proud of…being alive.”
Her reasoning confused him. Looking across the space, he watched as a photographer snapped after-show pics of the cast before they changed out of costume. “She’s so beautiful.” Remembering they were twins, he gave her a half smile. “Both of you are, I mean.”
“It’s telling that you forgot she was a twin. It speaks well of how you see her. Thank you for the compliment.” She tilted her head. “You’re incredibly attractive, Isaiah.” He visibly twitched and she shrugged. “Where we come from, chicks dig scars. Most men have them. Hell, we have them as a result of years spent living tomboy life.”
Madeline lifted her chin. “See this? This scar was originally three inches across. I was thrown from my horse. I think it gives you character. You and your brother are gorgeous.” Looking at her sister laughing with the cast and mugging for the photographer, she added, “I promise you, Mikayla doesn’t even see it. She sees you , not the scar.”
If that was true, life as he knew it could change entirely.
Two reporters approached and Linn discreetly held the back of his belt when he would have walked away. “Thank you for coming. This is Isaiah Zelder, the stage manager and miracle worker. Without him, we’d have never pulled off the night.”
At one time, Isaiah was recognizable by sight to most members of the local press. “You’ve been a recluse for some time now, Mr. Zelder. How’d you get the scar?”
Madeline replied without hesitation, “Running with the bulls in Madrid. It was all very romantic.”
A few minutes later, she explained it to another reporter as, “A terrible fencing accident with Prince Abdul from the lower provinces.”
To a local radio personality, she whispered, “He was mauled by a grizzly during his trek across the Rockies. He saved two hikers and you should have seen the bear.”
By the time Mikayla glanced around to find them in the crowd, Isaiah was speechless. She worked her way around the room, her eyes on him with a huge smile on her face. A few feet away, she ran and jumped at him. Catching her, holding her tight, was unlike anything he’d ever experienced.
The way she looked at him made his heart pound.
Her fingers stroked his face and through his hair. She seemed unaware of the looks they were getting until a reporter cleared his throat.
The man asked a few initial questions before Kayla introduced Isaiah as the brilliant stage manager who had magic in his hands. When he asked bluntly about the scar, Kayla narrowed her eyes for a moment before saying flippantly, “Undercover op, not allowed to discuss it. Suffice it to say the world is a safer place.” Unsure how to respond, he wandered away looking confused.
Meeting his eyes, Mikayla whispered, “I like you holding me.”
“I like holding you.”
She kept her hands in his hair or on his face constantly, petting him and staring at him as if there was nowhere else she wanted to be. He didn’t understand it but he’d take it as long as she offered. After another fifteen minutes of talking to reporters and several photos taken of them together, she grinned.
“Am I getting too heavy?”
“No.”
“Good.” Then she kissed him full on the mouth, her arms wrapping around his neck and holding as much of him as she could. He tightened his hold, desperate to touch her everywhere. Against his lips, she said, “I have to change. Come with me.”
Madeline stepped up beside them, one hand on her hip. She put an end to her sister’s plans.
“Change and return immediately. We have to make an appearance at the party before you can molest the poor man. Do not get distracted. Meet me back here in ten minutes, Kayla. I’m not kidding. I have a limo taking all of us to the hotel.”
With another fierce look, Linn returned to circulating through the
Her reasoning confused him. Looking across the space, he watched as a photographer snapped after-show pics of the cast before they changed out of costume. “She’s so beautiful.” Remembering they were twins, he gave her a half smile. “Both of you are, I mean.”
“It’s telling that you forgot she was a twin. It speaks well of how you see her. Thank you for the compliment.” She tilted her head. “You’re incredibly attractive, Isaiah.” He visibly twitched and she shrugged. “Where we come from, chicks dig scars. Most men have them. Hell, we have them as a result of years spent living tomboy life.”
Madeline lifted her chin. “See this? This scar was originally three inches across. I was thrown from my horse. I think it gives you character. You and your brother are gorgeous.” Looking at her sister laughing with the cast and mugging for the photographer, she added, “I promise you, Mikayla doesn’t even see it. She sees you , not the scar.”
If that was true, life as he knew it could change entirely.
Two reporters approached and Linn discreetly held the back of his belt when he would have walked away. “Thank you for coming. This is Isaiah Zelder, the stage manager and miracle worker. Without him, we’d have never pulled off the night.”
At one time, Isaiah was recognizable by sight to most members of the local press. “You’ve been a recluse for some time now, Mr. Zelder. How’d you get the scar?”
Madeline replied without hesitation, “Running with the bulls in Madrid. It was all very romantic.”
A few minutes later, she explained it to another reporter as, “A terrible fencing accident with Prince Abdul from the lower provinces.”
To a local radio personality, she whispered, “He was mauled by a grizzly during his trek across the Rockies. He saved two hikers and you should have seen the bear.”
By the time Mikayla glanced around to find them in the crowd, Isaiah was speechless. She worked her way around the room, her eyes on him with a huge smile on her face. A few feet away, she ran and jumped at him. Catching her, holding her tight, was unlike anything he’d ever experienced.
The way she looked at him made his heart pound.
Her fingers stroked his face and through his hair. She seemed unaware of the looks they were getting until a reporter cleared his throat.
The man asked a few initial questions before Kayla introduced Isaiah as the brilliant stage manager who had magic in his hands. When he asked bluntly about the scar, Kayla narrowed her eyes for a moment before saying flippantly, “Undercover op, not allowed to discuss it. Suffice it to say the world is a safer place.” Unsure how to respond, he wandered away looking confused.
Meeting his eyes, Mikayla whispered, “I like you holding me.”
“I like holding you.”
She kept her hands in his hair or on his face constantly, petting him and staring at him as if there was nowhere else she wanted to be. He didn’t understand it but he’d take it as long as she offered. After another fifteen minutes of talking to reporters and several photos taken of them together, she grinned.
“Am I getting too heavy?”
“No.”
“Good.” Then she kissed him full on the mouth, her arms wrapping around his neck and holding as much of him as she could. He tightened his hold, desperate to touch her everywhere. Against his lips, she said, “I have to change. Come with me.”
Madeline stepped up beside them, one hand on her hip. She put an end to her sister’s plans.
“Change and return immediately. We have to make an appearance at the party before you can molest the poor man. Do not get distracted. Meet me back here in ten minutes, Kayla. I’m not kidding. I have a limo taking all of us to the hotel.”
With another fierce look, Linn returned to circulating through the
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