Chapter 122

We made it five steps out into the hallway before Nicholas started asking questions.

“Did something happen?” he asked.

I didn’t want to lie to him, so I shrugged. “Nothing big.”

“Nothing big is still something.”

With my hand on his arm, Nicholas dictated how fast and slow we walked. He slowed now, making it clear he would stretch this out if he needed to. He was worried about me, I could see from the look in his eye. He wasn’t going to let me off the hook easily.

Softer, he asked, “Did Julian do something?”

“No,” I said. Julian had stopped himself before he could. That was assuming that leaning in for a kiss had been what he was actually doing, and not just teasing me. “I don’t know. It was confusing.”

“Tell me.”

I wanted to. I needed to talk to someone about what happened, and who knew Julian better than Nicholas? But I was unsure. With their rivalry, and Nicholas’s jealousy, if he knew that Julian had tried to kiss me, how would he react?

I’d likely receive no answer that would actually help me.

I decided to keep it vague. “Julian’s been acting strange lately. He’s… softer around me, sometimes. Kinder. I’m starting to wonder if he actually feels some kind of fondness for me.”

“Julian isn’t capable of fondness.” Nicholas’s voice lowered, Bitterness clipped his words. “He cannot be trusted with any woman’s heart. Especially yours.”

“I didn’t say he had my heart.” Recognizing Nicholas’s jealousy, I gently corrected him. While I often didn’t mind Nicholas’s envious side, especially when it came to kissing, I didn’t want him to think I was so easily misplacing my heart.

“He doesn’t yet.” Nicholas sighed. “But please be careful. He’ll try to steal it.”

I glanced at Nicholas out of the corner of my eye and thought of the mysterious Bridget who had once come between the two brothers. Did Nicholas truly steal her away from Julian?

I tried to imagine it, a time from before even Nicholas and I were together. Could Nicholas have been so different that he wouldn’t have given any consideration to his brother’s feelings? Julian had made it seem like it had been something vindictive.

Trying as hard as I could, I still couldn’t imagine Nicholas that way. Perhaps there had been a misunderstanding. Julian might have misread the entire thing. It just didn’t seem possible.

As we continued to walk, Nicholas’s arm moved from my arm to around my waist. He kept it there, gradually tugging me closer and closer to his side all the way to the stairwell leading up to the guest rooms where the candidates were staying.

The hallways were barren by now, the candidates in their rooms and the servants done for the day.

Nicholas stopped me halfway up the stairwell, before we reached the top and could see the guards at my door – or they could see us.

He wrapped both arms around my waist and turned me toward him. I easily slotted against his chest.

There, this was the jealousy I recognized – the sexy kind.

I licked my lips, anticipating a kiss. He leaned down far enough for me to feel his breath on my cheek, but he did not yet close the distance.

“Nick…” I whispered. My thoughts were already drifting until only this moment lingered in the forefront of my mind. He was so close. His body was hard against me.

“I should kiss you until you forget all about him,” Nicholas whispered, his voice a low growl. “Only my name should fall from your lips.”

“Nicholas…”

“That’s right.” He dropped his mouth closer. Our lips brushed together but never quite met.

He leaned back with a satisfied hum. I chased his mouth but he gripped me tight, keeping me from seeking too far forward.

I whined unhappily.

He smiled. “Sometimes the anticipation of a kiss can mean more than a kiss itself. Is this what he did, Piper? Tease you into thinking of him?”

I couldn’t remember now. I could only think of Nicholas and his hot mouth and the feel of his fingers running up and down my spine. He stilled one hand near the back of my neck and cupped the top of my spine in a traditionally possessive gesture.

A thrill shot through my body. I wanted his mouth where his hand was, sucking in marks.

He leaned in again, his mouth at my ear, and said, “Think of me now.”

Was there any doubt that I would so much as consider anyone else?

Nicholas was the one my body yearned for. Ours was an impossible, forbidden romance, but when I thought of surrendering myself to a mate, Nicholas was the only person I could picture beside me. Over me. Inside of me.

He pressed a feather-light kiss to my earlobe and then pulled back. He kept his hands at my waist, as if he was worried I might not have the strength to stand without his help. He was probably right.

I mourned his distance, even while I opened frowned at him. He’d left me feeling incredibly frustrated, and it wasn’t like I could just go out and release this frustration by kissing other guys.

He was the only one I wanted.

“You’re thinking about me now, aren’t you?” he said, smile adding edge.

I wanted to playful whack him and pull him close to kiss him both at once. Either way, I could admit that yes, I was thinking about him now. The jerk.

He looked downright smug as he walked me the rest of the way to my door. There, he squeezed my hand.

“Goodnight, Piper. Sweet dreams.”

I glared at him. He just knew those dreams were going to be all about him.

Inside my room, Charlotte had a few swatches of fabric lined out. When I came in, after a quick hug with Elva, we approached Charlotte to see what she had come up with.

“I’m relieved you’ve already thought of something,” I said. “When the Luna said fashion is so important, I was sweating.”

Charlotte nodded critically. “After the incident with the gloves, I vowed to never fail you again.”

I lowered my chin. “Thank you.” I was blessed to have earned such loyalty from Charlotte. The other maid I had been assigned at the time had been more than happy to see me garner the Luna’s ire.

“I was thinking this fabric.” Charlotte lifted a shimmering purple that seemed to sparkle under the lights. “If we drape some lace over this.”

“Yes!” Elva said, giggling. She reached for the swatch. Charlotte passed it over, and Elva immediately began to play. She ran around the table, lifting the fabric high behind her. It shimmered silver and purple and even pink.

“The princess has made her choice,” I said to Charlotte.

Charlotte smiled. “I’m glad. That one was my favorite too.”

“Then it’s decided,” I said.

I caught Elva as she circled for her next pass, and lifted her up into my arms. She laughed as she draped the fabric across my shoulders.

“You look pretty, Mommy.”

“Not as pretty as you.” I kissed her cheek.

By then, it was getting late, so we changed into our pajamas and went to bed.

I dreamed of shimmering fabrics and near kisses with Nicholas.

The next morning, Elva sneaked out of bed early in the morning. I pretended not to notice, hoping for just a minute more in bed before she called for me.

Today, I was only gifted ten seconds.

“Mommy?”

I rubbed my eyes. “Yes, dear?”

“Where’d the pretty fabric go?”

“It’s there, by the sewing machine.”

Elva shuffled a moment. “Where?”

With a yawn, I pulled myself from the bed and went to join her. “It’s right… huh…”

Odd, the fabric wasn’t where we had left it last night. Had Elva gotten up and played with it in the night? No, she was a sound sleeper, and I’m sure I would have noticed.

But what could that mean?

Had someone else been in our room last night?