Draper stiffened, standing up with fear that pulled at his blue eyes, pushing his eyebrows together in worry. “But if you’re here, what happened to the baby? Is my Rosie still alive?”
Lane turned in my direction, motioning me forward. I darted backward into the stall like a child, wanting to see everything, but scared to be part of it. I wanted to go to her, to meet my new cousin, but hiding seemed like a good option, too. I wasn’t ready to face the man who would no doubt hate me for taking his mother figure away from him. I’d been in a creek, in the mud, on a horse and without sleep, a proper meal or a shower for far too long. On my best day, I wouldn’t be ready for this, and I was certainly not having my best day. His dad hated me. Like, actual hate. If Draper took one look at me and decided the same? A girl can only take so much.
Bastien studied me with a look of confusion that told me I was being a baby. “Let’s go on out.”
I shook my head with fear plain in my eyes. “What if he hates me, like Uncle Duke Henri?”
Bastien held my gaze, and didn’t blow off my concern. His arm moved slowly as he extended it to me, silently beckoning me to face my life, even the scary parts. He didn’t take my hand, but waited for me to give it to him. When I finally moved forward, Bastien held my hand to his stomach, leading me forward slowly with the top of my head buried in his back as I clutched Seven to my chest under my cloak. “Come on, Daisy. It’s alright.”
Draper gasped when we rounded the corner, pointing at Bastien with dread. “The Untouchable! Lane, you have to know the Queen’s Army is looking for him and the judge’s son. They came through here not too long ago. You shouldn’t be traveling with them. It’s like painting a target on your back!”
“Well, that’s the thing,” Lane began. She motioned toward Bastien and me. “We’re in a bit of a jam.”
3
The Noble We Were Born to Be
“Oh, Lane. No, no. Damond, is this your doing? What’s going on here?” Draper pointed at Abraham Lincoln in accusation, who ambled out behind me. He shoved his cigar between his teeth and whipped a dagger from his belt. “That’s a bear! Get behind me, Lane.”
Lane waved off his concern. “That’s just Rosie’s new baby. First things first, we need a place to stay. Rosie sleeps, and she’s long overdue. We need to wash up and eat. Can I buy a room off you? It would have to be secret that we’re staying here. No one can know I’m here. Or Bastien. Or Reyn. And of course not Rosie. And really Lot shouldn’t be seen here, either.”
Draper looked around at the guys, taking in the scope of the damage before seeing how he could be helpful. “Alright. I can take care of that if you can sneak upstairs. I can have food sent up, new clothes, whatever you need. Under one condition, though.”
“Anything, kid.”
Draper’s smile shone through the tears he started to wipe away. “You take me with you. Whatever it is you’re doing here, I want in. I just got you back. Promise you won’t leave without me this time.”
“Oh, honey. You might change your mind when you hear what we’re up to, but sure. If you still want in, you can come along. It’ll be dangerous, though.”
“The fun stuff always is.” Draper turned toward Bastien. “Are you actually hiding my cousin from me? Is this her?”
“No. She’s nervous, is all.” Bastien turned his head over his shoulder to stage-whisper to me. “You know you look ridiculous, right? Come on out and say hello to the poor guy.”
Seven hopped out of my arms and clawed her way up Bastien’s back. She peered at Draper over Bastien’s shoulder, startling him and adding only more confusion and chaos to Draper’s shaken world.
Draper brought his hands over Lane’s ears, clamping them down in case Seven unleashed her deadly squawk. Though I didn’t know Draper from Adam, I loved him a little bit for protecting Lane without question. Uncle Henri had smacked her, but Draper shielded her. It was too much to hope that he would like me, too, but before I could stop it, the emotion bloomed in my chest, making me wish more than anything that Draper would be okay with me being around.
Lane patted his hands before removing them. “It’s all fine, hun. You remember that Rosie can talk to animals. She did it around you all the time when you helped me take care of her back when she was a baby. She was always babbling to the birds.”
“I guess I didn’t expect her to find such dangerous animals.” His voice turned soft and careful when he spoke in my direction. “Rosie? I’m your cousin, Draper.” When my reply stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t bring myself to take off my hood, he pushed on. “You wouldn’t remember me, but the three of us used to live together back in Province 9. I was only ten when you were born. Yeah, you couldn’t remember me.” He sounded sad on that last note.
