Page 24 of Bearing Secrets
Kirell pretended to be pained for a second, then he guided her out onto the floor, taking one hand in his, and putting the other around her waist. She swallowed hard as—suddenly—she was up close and personal with him, one hand on his shoulder, her head on his chest.
Why is your head resting on his pec? He didn’t put it there.
The question was washed away in a blast of heat. Natalia was all of a sudden acutely aware of his warmth, and of the strength of the muscles she’d only ever seen. Her fingers could feel his shoulder muscles through the suit, and the firmness under her head only echoed that feeling.
Swallowing through an abruptly parched throat she almost pulled away, to put some distance between them. What would that accomplish, though? The entire point of their arrangement—which she was essentially agreeing to by sticking around—was based on the two of them pretending to be close. If she couldn’t handle slow dancing with him, it would be obvious to any casual observer that there wasn’t any chemistry between them.
No, she was going to have let herself enjoy it, while keeping a wary reminder ready any time she slippedtoofar into the role. At the end of it all she had to be able to pull herself out, to detach without having developed feelings. Given that she was being paid, it should be easy. Then again, it had been easy to wind up in his arms on the dance floor as well.
She vowed to be even more careful going forward.
“For someone who claims not to know how to dance, you’re doing okay,” he said, speaking quietly into her ear.
Not quiet enough to calm the rumble of his voice.
She knew. Natalia could feel the tingle from it heading down her spine, against her will.
“I never said I didn’t know how to dance. I said I didn’t know any formal dances. This is just slow dancing. I thought you were going to try and get me to waltz or something.” Her cheeks burned at the admission.
Why was she embarrassed by that fact?Leblancwas far above her normal social standing. What went on in such places was a mystery to her. It was normal to assume these things…wasn’t it?
Kirell’s chuckle bounced her head slightly, but not enough to dislodge her. He didn’t say anything either, which was a relief. She let the topic die away, losing herself in the music and following his lead across the floor. Amazingly, she might actually have found not only the perfect solution to her problem, but a good person to help her solve it. He wasn’t some old fat guy that she would have to sleep with to get her way.
Not only do I not have to sleep with him if I don’t want to, I’m getting paid for not doing it!
Natalia didn’t bother disguising the smile that slid across her face.
“Is something funny?”
Kirell stiffened when she didn’t reply.
“Uh, not really,” she said, puzzled at his suddenly jerky movements. “Kirell? What’s wrong?” Lifting her head, she saw his gaze was focused like a laser, but not at her.
“Company.”
Her first urge was to whip her head around and locate whatever the problem was. Something told her that wasn’t a great idea, that she should be more discreet.
“Company?” she asked, trying to get as much information from her suddenly tight-lipped dance partner as possible. “What kind of company?”
“The unpleasant kind.”
Thinking it over, she wondered if he’d been lying to her all this time. “The police? I thought you weren’t in any trouble with them?”
“Not the police.” He slowly twisted them both as they danced, until they faced the other way. “See the three men coming into view?”
She spied them. Three older gentlemen, late forties, perhaps early fifties. Well-dressed and well put together. Only two things made them stand out to her; first, was that Kirell had pointed them out, but even if he hadn’t, the second thing that made them stand out was the death-stare they were directing at Kirell. All three of them stood so still they could have been statues, their eyes locked on to Kirell with eerie intensity.
“Who are they?”
“Canis,” he rumbled so deeply she could feel the anger through the vibration of his chest.
Canis. She knew that name. But from where?
The Canis family! One of the three founding families of Plymouth Falls. Right. Loren never mentioned that they hated each other, though. Would have been nice to know before I walked into the middle of some kind of blood feud.
“Is there going to be a problem?” she asked cautiously, preparing to distance herself from the men.
She hoped not. The three Canis men looked like they would be a handful. They were tall as well, though an inch or two shorter than Kirell if she had to guess, and not as bulky. They held themselves confidently though, looking unafraid of her date.
