AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He didn’t say,” Celeste thought.
“He said it’s a paying job!”
Celeste’s brows furrowed. “Right. Uh...then you should dress the part,” she whispered.
“I don’t want the other sister’s knowing!”
Celeste grabbed her hand and hurried her to her closet. “You and I are the same size, you will wear something of mine. Nobody will know.”
Relief flooded her and she hugged Celeste. “Thank you,” she said. “And I promise we will find your Handy, okay?”
She nodded, her brows tugging in grief. “I feel as if my best friend has died, and I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
“Of course he didn’t die!” Natasha was sure that wasn’t even possible. She brightened. “Lucy’s got direct ties to Dr. Harlow. Andhewill know. After this job tonight, I now have a door I can use with Dr. Harlow to askforyou.”
Tears colored her eyes a warm caramel. “Would you?”
“Of course!” Natasha hugged her then pushed her away. “I have to hurry, he’ll be there in...” She looked at the phone. “Fifteen minutes!”
They decided on a semi-formal dress which was as fancy as a queen for them. “What about you?” Natasha wondered as Celeste zipped up the velvety forest green dress.
“Well...I’m chaperoning,” she considered. “I should wear my habit for that.”
“Lucy says Mr. Harlow is a strict employer. He could get angry if you come along when he only requested me.”
Celeste appeared concerned. “Then... we should ask him.”
Natasha looked down at her phone. “You suppose I can text him?”
“Well...he did text you about the job. It seems alright to text him with questions?”
She nodded, happy with that logic as she typed her message.Would it be okay for Celeste to chaperone? She showed her the text and got her nod of approval then sent it. While waiting for an answer, they prayed fervently until the phone buzzed.
She jerked it up. “He said yes!” Natasha showed her and they hugged then scrambled to finish getting dressed while Natasha prayed two different prayers—please, please, let it not be him, and please, please, let it be him.
Celeste ran alongside Natasha down the hall, braiding her mane on the way while the man from the night before broke through the steel door in her mind. She was staring again at the endless chiseled muscles adorned in dark ink and he was touching her again, his heat penetrating her hand, lips pressing on her skin, hot and silky with mysterious dark eyes boiling her alive.
“Natasha!”
Her breath rushed out at seeing she stood frozen in the hall, eyes wide with the shock of hismemory.
She hurried on, inwardly shaking herself. How dare he touch her like that? How dare he break all the rules she’d ever learned in the most elite social circles? Wild and free, that’s what he’d been.Andelite! Causing her to be allured and afraid.
At the door, they said one more prayer and Natasha called on those despised etiquette skills from her past she’d tenaciously buried.
She walked, in, controlling her pace as her eyes landed on the man who had haunted every second of the night and day since she’d met him. He faced away from her, wearing a suit now, his dark hair hanging loose and free again.
God give me self-control.
She still couldn’t believe he’dkissedher hand. How archaic and out of place and strange he was.
He suddenly turned and she reached her hand out as she approached with a smile. “Mr. Lore, it’s good to see you again. I was asked to give you a tour of the castle.” She remembered Celeste and turned a little. “I hope you don’t mind if Celeste joins us. Our vocation requires chaperones at all times with male company.”
Lord, she hoped he didn’t know her new vocation required no such thing.
“Natasha,” he greeted, his foreign accent riding his silky voice as his gaze moved slowly over her. “The pleasure is all mine. Celeste,” he said, nodding at her sister. “Happy to have your company. Did you find who you were searching for?”
Celeste curtsied and bowed and sputtered about. “I did not, Sir,” she finally managed.
