso as he did so and Kat was distracted. But only for a moment.
”Yeah right Romeo,” she laughed, jumping out of bed so quickly he lost his balance and fell against the blankets where she had just been. She yawned, gathering her hair into her hands and knotting it at the nape of her neck. ”Haven't we already gone over this today? Show me to my room Casanova so I don't have to fend you off all night.”
”Sorry beautiful but you're stuck with me.”
She laughed. ”What, you're gonna tell me the inn's full for the night?”
”Remember how women like to sneak into my room when I'm not there?”
She remembered. It's how he got her into his room the night they met, how could she forget? ”You've got to be kidding me? You want to use me as a tramp s.h.i.+eld?”
At that Sebastian laughed, a chuckle she couldn't help but see start in the chiseled plains of his stomach. ”No but I do like that idea. No, it seems that here, you have that problem.”
”You're lying. I saw a total of, what, three people on my way into this place. How the heck do I have a 'following' who think they're gonna get lucky? What have you been telling people?”
”Nothing,” he promised, hands held up in surrender. ”What, you don't believe me? Keeping you mysterious makes me mysterious. Helps maintain my devil may care mystique.”
”And what? I'm a mysterious s.l.u.t?”
”They've heard you're beautiful. Here beautiful is enough.”
”You're so full of it,” Kat said, hands on her hips, tapping her foot in agitation.
”You don't believe me, fine. I'll show you.” Sebastian moved to get out of bed and Kat was afforded a view of his bare a.s.s as he stood to slip his pants on.
”You really thought you were going to get lucky like that?” she asked in amus.e.m.e.nt.
He shot her that c.o.c.ky bad boy grin and her knees went just a bit weak. ”I wouldn't be James Dean if I didn't try.”
She walked past him, shaking her head, before delivering her comeback. ”James Dean was gay you know that, right?”
”Enough from you, woman,” he barked with a puppy dog smile. He pulled her over to the door and opened it slowly, trying not to make a sound. They both peaked around the doorway. Kat thought they must look like amateur sleuths, new recruits for the s...o...b.. gang, and she couldn't help but smile. It disappeared when she saw what Sebastian was pointing at.
There were three or four men hanging around near a door down the hall. After a moment the door opened and someone came out. A different man made to go in but was stopped. They started to argue in a whisper, lots of hands gesturing, watches being examined. Just as they were about to turn, Sebastian pulled her back into the room and shut the door.
”See.”
”What the heck were they doing?”
”Taking turns. It's the only fair way to decide who gets to meet you. They figure you'll come back eventually.”
”I can't believe you think this is funny.”
”Funny? I love it. How do you think I got to meet the Empress Contessa? Or bed her daughter?”
”You'd just abandon me to the wolves then, would you?”
”Never Kitty Kat. That's why you're here now, isn't it? My own s.e.xual diplomatic immunity.”
She sighed, resisting the urge to correct his use of the word Kitty. If he knew how much it annoyed her, he'd never call her anything else. ”Fine. My gallant prince. Now where is my luggage I have to get out of these clothes.”
”Luggage?” he asked, looking perplexed.
”It's in the other room, isn't it?”
”Yeah . . .” he answered, drawing the word out. He snapped his fingers. ”But don't worry. I've got something you can put on.”
”If you pull lingerie out of that closet, you'll be wearing it,” she said without even turning around. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and texted her brother a pithy little message, a.s.suring him that she arrived safely and just made like Sleeping Beauty. She bit her lip as she pressed send, worried. She'd never manage to stop worrying about him, even continents away. This was always going to be her life, wasn't it?
”What in the world is that?!”
”It's my official, Royal Petrescu s.h.i.+rt.”
She giggled. ”It has shoulder pads. And ta.s.sels,” she said as he approached.
”I thought you'd like it. I took a chance.” He looked studiously at the cream colored fabric, big gold b.u.t.tons, intricate paisley design in gold thread, and the aforementioned red and gold ta.s.seled shoulder pads. ”You don't like it?” he inquired with just a hint of vulnerability.
”Ahh, I love it,” she murmured before placing a quick peck on his cheek. ”This is just what I need. Thank you.”
”You know, not a lot of people have had the pleasure of seeing, let alone wearing, that. In fact, I think maybe only me. That's a pretty big honor you know.”
”Getting to wear your clothes is that big of a deal around here? I've done it before.”
”I definitely remember,” he replied, his voice silky and eyes gleaming with desire.. Kat realized all of a sudden that they were standing recklessly close to one another, still a bit drunken with sleep, half-naked and approaching the time of night when bad decisions were always made.