“Hi,” I said lamely from behind Bastien. “Um, yeah. I mean, no. I don’t remember Avalon at all. I know that’s not what you want to hear.”
“Can I get a look at you? The last time I saw you, you were just learning to walk. I imagine you’ve grown since then. It’s been twenty-one years.” He said it like a joke, but I could tell he was nervous. He let out a noise of distress. “Twenty-one years!”
“It’s fine, Ro. Come on out.” Lane held out her hand to me, and I knew I couldn’t not go to her. I released my hold on Bastien unlaced the cape, sliding the gray, coarse material off my shoulders. My ponytail fell forward over my shoulder, and I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets, staring at my soggy shoes as I limped to Lane. “Rosie, this is Prince Draper of Province 2. He’s Damond and Gwen’s older brother. Your cousin.”
“Actually, it’s Draper of the Lost Village now. I was cast out of the royal family.”
Fire rose in Lane’s eyes as her fingernails dug into Draper’s forearm. “You are not lost. You’re a prince, Draper. Just because your father’s a fool doesn’t make you less than the noble you were born to be.” Her words took on passion I’d heard a thousand times in my childhood. “I know who you are.”
Draper closed his eyes and touched his heart. “I love you, Laney.” Though they were only six years apart, Draper spoke to Lane with the reverence reserved for a mother. He tore his gaze from her to meet my hesitant eyes. “Rosie.” My name sounded like honey on his tongue.
I ducked my head, trying not to mess it all up. “Hey. Good to meet you. Or re-meet you.”
Draper’s rapid movements drew my eyes upward as he hurriedly tucked in his shirt, buttoning it and pulling on his suspenders. He stuck out his hand, hiding his cigar behind his back. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rosie.” He shook my hand, and I knew he was holding back for my sake. I was punking out, and he was being cool about it. “You really don’t remember me?” He was hopeful, sincere. I wanted to give him good news, but I didn’t have any for him.
I kept my head down and slowly shook my head. “I’m sorry. I wish I did. You seem like a nice guy.”
I felt Draper’s eyes on me, studying every hair that was out of place (all of them) and every detail that made me the girl he’d known as a baby. I was riddled with guilt, thinking that I’d taken his mother figure away. Yet he didn’t look at me as though he hated me. When I picked up my head to peek at him, I saw nothing but pure, unadulterated and earnest love beaming out from his clear blue eyes.
Draper slapped his hands together and rubbed them, addressing the group. “Well, let’s get you all cleaned up and warmed up. Your horses will be taken care of. I’ll call everyone in the bar over to the piano, and then you’ll have the space to go upstairs if you’re quick about it. Go up to the third floor to my room. It’s the one all the way down at the end of the hall. You can rest there, and in the room to the left of it. That one’s vacant tonight.” He reached out and held Lane’s hand, speaking quietly to her while the others picked up their packs and I hobbled back to Bastien. “I don’t want to let you out of my sight. I’m afraid you’ll disappear again. Promise you won’t leave without me.”
Lane leaned up and pressed a kiss to the grown man’s forehead when
he stooped to accommodate her. He softened like a little boy under his mother’s affection. “I promise to take you with me wherever I go, if you still want to come with me after you hear what we’re up to.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’ll be up after one song.”
“I’ll be waiting,” she promised.
4
Kissing and Coughing
Draper’s room was exactly what one might expect of a man left unchecked. Clothes were everywhere, old dishes, and women’s underwear of various shades and sizes were strewn on the floor. The stink of thick cigar smoke permeated the bed, chair, thick rug and walls. The Wildmen, Lot and Remy opted for the room to the left, which was smaller, but far better maintained. Bastien sighed and started cleaning the mess basically by throwing all the clothes in the corner and stacking the dishes outside the door, making himself useful while Lane and I took turns bathing in the tub behind the partition. I felt amazing when I got out, finally clean as I wrapped the cigar-scented towel around me. I peeked around the edge when I heard the guys talking.
