never reached her eyes.
“You’ll have to excuse Yoanda. She is slow sometimes.”
Xandra’s mouth tightened. “She seems very sweet.”
Without another word, Phili glared at her and then left the
room. After she’d closed the door, Rayder locked it and returned to Xandra.
She shivered. “If you would leave me in peace, I’ll dress.”
“Perhaps I don’t want to leave.” His gaze strayed with
interest over her half-naked form.
Her fingers tightened on the covering that remained over her
breasts and all the way to her ankles. The way he looked at her said he could
see through the semitransparent cloth and wanted to see more and do more than
simply admire. She shivered with a strange wanting, a desire she couldn’t
shake.
“Well, I will not change with you here.”
“I’ll turn my back.”
“In my country, it is considered heinously bad luck for the
groom to see the bride the night before the wedding.”
Thunder rumbled outside, and she flinched. Rayder
approached, but this time his eyes held concern. “Perhaps the storm will fade
off to the south.”
She shook her head. “No. It’s not.” Fear reached for her,
irrational and uncontrollable. “It’s coming here. Now.”
Blue lightning flashed outside a porthole and thunder
clapped. Her fingers tightened on the cloth and she shivered.
“You’re not well enough to stand around dripping wet in this
cold. Get dressed,” he said.
“Not with you in the room.”
“I’ll turn around.”
She hesitated.
He glared.
“Turn around first.” The testiness in her voice came out
clearly. “If I am forced to marry, the least you could do is show respect for
my traditions.”
“A man in Magonia never sees his intended naked
before her marries her?” He snorted softly when she didn’t answer. “Of course
not.”
Planting his hands on his hips, he turned around. She stared
at his broad back for a smidgen in time before hurrying to strip the cloth away
from her body and shimmy into warm gray pants and tunic. Grateful for the
warmth, she pressed her hands over the fabric and sighed. The material’s thick
weave hung on her like a sack—she had to roll up the sleeves and pants legs.
And though the drab gray color and floppy size wouldn’t flatter, it would keep
her warm.
“You can turn around.” She slipped into the socks and sturdy
ankle shoes the women had also brought.
The warrior turned and gave her a thorough inspection, as if
she must pass a test. He tilted his head to the side. “Far too large, but it
suits you.”
Insulted, she hung the towel over the chair that had barred
the door earlier. “How very flattering.”
“Tomorrow you’ll put on the ceremony dress first thing.
Yoanda and Phili will escort you to the sanctum in the admiral’s quarters where
ceremonies are held. After that you’ll retire to this cabin immediately.”
Thunder cracked overhead and the ship’s movement became
stronger, rocking more from side to side. Xandra’s breath shortened, but she
maintained control. Rayder examined her closely.
“The storm frightens you,” he said softly, easing nearer.
She stared up at him, comforted by his presence and anxious
at the same time. How could one man generate two different reactions inside
her?
“I’m fine.”
He closed the gap until he stood in front of her, as close
as a husband might choose to be. “Is that why you’re trembling?”
She turned away, but he followed. He clasped her shoulders
and she froze. “If I am trembling, it’s because you’re too close.”
A soft, throaty laugh drifted on the air. “I make you
tremble? That’s interesting. A man could get a lot of ideas from that.”
“Don’t. I’m not some…some tramp you can do with what you
will.” Irritation mixed with her desire to run. She turned and met his intense
eyes head-on. His hands dropped from her shoulders. “I’m trembling because so
many things have happened to me in the last…few days.”
“You’ve been
“You’ll have to excuse Yoanda. She is slow sometimes.”
Xandra’s mouth tightened. “She seems very sweet.”
Without another word, Phili glared at her and then left the
room. After she’d closed the door, Rayder locked it and returned to Xandra.
She shivered. “If you would leave me in peace, I’ll dress.”
“Perhaps I don’t want to leave.” His gaze strayed with
interest over her half-naked form.
Her fingers tightened on the covering that remained over her
breasts and all the way to her ankles. The way he looked at her said he could
see through the semitransparent cloth and wanted to see more and do more than
simply admire. She shivered with a strange wanting, a desire she couldn’t
shake.
“Well, I will not change with you here.”
“I’ll turn my back.”
“In my country, it is considered heinously bad luck for the
groom to see the bride the night before the wedding.”
Thunder rumbled outside, and she flinched. Rayder
approached, but this time his eyes held concern. “Perhaps the storm will fade
off to the south.”
She shook her head. “No. It’s not.” Fear reached for her,
irrational and uncontrollable. “It’s coming here. Now.”
Blue lightning flashed outside a porthole and thunder
clapped. Her fingers tightened on the cloth and she shivered.
“You’re not well enough to stand around dripping wet in this
cold. Get dressed,” he said.
“Not with you in the room.”
“I’ll turn around.”
She hesitated.
He glared.
“Turn around first.” The testiness in her voice came out
clearly. “If I am forced to marry, the least you could do is show respect for
my traditions.”
“A man in Magonia never sees his intended naked
before her marries her?” He snorted softly when she didn’t answer. “Of course
not.”
Planting his hands on his hips, he turned around. She stared
at his broad back for a smidgen in time before hurrying to strip the cloth away
from her body and shimmy into warm gray pants and tunic. Grateful for the
warmth, she pressed her hands over the fabric and sighed. The material’s thick
weave hung on her like a sack—she had to roll up the sleeves and pants legs.
And though the drab gray color and floppy size wouldn’t flatter, it would keep
her warm.
“You can turn around.” She slipped into the socks and sturdy
ankle shoes the women had also brought.
The warrior turned and gave her a thorough inspection, as if
she must pass a test. He tilted his head to the side. “Far too large, but it
suits you.”
Insulted, she hung the towel over the chair that had barred
the door earlier. “How very flattering.”
“Tomorrow you’ll put on the ceremony dress first thing.
Yoanda and Phili will escort you to the sanctum in the admiral’s quarters where
ceremonies are held. After that you’ll retire to this cabin immediately.”
Thunder cracked overhead and the ship’s movement became
stronger, rocking more from side to side. Xandra’s breath shortened, but she
maintained control. Rayder examined her closely.
“The storm frightens you,” he said softly, easing nearer.
She stared up at him, comforted by his presence and anxious
at the same time. How could one man generate two different reactions inside
her?
“I’m fine.”
He closed the gap until he stood in front of her, as close
as a husband might choose to be. “Is that why you’re trembling?”
She turned away, but he followed. He clasped her shoulders
and she froze. “If I am trembling, it’s because you’re too close.”
A soft, throaty laugh drifted on the air. “I make you
tremble? That’s interesting. A man could get a lot of ideas from that.”
“Don’t. I’m not some…some tramp you can do with what you
will.” Irritation mixed with her desire to run. She turned and met his intense
eyes head-on. His hands dropped from her shoulders. “I’m trembling because so
many things have happened to me in the last…few days.”
“You’ve been
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