Page 52 of Night's Fall
Oh dear.
“I want that,”Iwhispered.
“Then it’s done,” he growled.
Growled!
That drove between my legs too.
Focus,Laura!
“Aleksei—”
“I’ll commAllainto make arrangements.”
He shifted to move away, it seemed in order to pull out hisPalm, butIcaught his wrist this time, keeping it where it was and him where he was.
“Something to know about me,”Istarted quietly, andIhad to admit, a little worried (right, more than a little worried) about whatIhad to say.
“Yes?”
I took in a deep breath and gave it to him.
“You’re going to show me that troll skin, andI’mgoing to get inspired.ThenI’mgoing to descend into a place where it’s all about the script, the characters, the possibilities.Bythe time you get back fromThoth,I’llhave several options to present the director, with a full complement of sketches to back them up, becauseI’llbecome obsessed.”Isqueezed his wrist. “Thisis not about you.Itdoesn’t reflect on me wanting to spend more time with you and get to know you.It’sjust howIam.It’show my process works.Andpart of that will be frenzied trips to half a dozen fabric stores to pull swatches, andI’mnot sure they’ll have whatIneed onThoth.Icould design while you go to your meetings, or whatever.Butit’d be incredibly frustrating not to have access to a plethora of textiles to feed the obsession, the vision, and see what it’d be in execution.”
Aleksei said nothing.
I said nothing.
This was becoming familiar.
He spoke first. “Thenyou won’t go, andI’llrearrange the meetings soIcan be back in time for your friend’s showing.”
Oh, this sweet beast.
“That’s really thoughtful,”Iwhispered. “Butunnecessary.”
“This showing is concerning me greatly,Laura.”
It was?
My question must have shown on my face because he answered, “Itwill be very difficult for me to know you’re among unattached males without me in your presence soIcan mark you.”
Hunh?
“Why?”
“Why?” he repeated after me.
“Yes.Why?”
“Because you’re mine.”
“You’ve said that before, but not countingCaptainJacques’s, which maybeIshould,”Ishot a tentative smile to his attentive (Lilithsave me from a male who was genuinely attentive whenIspoke), handsome face, “we’ve only had one date, and it isn’t even over yet.”
His brows drew down.
Heavily.