“This place is filthy,” Bastien complained, and I could see his military training coming into play. His house had been empty, but immaculate. “Reyn, don’t lie down on that bed yet. We need clean sheets.”
“It’s fine, Bastien. I just need to sit.”
“I want you sleeping tonight. I mean it. Your magic’s nearly broken, and I won’t have that happen on my watch. Just wait until I can get some clean sheets up here.”
“Don’t boss me around like I’m some patient! I’m not sick!” I was shocked to hear Reyn raise his voice. He had a line of sweat dotting his sallow forehead, and his breathing was labored.
“You’re barely upright!” Bastien pointed his finger in Reyn’s face. “You need a transfusion. Don’t even bother fighting me on this. I need you at least functional for the journey. I won’t have you passing out on the job. And no more magic. I mean it, Reyn! I’ll do the protection charms. I’ll do whatever concealment we need.”
Reyn’s usually cool demeanor was marred by a snarl. “Don’t older brother me. We’re the same age. We’re equals in the Council. Don’t talk down to me like you know best!”
Bastien pinched the bridge of his nose, for once thinking his words through before speaking. “You’re right. I was out of line. It’s just… I already lost Roland. I can’t lose you, too. Not over this. Not when we’re so close.”
Seeing Bastien expose his underbelly softened the fight in Reyn. His shoulders relaxed as he stood, placing a feeble hand on Bastien’s shoulder. The two hugged in that fierce brotherly way that pushed emotion up inside of me. I’d seen them embrace before, but Bastien’s arms usually remained at his side. It seemed Reyn being sick pushed Bastien to a more desperate edge, which forced his air of distance out of the way.
Reyn hadn’t looked well on and off since we left Remy’s place. He had bags under his eyes, and was constantly either sweating or breathing too heavy for what we were doing. I could hear the smack of doom in Reyn’s voice. “Yeah, fine. But don’t tell the others. I don’t want them treating me like I’m sick or something. It’s bad enough Lot knows.”
“I can’t imagine they don’t already know, but sure. So long as you sleep tonight and stop using your magic, I’ll keep whatever secret you want.”
“Thanks.” He gripped Bastien harder before pulling away. “I’ll go see if Remy’s got the supplies for a transfusion.” He left, and I felt Bastien’s tension going down a notch, now that Reyn would be safer.
I moved out from behind the partition in my towel to grab clothes for Lane and I while she bathed. Bastien hissed at the sight of me, coming near to offer his hand for me to lean on. I could tell he wasn’t sure if that was appropriate, given the state of my partial nudity.
“You’re killing me,” Bastien whispered, taking in my dripping form.
“Oh, you love the danger.” I took a bold step toward him, leaned up on my toes and touched my lips to his cheek. His arm slung low around my waist, pressing my body to his. We tried to stay quiet, so we could prolong the moment as much as possible.
He pulled on the knot I’d done to hold the towel in place. “One tug is all it would take. Just one little tug.” His hand drifted up and thumbed my lower lip, taking in the swell with clear intention burning in his caramel eyes. “Rosie,” he whispered, swallowing hard. “I want to be with you so badly.”
My skin was alight with too many nerve endings dancing and taunting me to come out and play. Oh, did I wish I could play. I wanted to throw so many rules out the window and throw Bastien down on Draper’s bed. I wanted to kiss him, despite the warnings I shouldn’t. I slowly leaned up in time with Bastien’s advance toward my lips, ignoring the alarms and the many reasons I should stay away.
“Babe, could you grab me some clothes?” Lane called from the other side of the partition.
Bastien dropped his hands and stepped back, blowing out a breath of longing so he could look at me like a dude friend, and not the girl he’d just almost kissed.
My face fell. The crash was unavoidable. “Sure, Lane. Be right there.”
I hadn’t packed properly because I hadn’t packed at all. I didn’t have any pajamas, and I didn’t look forward to sleeping in jeans again. I fished through for yoga pants for Lane, underwear and a sports bra tank top, bringing them to her and setting them on the floor next to the tub. Her eyes were a million miles away as she hugged herself in the water. I kissed her forehead, and left her to her many troubled thoughts.
