“Rest, Miss North. I’ll be outside the door.”
“The door will remain unlocked?”
Ian nodded.
I hadn’t won the war. There was a guard stationed on the other side of the door with strict instructions not to allow me to leave; nevertheless, as the door closed and the lock wasn’t engaged, it felt like maybe I’d won a battle.
Kicking off my high heels, I relished the plush softness of the large rug that surrounded the large canopy bed as I ran my hand over the heavy material of the canopy. The floral rose pattern matched that of the bedspread and drapes. Thick and luxurious, the fabric’s pattern reminded me of those seen in mansions of yesteryear. The walls were white and textured, with dark wooden trim. Even the ceiling was coffered with ornate wood trim, creating multiple boxes at least fourteen feet above.
The furniture appeared vintage. The posts upon the canopy bed and the headboard were made of cherry, heavy and solid. The armoire Ian had mentioned was two-tone, reminding me of furniture my grandparents had when I was young. Everything was clean and spotless. I ran my hand over the top of the bedside stand.
It wasn’t as if this suite were forgotten and covered in dust.
Had my arrival been anticipated?
Once I made my way around the main bedroom, I stopped at the armoire, finding the small refrigerator I’d been promised. Though I was no longer hungry, I reached for a bottle of water, and twisted the top open. The cap made the clicking sound.
After taking a long drink, I resumed my exploration.
Opening doors and flipping switches, I found all Ian had mentioned. Beyond the large bedroom was an exercise room. Though there were multiple pieces of high-quality modern workout equipment and an open space for yoga or exercising, the room was relatively small. I looked up at the large overhead fans.
The bathroom attached to the bedroom made up for the small exercise room. The surfaces glistened with marble tile and shiny faucets with sparkling handles. There was a large glass shower with multiple showerheads and a submerged tub big enough for two. Plush towels hung on the heated racks, and besides the mirror over the vanity, there was also a makeup table with extra lights. When I opened the drawers of the makeup table, I found a variety of cosmetics with brand names I recognized and others I’d only heard about.
That discovery led me back to the bedroom. While the drawers in the dressers were empty, the closet wasn’t. It was sparsely filled. To one side was a robe and long satin nightgown. Feeling the soft fabric, I shook my head. This wasn’t like any nightwear I usually wore. I was more of a boyshorts and camisole wearer. On the other racks were a few tops and a variety of skirts not unlike the one I was wearing, and various other items of casual wear. The shoe rack contained slippers, exercise shoes, and a pair of studded flip-flops.
A quick check verified that everything was my size.
My last place to search was what Ian called the office or sitting room. Opening the door, I was met with the aroma of leather and paper. Closing my eyes, I recognized them as the scents of a library, a place I loved as a child. My focus went to the floor-to-ceiling wooden built-in bookcase filling one wall. With fourteen-foot ceilings, there was even a sliding ladder much like Belle had in Beauty and the Beast.
With all that had happened, the familiarity of the books called to me.
I ran my fingertips over the spines as I read the titles of classics as well as contemporary women’s literature, romance, and psychological thrillers. Many of the titles and authors I’d read, others I had on my TBR, and others were new to me. Pulling a familiar classic from the shelf, I opened the cover and inhaled the scent. There were two drapery-covered windows. Near one was a desk. Near the other window was an overstuffed chaise.
The large bathtub came to mind, but sometime over the last few minutes, a sweeping sense of fatigue had come over me. Reaching for a soft throw over the lounge chair, I curled my legs beneath me as I settled on the soft long chair. With it being nighttime and no sunlight trying to escape around the heavy drapes, I switched on a reading lamp, turned the page to the first chapter, and began to read.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...
Emma
As I opened my eyes and the feel of soft sheets caressed my skin, I was met with darkness. For a second, I imagined I was home in my apartment in Pittsburgh. That second quickly faded as memories from an unbelievable night rushed back. It was as if a dam broke within me, drowning my thoughts in difficult-to-believe recollections. My heart beat faster; my breathing quickened. Blinking through the darkness, I recalled Everett Ramses, the reason I wasn’t at my home. I saw his dark stare, recalled the sensation of his hands at my throat, his promise of death at his hands. My body battled as other sensations returned, how in an incredibly short time, he’d found a way to also bring me pleasure.
I remembered his solid chest, possessive touch, the way he captured my wrists as he’d seduced me in that dining room. I even recalled his rich, spicy cologne. With a start, I sat up, suddenly conscious of the aroma. No longer contained to my memory, I inhaled deeper as I turned one direction and then the other in the pitch-black darkness. I lifted my own hand, unable to make it out as I blinked, willing my eyes to adjust.
The aroma came back, spicy and clean, wafting through the air.
“Rett,” I called out.
Was he present or were my memories that powerful?
Once again, without sight, my other senses worked overtime. With the possibility that I wasn’t alone, I was suddenly, uncomfortably aware of my nakedness beneath the covers. That led to the second thought: I was in bed, not in the sitting room with the big bookcase. My hands reached out, finding the sheets on either side of me were cool.
Pulling the sheet tightly over my breasts, I stared into the darkness, trying to make out what—if anything—was hidden in the shadows.
Was I imagining the scent of his cologne? After all, there were no other signs he was present.
Yet how did I get from the chair to the bed?
How was I undressed?
Even without more evidence, I sensed his presence. It was the opposite of what I’d felt as he drove away what I believed was last night. There was a connection we shared, one I couldn’t discern. It was as his absence had created a void, and his presence was too overpowering to be hidden by darkness.
My pulse beat beneath my skin, thumping in my ears as I felt the sensation of him—his dark orbs upon me, peering through the darkness, seeing me, all of me, under the sheets.
I called his name again.
My focus went toward the windows. Knowing their location was purely from memory as there still wasn’t light coming from around the edges. With my watch gone and phone still missing, my ability to judge time was limited. Yet it seemed as though I’d slept long enough for daylight to arrive.
Rett’s deep tenor rippled through the darkness, bringing warmth even where there wasn’t light. “The beauty awakes.”
My breathing hitched as his words shattered the silence. I wouldn’t pretend to know this man or even much about him, and still, I could sense his demeanor in the tone. It was closer to how it had been when we first met, friendlier if not even playful.
I liked it.
Closing my eyes, I saw the man I could only hear. I imagined his broad shoulders, wide chest, and possessive touch.