Sold To The Dragons (A BBW Paranormal Romance Book 1) Page 4

  Appearing to be in their late twenties, both of the brothers walked with a confident, purposeful stride, shoulders back and head up. Though when they saw me, they both seemed to do the tiniest of stutter steps and at the exact same time. It was almost cute. Or, it would have been, if men with identical strong, square jaws and features that were on the stern side, similar to their father's, could ever be considered "cute."

  If someone had asked me which one I found more attractive, I wouldn't have been able to answer. For one, because they both struck me as equally profoundly attractive, and for another thing, I was having difficulty even keeping my breathing at a semi-normal rate right then. I wondered if I'd actually be able to form words.

  But I was going to have to power through my rubbery knees and pounding heart and find a way to speak somehow, because now, the brothers were standing in front of me, and Tom was making introductions.

  "Kira, I'd like to introduce you to my sons. Although I myself am chief dragon lord and leader, which you've probably already gathered, their official titles are Lord Blake, who is the eldest by a little over a year, and Lord Steven. However, you may address them simply as Blake and Steven, of course. Blake and Steven, this is Miss Kira Southerly."

  The brother with the lighter, chocolate brown hair extended his hand first, literally at the second his father had finished speaking. "I'm Steven. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Southerly."

  His voice was deep and rich.

  I somehow managed to find my own voice, even while the feel of his skin on mine was sending tingles all the way up my arm. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Steven. And please...call me Kira."

  Considering we were likely soon to be making love, I figured we should probably be on a first name basis.

  With his mouth curving in a slight grin, Steven surprised me by picking up my hand and kissing it. "Kira, then. And as beautiful a name as the one who bears the name."

  I murmured a thank you, despite the fact that the feel of his firm, warm mouth on the back of my hand had made my legs even rubberier than they already were, to the point that I was actually having to focus to keep myself upright.

  Fortunately, Blake's handshake was a bit less rattling, though just a slight bit. He was a bit more professional, if that was the right word. He didn't kiss my hand. He was maybe just a bit cooler. Though his handshake, just the right level of firm and warm, like Steven's mouth had been, did make my heart seem to skip a quick beat.

  "It's nice to meet you, Kira. I'm Blake."

  I murmured that it was nice to meet him, as well, suddenly getting a bit lost in his dark gray eyes.

  But before I could get very lost, Tom announced that it was late. "Too late for any further introductions, I think."

  He let his words hang in the air for just a brief second, as if to let it sink in, for all of us, just exactly what he meant. Though I didn't need the brief second; I'd understood immediately. And, surprising myself, I was more than a little disappointed. Which would have stunned me that morning, if I'd been told that I would be.

  Tom continued, his gaze on me. "I'll have your maid escort you to your room shortly, and then I'll have someone bring up your bag from the car. Your maid will help you get settled in. Then, tomorrow, she'll give you a full tour of the castle while Blake, Steven, and I will be taking a patrol trip in dragon form.

  “We'll return in the early evening and have a quick dinner meeting with my advisors, as we usually do after patrol missions. And then after...." Tom paused a moment before continuing with his very businesslike recitation of plans.

  "After dinner, that's when you and one of my sons will have a chance to get better acquainted. They and I will come to an agreement as to which one beforehand. But now...I'm sure you're very tired, so we'll say goodnight and call your maid for you immediately. Goodnight, Kira."

  "Goodnight."

  Blake and Steven said goodnight to me, as well, before turning to follow their father out. And then I was alone in the library. Alone with my thudding heart and my thoughts. Which were already turning toward events and acts that would likely happen the following night.

  CHAPTER THREE

  I stood in the library with my thoughts spinning off in all sorts of different steamy directions. Though before my mind could wander too far, a tall, slender blonde with hair pulled back in a bun entered the library. She appeared to be a little older than me, maybe about thirty, and she gave me a smile that made her green eyes crinkle at the corners. I liked her already.

  "I'm Marielle. And you must be Miss Southerly."

