“Goodness, you’re even more handsome in person,” the woman gushed.
Did people have no shame in this time? He’d always got attention for his face, but never so blatantly as here and now. She didn’t even care to ask his name before she thrust a small card at him. He caught Audrey’s eye and raised a brow. Another phone number for her to crumple. This one wasn’t handwritten, though, and he noticed Seda whispering something to Audrey, making her expression change to one of interest.
“I saw that darling little ad Seda made. Just so hysterical,” she went on and on. When could he disappear with Audrey to some private space? In fact, when could they go home?
“Drew’s a casting agent,” Seda told him, giving him a hard look. A glance at Audrey showed much the same face. He was supposed to do something, but he wasn’t sure what. “She vacations here, but her agency is in Los Angeles.”
“Seda did my guesthouse,” Drew said, showing all her teeth. “She’s got such a good eye for furniture, and now I can see she has it for talent as well. Have you ever thought about acting or modeling? I’ve got a couple commercial spots you might be perfect for. One’s national— razor blades. They want edgy and tough. You definitely look tough.”
He saw Audrey nodding eagerly behind her, making motions with her hands to go along with it all. He relaxed his face and nodded and smiled, agreeing to whatever she said, a little disturbed that Audrey didn’t seem the least bit jealous. When the woman finally left, she grabbed his arm and squealed.
“This is turning out to be a great night,” she said happily. “National commercials pay a ton of money. I could pay off the loan sharks faster and you could—” Her voice dropped an octave and her cheerful demeanor became forced. “If you liked it, it could be a really good career for you, uh, when you start your new life. You don’t have to do it, of course, but it would mean you’d be free sooner.”
She swallowed hard, and grabbed another drink as a server passed by, taking a gulp of it. He frowned and took the drink from her. The longer he stayed with her, the more uncertain he became about leaving.
“This kind of work would be like doing the video Seda made?” he asked uncertainly.
He’d hated every second of that. And the women who came into the shop and cooed about how adorable he looked in it, asking him to wink and take pictures with them. If it hadn’t sold a load of cupcakes, he would have been completely humiliated. As it was, it was difficult to hold his head up. Adorable, indeed.
“Well, it would be much better quality, but yes,” Audrey said, stroking his arm and looking up at him with a glint in her eyes he’d never seen there before.
If earning money acting like a fool made her respect him, he’d done worse and more difficult things. “I’ll do it,” he said recklessly. “If it will help pay off the loan sharks faster,” he added to save his pride.
Her face fell and he wanted to make her smile again, not sure what he’d said wrong. Could it be possible she didn’t want him to leave once her money problems were over? The thought caused a rush of happiness that he quickly pushed down. The only thing he wanted to think about was right now. So far this party was turning out to be a bust, as far as he was concerned, and he intended to fix it. He gave Seda a look that should have warned her not to follow them, grabbed Audrey’s hand and pulled her toward the music.
The way people danced had certainly changed, but he didn’t care about the steps as long as he could hold her body close to his. The thumping beat and the feel of her against him restored his good mood, and when she gasped for breath from all the jumping around, he led her along the deck until he found a nice, quiet room.
“This place is certainly luxurious,” he said, taking in the plush furniture in the spacious cabin.
He noticed she’d somehow managed to find herself another drink on their way to this secluded spot and he frowned, taking it from her and once again downing it himself. The overly sweet, bubbly drink was going to give him a headache if she didn’t stop.
“Why do you keep finishing my drinks?” she pouted.
Her pique was short lived and she leaned against him, resting her cheek against his chest. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, not wanting to muss her hair, which was all up on top of her head. He thought it made her look more elegant than usual, but he longed to run his fingers through it, and couldn’t wait until she took it down later that night.
“I don’t want you to get so drunk you don’t recall who you came with.”
She leaned back and smiled up at him. “Were you jealous earlier? Seda said you were acting possessive when the party store guy was talking to me.” She squeezed him. “Remember you can’t lie to me.”
He nodded. He would have liked to keep from admitting he’d felt the undignified emotion, but the heavy blanket of helplessness settled over him whenever she invoked the curse.
“I was a bit jealous,” he said, not feeling too bad when she looked so gratified at his answer. He shook his head, wondering for at least the hundredth time why he cared so much about her happiness. “Honestly, I wanted to pummel the man into the depths of the sea. Why weren’t you jealous when that fiery haired woman swooped down on me like a hawk?”
She laughed, the sound making his heart soar. There was no reason he should care, but he did. He wanted her happy, all the time. It was just the way it was, and he didn’t want to fight it.
“I was. I would have been more jealous if she hadn’t only seemed interested in you for a job. If she calls you for an audition, I’ll go with you to make sure she doesn’t try any funny stuff.”
“You’ll protect me, will you?” he asked.
“Yes, I’ll be as menacing as you were with the mobsters. If she so much as lays one of her talons on you, it’s lights out, baby.”