I came back out, and Bastien had his flannel shirt removed, offering it to me as if it was a bouquet of roses. For all the romance to the gesture, to me it smelled just as sweet. He didn’t say a word, but opened his shirt to slide it onto my arms. I turned to face him, and he kept his eyes locked in on mine as he worked his way down the line of buttons until my body was closed inside. I uncinched the towel and let it fall to the rug at my feet. My mouth went dry and my palms moistened when his sharp intake of breath and unconcealed look of desire told me he knew exactly how naked I was under his shirt. The flannel brushed my knees, but I felt the scandal of near-nudity all the same. “Told you I’d get that towel off you,” he whispered low in my ear, giving me goosebumps and all kinds of ideas. His shirt on me was actually completely modest, but my skin felt alive, tingling with the daring of youth I’d never had the opportunity to indulge in.
He was half a step away, and when he reached out to hold my hand, he drew even closer. His thumb grazed my chin, gripping it and directing my face upwards so he could get a good look at my lips and gauge my willingness to finally cross this milestone. “Please?” he whispered, wrapping his other arm low around my hips and pulling me flush to him.
I was so entranced by the lantern’s dim light reflecting off his earnest eyes; I would’ve given him anything if he asked like that. “Please,” I begged, reaching up and tugging on the collar of his t-shirt. I could feel his breath on my lips, and my lashes fluttered with wanton desire for all the things that were Bastien. I adored his Christmas tree scent that, thanks to his shirt, engulfed me. I’d fantasied too many times about his velvety lower lip, his broad shoulders and hard muscles. I drank down the insecurity in his eyes that told me that, as big of a deal as this was for me, it was as much of a game-changer for him, too. He was nervous, which made me feel a boost of boldness I wouldn’t have otherwise possessed.
Bastien’s lips were even softer than I’d imagined. They pressed gently to mine and then parted slightly to taste more of me, to melt me beyond recognition.
Oh, now I melted in his arms. My body felt spineless and weightless as I floated in his embrace. My leg didn’t hurt anymore, and neither did the exhaustion feel like it might overtake me. I was alive with something I’d never experienced before, and it tasted deliciously addictive.
When Bastien’s tongue teased mine, I let out a quiet and unrefined noise of desire, my arms trembling as I reached for his neck to pull him closer, to get just a little more of
the thing I’d been pretending I didn’t need, didn’t want. I wanted Bastien, so I didn’t hold back when the kiss picked up speed, gaining momentum and mingling that with the passion we’d been denying for far too long.
It was as if our bodies had been waiting on the edge of their desires for our minds to get with the program. Though this was my very first kiss, it built with the momentum of a far more experienced collision. I didn’t hesitate to wrap my good leg around his waist when he lifted me off the ground and turned us to press my back to the wall. The ankle from my good leg wrapped around his hips as the music filtered through from the floors below, drowning out his zealous moans so I could swallow them without Lane overhearing us from behind her partition. Each impassioned noise was just for me. The loud and bawdy piano from downstairs served as the backdrop for our scattered hunger, which was finally coming into focus. “I love you in my clothes,” he breathed between kisses. “I love you in my arms.”
I tugged his lower lip between my teeth, bringing out a guttural growl that started in his chest. I arched my back when the thrill of the sound worked its way through me, vibrating too many things and leaving me ravenous for more of him, and still more. I couldn’t believe that this was what I’d been missing out on all these years.
Bastien smeared his lips across my cheek so he could bite my earlobe like a savage who couldn’t get enough. “I love you against the wall like this. This’ll be what I think about all day long. You, exactly like this.”
Bastien felt right to me, and it wasn’t because my world felt all wrong. He had the similar twist in his humor that matched mine, and a prickly way about him that I also got when the bandage was ripped off too soon or too publicly. I wanted him on an animal level, but I also liked the warrior in him, and wanted to be near him. I wanted take care of him, and for the first time, I wanted to let a man take care of me. Each kiss felt like a stamp of permanence I had not expected, but there it was, pressing itself on my lips and daring me to deny we had some pretty explosive chemistry. Each gasp from his mouth settled into a permanent place in my heart. It was my first kiss, but dang if we weren’t knocking it out of the park.
Lost Girl Page 3
