she had come of age at seventeen. All of her sisters received similar gifts, extraordinary pieces from their Nonna’s personal collection, some dating back hundreds of years in Vallerian history.
The only problem with antique jewelry was that it was often difficult to clasp. Cat’s mother, Genevieve, had been slowly restoring and updating their smaller pieces of jewelry to rectify this, but this necklace had not yet had its turn.
Which meant she needed help putting it on, and she went searching for just the man to help her.
“Edward?” she called out as she walked down the hall, her sky high heels clicking softly on the floor, her ivory silk dress caressing her all the way from its strapless top to where it fell by her feet.
Cat turned towards the foyer and stopped at the sight of Agent Brooks, not Edward.
“My Lady, may I be of assistance?”
“Oh, I apologize. I thought Edward would be back by now.”
“Agent Bashiera was called away by Prince Marcello, My Lady.”
Cat’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Did we have another intruder?”
“No, My Lady. Everything is well.” Cat sighed in relief. “Did you need assistance with something?”
“Hmmm? Oh, yes, I did.” She tried to think of something fast; she couldn’t tell the agent she wanted Edward to assist with her necklace because she wanted his hands on her. “I need help with my necklace; however, I didn’t call for my lady’s maid this evening. I wanted to see if I could borrow Rebecca’s or Grace’s, but I wasn’t sure if we were allowed in the halls yet.”
“The Royal Wing is no longer in lockdown, but access is still highly restricted, My Lady. Only a dozen or so staff have been let in, and I don’t believe lady’s maids were included in the allowed group.”
“I see. Well, would you be able to help me with this necklace? It’s got a tricky clasp I can never manage on my own.”
A knock rapped at the door just as Agent Brooks opened her mouth to answer. When the door opened, Cat’s breath caught at the sight of Edward. His posture was stiff and professional, yet his eyes were searing her.
She felt naked under his gaze.
“My Lady, would you please excuse us for a moment?” Edward asked, and Cat’s breasts tightened in response. God, one low rumble of his voice sent her body humming.
Cat cleared her throat. “Of course. I’ll just wait in the sitting room.” Cat was struggling with the clasp a few minutes later, as she stood in front of an antique mirror while her eyes and fingers struggled to coordinate with each other in her reflection. She sighed in frustration.
“You’ll break that if you keep fiddling with it, My Lady,” Edward said, and Cat’s head whipped around as he entered the room. “Allow me.”
“Has Agent Brooks left?” she asked, hoping the slight tremble in her voice wasn’t noticeable.
“Yes, she’s gone,” he murmured as he moved to stand behind her. “We’re all alone.”
He lifted her hair and placed it over one shoulder, the tips of his fingers brushing her neck, and the curve of her right shoulder.
His hand grazed her bare skin, lingering just under her collarbone before he traced the sweetheart curve along the top edge of the dress. Though her breasts were completely covered, she now wished she’d worn something more revealing.
Something more risqué.
Something more easily torn off.
She watched him in the mirror as his fingers moved to her left arm, and slid softly down until they reached her hand.
His head fell to the curve of her neck. “Allow me, My Lady.” He gathered the pearls in her hand and glided the necklace across her arm on the way up to her neck. The cool pearls and diamonds felt heavenly against her heated, flushed skin.
His lips pressed a barely-there kiss to her neck before he pulled back and she let out a small whimper.
“Hold that thought,” he murmured in a gruff voice.
He effortlessly clasped the necklace and dropped a kiss at her nape, just above where
The only problem with antique jewelry was that it was often difficult to clasp. Cat’s mother, Genevieve, had been slowly restoring and updating their smaller pieces of jewelry to rectify this, but this necklace had not yet had its turn.
Which meant she needed help putting it on, and she went searching for just the man to help her.
“Edward?” she called out as she walked down the hall, her sky high heels clicking softly on the floor, her ivory silk dress caressing her all the way from its strapless top to where it fell by her feet.
Cat turned towards the foyer and stopped at the sight of Agent Brooks, not Edward.
“My Lady, may I be of assistance?”
“Oh, I apologize. I thought Edward would be back by now.”
“Agent Bashiera was called away by Prince Marcello, My Lady.”
Cat’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Did we have another intruder?”
“No, My Lady. Everything is well.” Cat sighed in relief. “Did you need assistance with something?”
“Hmmm? Oh, yes, I did.” She tried to think of something fast; she couldn’t tell the agent she wanted Edward to assist with her necklace because she wanted his hands on her. “I need help with my necklace; however, I didn’t call for my lady’s maid this evening. I wanted to see if I could borrow Rebecca’s or Grace’s, but I wasn’t sure if we were allowed in the halls yet.”
“The Royal Wing is no longer in lockdown, but access is still highly restricted, My Lady. Only a dozen or so staff have been let in, and I don’t believe lady’s maids were included in the allowed group.”
“I see. Well, would you be able to help me with this necklace? It’s got a tricky clasp I can never manage on my own.”
A knock rapped at the door just as Agent Brooks opened her mouth to answer. When the door opened, Cat’s breath caught at the sight of Edward. His posture was stiff and professional, yet his eyes were searing her.
She felt naked under his gaze.
“My Lady, would you please excuse us for a moment?” Edward asked, and Cat’s breasts tightened in response. God, one low rumble of his voice sent her body humming.
Cat cleared her throat. “Of course. I’ll just wait in the sitting room.” Cat was struggling with the clasp a few minutes later, as she stood in front of an antique mirror while her eyes and fingers struggled to coordinate with each other in her reflection. She sighed in frustration.
“You’ll break that if you keep fiddling with it, My Lady,” Edward said, and Cat’s head whipped around as he entered the room. “Allow me.”
“Has Agent Brooks left?” she asked, hoping the slight tremble in her voice wasn’t noticeable.
“Yes, she’s gone,” he murmured as he moved to stand behind her. “We’re all alone.”
He lifted her hair and placed it over one shoulder, the tips of his fingers brushing her neck, and the curve of her right shoulder.
His hand grazed her bare skin, lingering just under her collarbone before he traced the sweetheart curve along the top edge of the dress. Though her breasts were completely covered, she now wished she’d worn something more revealing.
Something more risqué.
Something more easily torn off.
She watched him in the mirror as his fingers moved to her left arm, and slid softly down until they reached her hand.
His head fell to the curve of her neck. “Allow me, My Lady.” He gathered the pearls in her hand and glided the necklace across her arm on the way up to her neck. The cool pearls and diamonds felt heavenly against her heated, flushed skin.
His lips pressed a barely-there kiss to her neck before he pulled back and she let out a small whimper.
“Hold that thought,” he murmured in a gruff voice.
He effortlessly clasped the necklace and dropped a kiss at her nape, just above where
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