immediately thought about me. So, she bought it without further thought. Kenya gave it to me right before I got on the plane to come here.”
“She sounds like a wonderful person.”
Cleo smiled. “She is. One of the best I’ve ever known. I wish she could have come with me.” The thought of spending Christmas alone, without family or friends, was fast becoming a reality. She began walking, again.
“And, why didn’t she?”
“She has family to be with over Christmas, plus Lane.”
His hand on her arm stopped her. “And, you don’t have family?”
Did she want to tell him she was a failure at marriage? What did it matter anyway? “Not anymore. I’m recently divorced, and we didn’t have any children. I rarely go see my siblings, for my ex-husband tried to keep me away from them; we spent holidays with his family instead.”
“Some man let you go?” His grip turned seductive, and his fingers stroked her through the cashmere sweater. Her heart rate and breathing increased in response. “Well, I suppose that’s for the best.”
She jerked her arm from his hold. “Excuse me?” That was not what she was expecting him to say.
“This way, I don’t get accused of stealing another man’s woman.”
As fast as it had reared its head, her anger gave way to a different emotion. Warmth flowed up through her body. He had sounded so matter-of-fact when he spoke, it was as if he totally believed the words he’d said. And, she had no response for him.
His thumb swiped across her lower lip before he said, “The Kievan exhibit is right over there.”
Her legs were shaking so badly she wasn’t sure she’d be able to move. Her body cried out when he removed his touch. She felt empty. Licking her lips, she noticed the flare of heat in his gaze, and it made her feel a bit better. I’m not the only one fighting emotions here.
“Thank you,” she muttered as she forced herself to walk away from him.
Chapter Five
Nikolas kept his gaze glued to Cleo’s ass as she headed away from him. His eyes following the unintentional and, yet, totally seductive sway of her jean clad derriere. His body was so tightly coiled, he felt ready to explode. Touching her had been a mistake; he hadn’t been ready to do so, knowing he had to release her.
Witnessing the pain on her face as she mentioned her ex-husband made him want to pull her into his arms and promise everything would be fine, that he would take care of her for the rest of her life. But he hadn’t. Instead, he’d let her talk and pull away. He didn’t want to rush her.
That’s not true. I do want to rush her, and yet, at the same time, I want her to be one hundred percent sure of what she’s doing when she comes to me. I’m not going to be a vacation fling.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She stood a short distance away from him, and he was totally captivated by everything about her. Her passion for the past only endeared her more. Nikolas wanted to know all about her. Her likes, dislikes, fears, and dreams. He wanted to hold her and never let her go.
Clearing his throat, he stepped up beside her, again taken in by the way his body reacted to the scent she wore. “So, what is it about Kievan Rus’ that is alluring to you?”
She moved to another depiction of a battle before she answered. “Everything. But, to be totally honest, I’m looking for more information on one person.”
“And, who would that be?” He again closed the distance she’d put between them. “A prince?”
“No,” she said immediately. “Well, I don’t think he was a prince. I can’t find much of anything on him.”
Slipping his hands into his pockets so he didn’t grab her, he peered sideways at her. “Who is he? I know a bit about the time period; perhaps, I can help.”
Her indecision to tell him was plain all over her expressive face. Who was this person, and why did she hesitate to tell him? Again, that ugly head of jealousy rose up within him. He racked his
“She sounds like a wonderful person.”
Cleo smiled. “She is. One of the best I’ve ever known. I wish she could have come with me.” The thought of spending Christmas alone, without family or friends, was fast becoming a reality. She began walking, again.
“And, why didn’t she?”
“She has family to be with over Christmas, plus Lane.”
His hand on her arm stopped her. “And, you don’t have family?”
Did she want to tell him she was a failure at marriage? What did it matter anyway? “Not anymore. I’m recently divorced, and we didn’t have any children. I rarely go see my siblings, for my ex-husband tried to keep me away from them; we spent holidays with his family instead.”
“Some man let you go?” His grip turned seductive, and his fingers stroked her through the cashmere sweater. Her heart rate and breathing increased in response. “Well, I suppose that’s for the best.”
She jerked her arm from his hold. “Excuse me?” That was not what she was expecting him to say.
“This way, I don’t get accused of stealing another man’s woman.”
As fast as it had reared its head, her anger gave way to a different emotion. Warmth flowed up through her body. He had sounded so matter-of-fact when he spoke, it was as if he totally believed the words he’d said. And, she had no response for him.
His thumb swiped across her lower lip before he said, “The Kievan exhibit is right over there.”
Her legs were shaking so badly she wasn’t sure she’d be able to move. Her body cried out when he removed his touch. She felt empty. Licking her lips, she noticed the flare of heat in his gaze, and it made her feel a bit better. I’m not the only one fighting emotions here.
“Thank you,” she muttered as she forced herself to walk away from him.
Chapter Five
Nikolas kept his gaze glued to Cleo’s ass as she headed away from him. His eyes following the unintentional and, yet, totally seductive sway of her jean clad derriere. His body was so tightly coiled, he felt ready to explode. Touching her had been a mistake; he hadn’t been ready to do so, knowing he had to release her.
Witnessing the pain on her face as she mentioned her ex-husband made him want to pull her into his arms and promise everything would be fine, that he would take care of her for the rest of her life. But he hadn’t. Instead, he’d let her talk and pull away. He didn’t want to rush her.
That’s not true. I do want to rush her, and yet, at the same time, I want her to be one hundred percent sure of what she’s doing when she comes to me. I’m not going to be a vacation fling.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She stood a short distance away from him, and he was totally captivated by everything about her. Her passion for the past only endeared her more. Nikolas wanted to know all about her. Her likes, dislikes, fears, and dreams. He wanted to hold her and never let her go.
Clearing his throat, he stepped up beside her, again taken in by the way his body reacted to the scent she wore. “So, what is it about Kievan Rus’ that is alluring to you?”
She moved to another depiction of a battle before she answered. “Everything. But, to be totally honest, I’m looking for more information on one person.”
“And, who would that be?” He again closed the distance she’d put between them. “A prince?”
“No,” she said immediately. “Well, I don’t think he was a prince. I can’t find much of anything on him.”
Slipping his hands into his pockets so he didn’t grab her, he peered sideways at her. “Who is he? I know a bit about the time period; perhaps, I can help.”
Her indecision to tell him was plain all over her expressive face. Who was this person, and why did she hesitate to tell him? Again, that ugly head of jealousy rose up within him. He racked his
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