Page 6
:Speaking of big guns,: Ezra said. :Where are you keeping that fucking sword of yours, G? Especially in jeans.:
:Centuries of experience have taught me how to carry a plethora of weapons. Even—especially—in jeans. If the legs are wide enough.:
:Ah,: Nox said with a long, pleased sigh. :It’s good to be among Blood who have a sense of humor again. Speaking of guns and swords, my queen, I can’t wait to introduce you to what I call the buzzsaw.:
Lew punched him in the shoulder. :Keep the power tools put away until you’re told otherwise.:
“Very good.” Kostas looped the tape around his own shoulders and went over to take the clipboard from his assistant. Eyes narrowed, he scanned the numbers and then went over to one of the large books on the table. “Hmmm. Let’s see. We do have numerous fabric blends with built-in four-way stretch. Jersey weight would be fine for leisure wear, but for a suit… Yes. I do have an especially nice Italian wool blend with elastane. That might do, depending on the cut. What did you have in mind, Your Majesty? Would you like to see some pictures?”
“Yes, that’d be great.”
Kostas picked up the large book, and Damon snagged a rolling easel to hold the heavy tome while they flipped through pages. Most of the designs were ornate and ostentatious. Editorial and interesting, for sure, but not realistic. Certainly nothing Rik would want to wear, especially for a formal event.
Kostas stopped on a page with a double-breasted suit coat. “Something like this, perhaps?”
“Too mafia,” Rik said.
Kostas skipped a bunch of pages, nearing the back of the book. “Let’s start with the simpler designs and then work back to what your comfort level would be.”
The image showed a man in clean, simple lines with only one button.
“That works for me,” Rik said.
Kostas flickered a quick querying look to me and I shook my head. “Something a little nicer.”
“This is a solid design that we can make look more luxurious by using higher-end fabrics. We can also add another button or two. Combined with a breast pocket, it can look quite sharp. Let me grab a few fabric samples, but feel free to keep looking.”
Kostas disappeared in the stacks and shelves while I continued flipping through the thick pages. Most of them looked the same to me with only slight changes in the width of the lapels or how many buttons. I was about ready to go back to the simpler designs when one caught my attention.
The front of the suit was shorter and curved back on either side into longer tails. Not quite as formal as a tuxedo with a little historical flare. “What do you think of this?”
Rik grunted. “If you like it, my queen, then I like it.”
I scowled at him. “That wasn’t what I asked you.”
Kostas came back. “Ah, yes, that’s a design I was playing around with in my Regency era. Though these form-fitting trousers would not be ideal given the… uh…” He coughed politely. “Let me show you these…” He flipped a few more pages. “This is a similar bolero-style jacket but deep pleats in the trousers will make them roomier.”
“I like this.” I glanced up at Rik’s face, listening to his bond, trying to determine how he really felt about it. “It’s different, not basic, but not too flashy either.”
His head tipped to the side. “The shirt’s too frilly. I think it would make me look like a bullfighter or a waiter.”
Kostas suppressed a smirk as he picked up a tablet and pencil. “Let me sketch out a few options for you that I think would work well.”
With long sweeping lines, he sketched out a recognizable picture of Rik with his wide shoulders, thick chest, and bulging arms and thighs. The jacket cut short in the front, not hugging his body too tightly. The pants were wide legged with plenty of room for him to move and breathe.
“We could add some decorative buttons on the cuffs here…” Then he sketched out an open-necked shirt with a standing collar. “You could leave several buttons open for an informal look, or for something more daring, skip the shirt and just wear the jacket. To dress it up, rather than a tie or anything tight around your neck, I would choose some kind of thick jewelry like a heavy gold chain or diamonds to match the buttons. We can keep the back short and square as well, or give you some modest tails in the back to make it look more like a tuxedo and less like a bullfighter’s bolero.”
“Tails, I think,” Rik said. “Could you do the Isador ankhs on the sleeves or lapels like you did Lew’s gryphons?”
“Absolutely. Here are some samples of fabric.” He pulled the square on both sides, showing how much give it had. “And of course I’ll double seam everything with extra room as well.”
The colors were black, gray, deep blue, and brilliant green.
“I like the blue and black,” Rik said. “They match my queen’s eyes and hair.”
Aw. Smiling, I nodded. “I like them all.”
“Excellent choices,” Kostas said. “I’ll start with this design, but then I may get a little wilder and do some experimentation.” Rik started to scowl, but Kostas rolled his eyes, completely unbothered. “Don’t ruin my joy in this challenge, sir. It’s not often that I get to design something completely new and different to such extraordinary measurements. Now, who’s next?”