Not wanting to be standing anymore, he pulled her to the plush bed in the middle of the cabin. It was more than twice the size of the one he slept on now, and he liked the idea of getting into it with her, having room to move around for once. Surely they’d done what they came to the party to do. Audrey had met someone who could help her with her business, and he’d met someone who might give him employment. Now they could enjoy themselves.
He laughed. “Why will you do that for me?”
He didn’t much care about her answer, just enjoyed their nonsensical banter, hearing her voice and looking at her smile.
She lay alongside him and nestled herself into him as if she were made to be there. She must have had more to drink than he realized, because her eyes drifted closed.
“Because you’re mine,” she said dreamily. “You’re my Viking.” He froze, and her eyes flew open again. Shaking her head, she pulled away. “I don’t mean because of the curse, I really don’t. Oh, I’m a little tipsy from the champagne. I can’t drink that stuff at all. I just meant, I like having you around.”
Confused tears welled in her eyes, afraid she’d hurt his feelings, and he realized with a start that he didn’t care why she’d said it. Whether it was because of the curse or not, her words were true.
Whether he liked it or not, he was hers. And surprisingly, shockingly, he decided he did like it.
***
Audrey sat up and slapped her cheeks to try and come to her senses. She’d only had three half glasses of champagne, because Erik kept swiping them from her and finishing them off. He said it was so she wouldn’t get too drunk, and here she was mouthing off like she’d downed a bottle of Scotch. Why, oh why had she let that slip out about being hers? She’d come to think of him as her Viking and her alcohol addled brain had just let it fly out.
She was certain she had ruined what had promised to be a very nice time on an adult sized bed. She’d really looked forward to luxuriating in it with him, rolling around and easily changing positions, instead of clinging to the tiny bed in the guest room for dear life.
She really had to be drunker than she thought, to be entertaining the notion of getting down on a stranger’s bed during a yacht party f
ull of people she might one day do business with. Yes, she’d had way too much to drink. After she choked out her apology and tried to explain what she meant, she was surprised to see he didn’t seem offended at all.
Instead, he gathered her in his arms and held her close, trailing his lips down the side of her throat while his hands worked their way under her tiny dress. Maybe he was drunker than she thought as well, to take it so easily in stride. Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to continue the conversation, if he was willing to let it go.
He got her dress ruched up over her hips and stopped, tugging at her doubled up support panties and growing frustrated when they didn’t budge. Even his great strength wouldn’t be able to tear those bad boys into pieces.
“What is this?” he asked, leaning up on an elbow to inspect her undergarments.
She yanked her dress back down and rolled away from him. “Never mind,” she said. “I think we need to network a little more.”
Damn it for wanting to look smooth in the skin tight dress. She should have accepted looking lumpy, and then she could still be lying in the big bed with him, letting him work his magic fingers all over her body.
“I think you need to come back over here so I can figure out those battle panties you’re wearing.”
She snorted a laugh and shook her head. “They’re not battle panties, they’re shapewear, and it’s embarrassing. Let’s just go dance some more.”
“Shapewear? What are they supposed to be shaping? Your backside? I think it’s fine the way it is, and much nicer to touch without them on. They felt sturdier than chainmail. Can you even breathe in them?”
“Oh, this judgmental attitude from a man who comes from the time of corsets.”
“No woman I knew ever corseted her nether regions. If you don’t want me to see them, just take them off yourself, but either way, I want you over here.”
He smiled and bit his lip, clearly not about to leave the room until he’d got what he wanted. Goosebumps popped out all over her exposed skin at his direct gaze. Her insides felt warm and gooey, like a fresh chocolate chip cookie, and he looked like a man who hadn’t eaten in days. After already being lightheaded from the champagne, now she felt even more unsteady on her lust shaken legs. God, she wanted him. Enough to expose her two pairs of Spanx.
“Fine,” she said. “Roll over and don’t look.” His expression immediately turned smug and she shook her head. “And wipe that grin off your face while you’re at it.”
Something passed across his face between the smug grin and his obediently neutral look before he rolled to face the opposite wall. It looked like he’d discovered something exciting, and if she hadn’t been in such a hurry to get out of her clothes, she might have questioned him.
“Whatever, Audrey. Just come here and get what you know you want from your Viking.”
The look on his face was irresistible, and with a helpless huff, she yanked at the offending panties until they were in a heap on the floor. Looking at him resolutely facing the other way, she smiled and pulled her dress back down, wanting him to start fresh with his discovery, eager to have his hands on her again.
She’d never been a huge fan of too much foreplay before, but now she knew it was because no one else she’d been with had been doing it right. God, she was so broken for anyone else now. It was all Erik. She was determined to store up a big bank of memories for when he finally left, that she could feast on well into old age.
When she put her knee on the bed to climb in with him, he rolled over with lightning speed and pulled her down with him, his hunger for her making her breathless with need. He wriggled his big body underneath her and she looked down at him wonderingly, once again taken by surprise at his physical beauty. He seemed to grow better looking every moment she knew him, and she knew it was because his innate kindness and willingness to help showed through more and more, making him shine ever brighter.
