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.“Ten minutes.Just so.Excuse me, My Prime.”The attendant dashed out the door, shutting it tightly behind him, and Mystique finally burst into irrepressible giggles.“You’d think he’d never seen you with a woman before.”“Well, I don’t believe he has,” Reule mused thoughtfully.“Certainly not in this bed.Probably never at all without at least a little forewarning to prepare his dignity for the affront.”Her laughter ended so abruptly that Reule looked down at her curiously.She was looking at him with an indecipherable expression, and the wave of emotion coming from her had the chill of that fear he was beginning to associate with her past.Instantly disliking whatever she was thinking, he threw himself into her mind and read her thoughts, giving her no opportunity to hide.“Yes, it’s true,” he said softly as he reached out to touch a thumb against her temple, brushing her in a tender caress.“No woman before you has been in this bed, and no woman beyond you will ever be.I won’t pretend to have never had lovers, kébé, nor will I pretend you won’t run into a few in my court.This is a closed society, you being the first outsider to ever take up permanent residence here.It makes for a lot of gossip and few strangers.But I promise you this, there will never be anyone else for me so long as we draw breath together, and beyond.Anyone who tells you otherwise will be a liar and an enemy to you.Therefore an enemy to me.I’ve barely begun to love you, but I can already swear to you that it will take me a great deal of time and energy to satisfy myself with you, Mystique.I’ll be fortunate to find the stamina to rule, never mind take a mistress.”He got a smile for his efforts with that remark.Still, it didn’t light her eyes and he knew she wasn’t certain, just as she wasn’t certain where her conviction that all men were philanderers came from.It marked her deeply, but he felt her powerful desire, as always, to trust him.He’d said all he could on the matter.It would be up to her to come the rest of the way.As he’d said earlier, the more she regained snatches of memory, the less he liked it, for her sake.She’d been far more bold and confident before this.Then again, she’d also not felt her heart was at risk before.He could understand her caution.He’d felt it keenly himself, that fear of potential hurt.That thought was followed by the realization that if she felt her heart was at risk, it meant her heart was actually involved.She’d said nothing to him of her feelings for him.Not even a hint.Just that she was willing to allow him to love her.But her fear hinted at so much more, and it made his pulse dance with joy.He hadn’t asked for her love.He’d hoped to win it slowly through time, trust, and contentment.This was a promising first step, and he felt happier than anyone probably had a right to feel.“Come!” He leapt out of bed and grabbed her, swinging her onto her feet in a rush that sent the blanket flying off her body.He held her naked figure against his for a long moment, reveling in the sensual warmth of her and her amused chuckles.“Get dressed so Drago can feel at ease about returning.It’s time you had Para ready you for the banquet.Wear this red,” he encouraged her as he scooped the dress from the floor, frowning briefly at the wrinkles.“If you think she can repair the damage I’ve caused,” he said ruefully.She smiled at him as he gathered the dress and dropped it over her head and arms.“Must it be this red, or any red, My Prime?”He grinned at that.“You mean Para has given you more than one?”“Well, there is a black velvet that is quite beautiful,” she said, leaning into him as he frowned slightly, “and it has your crest, My Prime, in a repeating chain of red around the hem.Also, here.” She leaned back and ran her palm along her neckline to indicate the path of a second, smaller chain of crests.“Only the neckline is far lower, so it will actually come across here…”Reule watched with a suddenly parched throat as she swept slow, teasing fingers in a dip over her breasts.So slowly, in fact, that she stimulated herself, the perking up of her nipples under red velvet sure proof of that.His crest, across her incredible breasts.The idea had the most intensely satisfying erotic effect on both his mind and his body.It almost landed her in bed again, on her back with her skirts tossed up around her ears.“Wear the black,” he commanded her in a growling rumble that made her laugh at him, her light eyes dancing with mirth.He was happy to see her usual spirits returned, even if it was at the expense of his overheated body [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]