Page 29 of The Cinderella Prince

“Better,” I said.

As the elevator descended to the underground facilities that were available to a certain section of guests at all times, Tristan waited patiently. The door opened to reveal a blue and green-lit area, an oasis of tranquility where only the two of us existed.

“You weren’t kidding,” Tristan said, stepping into the spa center.

“Massages aren’t available, I’m afraid, but I will do my best as a substitute,” I said. “Besides, there’s plenty we can still do.”

“I thought we were going to your room,” Tristan said levelly, although not in a disappointed tone.

I laughed. “The night is young, and you are beautiful.” I lifted his hand over his head and spun him to some silent tune that lived in my heart, if not in the real world. Tristan turned around and neared me, our bodies pressing together, my arms wrapping around him.

“That is so sweet, Cedric,” he said.

His eyes sparkled, and I released him, then led him down the spacious hallway of the underground oasis. The atmospheric noises of raindrops in a rainforest, distant birds, murmurs of hidden springs, and rustling of leaves in faraway canopies were enough to relax my muscles. We passed various sections and hallways, some leading to beauty treatments, others to massage rooms, dark rooms, quiet rooms, and one to a swimming pool. I led the way past all that and into the slightly cooler area that was kept dark for the purpose of total enchantment.

My shirt cooled on my body in a few moments as we passed through the hallway and into a dimly lit locker room. “Grab a towel,” I said.

“Aye, aye,” Tristan replied. I slipped into a booth to strip and tied the towel around my waist. Flutters filled me to the brim as I realized I would now return to the open space of the locker room and meet Tristan again. As I did, I held my breath. Tristan shuffled behind the woodendoor of the changing cabin and stepped out. It made my heart lurch in my chest, and my gaze shamelessly explored all of his visible body. I cursed the towel—it was the enemy of all that was beautiful in the world—and looked at the fine curves of Tristan’s muscles, the definition of his torso from his narrow waist to his broad shoulders and firm pecs.

“What now?” he asked, his voice noticeably tighter and more controlled. His gaze dropped to my waist and darted back to my face, his cheeks darkening. He was so beautiful, especially when he was surprisingly shy.

Our towel reached halfway down our shins, and the sweat on our bodies had already cooled and dried. I had to tear my gaze away from his beauty and show the way through another door. We passed a row of spacious showers lit with pale blue light, each separated by a sheet of misted glass and with enough room in each to fit a small crowd.

Yet when we passed the showers, we reached the final door.

Tristan

I was starting to get a clear idea of what we were doing, although getting to watch Cedric’s cut definition and broad back as he led me through was enough. I would have done it had he been leading me over a cliff.

His body was like steel, unbreakable, unbending, unyielding. Every bit of him appeared to have immense strength beneath the surface. He moved steadily, almostelusively, as he opened the door to the heat chamber of the sauna. It was lit with bright yellow light and made mostly of wood, separated into three levels. The heat itself suffocated me almost instantly, but I stepped inside and waited for Cedric to shut the door.

The room was small, cozy, and incredibly hot, but to my left was a glass window looking at a high-quality projection of stormy cold seas, gathering clouds, distant rain, and the light of the sun filtered until it was just a pale highlight. With the heat that made my brain spin, I could almost believe we were lost at sea.

Sweat and steam covered me pretty much instantly, and Cedric chuckled. “You’re glowing,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me back to the lowest bench of the three.

I inhaled the hot oven air, and it burned my lungs. My brain knew I was getting enough oxygen, but my body failed to get the message.

“Relax,” Cedric said and leaned back against the second row. He spread his arms wide to each side of the middle bench, his right inches away from my shoulders. It didn’t help me one bit to relax, but it was nice to feel him so near me. “I know it feels like I’m torturing you, but it’ll be worth it.”

Part of me wanted to smack him and tell him I’d rather be kissing him, but another part of me was fascinated to the point that I couldn’t do anything other than this. It was a total physical sensation, inside and out. Sweat poured down my face within one minute, but the soothing view of the distant storms and the golden rays of light coming from now setting sun chained me to my spot. Besides, Cedric wasinches away from me, and he was just as sweaty and just as naked.

“I’m going to catch fire,” I said in a surprisingly soft tone. The sauna mellowed me.

“You’re not,” Cedric replied. “You’re going to stew.”

I tried to snort, but I was so relaxed that even that much seemed to require the sort of effort I couldn’t find in me. My chest felt empty, and the pressure from the outside felt immense. My hair was matted. I made the mistake of running my hand through it and discovering that it was drenched. I sighed, but it resembled a moan more than anything else. Even so, when I glanced at Cedric, he was gazing out of the window at the realistic projection of the passing storm. His fair skin was red now, and his golden locks were dark with sweat.

“Doing this reminds me that, sometimes, the best things come at a cost,” he said in a huff, stretching his legs out. “I won’t pretend that this is nice, but it’ll be worth it.”

I was always in the mood for a catharsis if that was what he was offering.

My towel loosened, and I stretched my legs out before me. My left foot was a fractional of an inch away from his right. With far more clarity than I possessed, Cedric looked at me. “I meant every word, Tristan.”

“I know,” I assured him. “I believe you.”

He put his left hand into his lap, palm up and open, and I put mine inside it. They were wet, although this sweat felt much thinner and cleaner than if I had run a mile.

Our fingers threaded, and he still gazed at my face. “I’ll fight for us.” He nodded to emphasize how serious he was. “I’ll start by moving someplace I can cover without myfamily’s allowance. I’ll be near you. And I won’t let them tear us apart.”

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