She curled her fingers into his muscular shoulders and ground herself against him, her champagne haze turning into pure red hot desire. The gleam in his eyes told her he wasn’t going to go easy on her and she almost purred with anticipation.
“Audrey,” he started, his deep, rumbling voice trailing off as he ran his hands down her sides, his eyes following his fingertips.
His appreciative gaze lingered on her breasts and he shook his head, not finishing his thought. He pulled his body up to slide his lips along the exposed skin at the deep scoop of her neckline. She leaned in and brushed her cheek against his hair, breathing in the fresh shampoo scent and salty ocean air that clung to him. Running her fingers through the soft strands, she murmured contentedly while he continued trailing kisses along her cleavage. She sighed, feeling oddly fulfilled to be in his arms.
He seemed to feel the same, and what she was certain was going to be hot and slamming passion in the yacht cabin evolved into a tender moment. When he carefully rolled her over and slipped her dress over her head, dipping his head down to kiss her, she could feel something new in the gentle questing of his tongue. He seemed to possess and claim her in a way she’d never experienced, a way that she liked altogether too much.
I love him, she thought, melting into his thrusts, turning her face into the soft touch of his palm against her cheek. He leaned down to touch his forehead to hers, whispering unintelligible words, his eyes tightly closed as if he was holding himself back.
She stilled beneath him, feeling like she’d risen above her body to watch. What did she just think? Did she really love him, or was she dazzled by what he did to her body? She gripped him tightly, pulling him flush against her, trying to sort it out.
Yes, she was in heaven right now, but she felt certain that wasn’t all it was. His smiling face every morning, the way he concentrated over the recipe cards, double checking each measurement as if the outcome of an important campaign rode on their accuracy, how he checked in on her throughout each day, the fun conversations they had together after the shop closed. The otherworldly sex was only part of it. She closed her eyes and gave in.
It was true. She loved him. A slight moan escaped her and he kissed it away. She felt his smile as he pressed his lips to hers and she opened her eyes to find him looking down at her, a bit of concern on his face. She must have looked as tortured as she felt. How could she have gone and fallen in love with him? How could she let him go? It was going to destroy her.
“Are you okay, Audrey?” he asked, slowing his movements, as if afraid to hurt her.
She wrapped herself around him to keep him from retreating, and pressed her face into his shoulder, unable to to take another second of the caring she saw in his eyes. It was too easy to trick herself that he might feel the same way she did, and that could only lead to more heartache.
She had to make this moment enough, and the rest of the moments she would be allowed to have with him. Thankfully, she didn’t dissolve into tears, and a sense of peace stole over her as he stroked her hair. She still had time, and she’d make the most of all of it. She leaned back and kissed him hard.
“I’m okay, I’m better than okay. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
Chapter 14
Erik lay in his narrow bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for Audrey to come and tell him to get up. He’d been awake for at least an hour, and could have been showered and ready to get to work by now, but he liked pretending to be asleep so she would have to wake him. He was also preoccupied with what had happened the night before on the boat. He first felt it when she was so adorably rosy with embarrassment over her outlandish undergarments.
She’d told him to turn around, and for the first time since he’d come out of the painting and she’d directly commanded him to do something, he didn’t feel the heavy helplessness settle over him. He’d been so shocked he almost blurted it out to her in amazement, but he kept quiet, still not sure. He’d put it to the test a few times, leading her to command him to do something else and the outcome was always the same. For whatever reason, the curse
was broken.
He didn’t understand how it was possible, and more importantly, he didn’t understand why he shouldn’t be ecstatic about it. He could leave now, seek his vengeance against the witch who imprisoned him, find a way to force her into giving him his old life back. He should have been overjoyed.
Instead, he felt conflicted. Downright sad at the thought of leaving Audrey. He kicked the covers off and sat up, then flopped back down against the pillow, wishing she’d hurry up and come in. He loved the look on her face when she peeked in to wake him, so pretty and tentative, with an underlying glimmer of lust in her eyes that she couldn’t hide no matter how hard she tried. He knew they didn’t have enough time in the mornings to enjoy themselves, but he liked teasing her and hoped to be able to convince her to not be so responsible one day.
He shrugged angrily at his foolish thoughts. He should have been planning his goodbyes, preparing a plan of action. He forcibly turned his mind in that direction and was hit with an avalanche of guilt. Hadn’t he promised Audrey he’d stay until her troubles with the moneylenders were solved?
Then again, hadn’t he been all but forced to make that promise under the duress of the curse? He thought he’d be within his rights to go now, but it seemed cowardly to leave her. It wasn’t her fault she was the one who freed him, and therefore the one who was able to command him, and she’d never really abused the power. She’d only used it at all out of desperation.
No, he couldn’t leave until her money problems were solved. He wouldn’t be a man worthy of a fresh start if he left now. He’d deserve to be cursed right back into the painting if he abandoned her to those wolves with their modern weapons. A smile curled his lips as he made his decision.
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