  "Please. Call me Kira."

  She smiled again. "Kira, then, and thank you. It's nice to meet you."

  I smiled in return, hoping that I'd not only just met my maid, but my first friend, also. "Likewise, Marielle."

  Just then, a porter stuck his head in to say my bag would be right up. After he left, Marielle asked if I was ready to go to my room. Beginning to feel more than a little tired, despite my long nap in the car, I told her I definitely was.

  We didn't speak again until we were ascending in the elevator, when she gave me a sidelong glance with her green eyes twinkling. "Nerves thoroughly rattled yet?"

  A sound between a sigh and a chuckle suddenly burst from my mouth.

  "Oh. Oh, are they ever."

  Marielle chuckled a little herself. "Very, very understandable. I remember when I was in your shoes. Though not with two royal brothers, but with the man who would become my husband, who's a soldier in Lord Ashcrest's army. And though I fell in love with him almost right away, I have to admit that it was a somewhat rattling experience to be purchased from my hometown and then be mated so quickly.

  “Rattling, though not in an entirely unpleasant way, if you understand my meaning. This was eight years ago, and my husband and I now have a beautiful five-year-old daughter. And we hope to maybe have another child before my fertility years are over. Though even if we don't, we'll still consider ourselves blessed beyond compare."

  Soon we were deep in conversation about her daughter and her life as a mother, and we were both startled when the elevator doors opened with a ding on the fifteenth floor. On our way down to my room, Marielle told me that this was the highest residential floor, reserved for only the royal family, which only included Lord Ashcrest and his two sons.

  "Meaning, three very spacious, apartment-style suites with a large master bedroom for each person. Or four, rather, now that you're here. So, if you don't like the apartment suite where we go first, there will be plenty more to choose from."

  Me not liking my spacious apartment was not a problem. I loved my apartment. Instantly. Below a row of three wide windows, a fire already crackled in a gilded hearth in the large, yet still cozy, living room, the golden glow from it making a crystal chandelier hanging in the center of the room sparkle. Another chandelier glittered in the kitchen, a room that also featured a large, round polished oak table, three more wide windows, and something called a dishwasher. I'd heard about them before, and the mayor of Quincy even had one.

  Though after examining it for a few moments, I looked up at Marielle. "You might have to show me exactly how to use this."

  Laughing, she gave me a quick lesson, then pulled a cell phone from her pocket and handed it to me. "While we're at it, I should probably make sure you know exactly how to use this, too. Lord Ashcrest wanted me to give it to you for your own, and it already has all important numbers in it...his, Blake's, Steven's, and mine."

  Over the next several minutes, I learned how to make calls and send and receive text messages. At the end of my lesson, when trying to send a test text message to Marielle on my own, I realized that the message was actually being sent to Steven instead.

  "Uh-oh. It says that one's going to Steven. So...what does that mean? Do I now have a chance to take it back before it arrives to his phone?"

  Marielle laughed, actually briefly squeezing her eyes shut with mirth. "I'm afraid not. What sending means is that within a second,
Steven is going to receive a late-night message saying 'Hi' from you. And it's final. No take-backs."

  With my face a little hot, I returned to the home screen. "I'll fix this."

  Fingers flying, I typed out a new message, pushed a few more buttons, hit send, and showed her the screen. "There. Awkwardness averted."

  I'd written Sorry. That was an accident. But for some reason, a quick glance at the screen just made Marielle laugh even harder, to the point that tears glimmered in her eyes.

  After wiping them away, she seemed to try to make her expression sober, though with only partial success. "Now you just sent an apology message to Blake."

  More than a bit flustered, I handed the phone to her. "I'm used to typing on a rusty old typewriter. Can you please just fix this? I'll practice more later. Maybe when I've had more rest."

  She gave me a winky little grin. "Good idea."

  She sent messages to both brothers, briefly explaining that it was her now messaging, and that I was still becoming familiar with my new phone; but not before Steven sent a return message in response to my text saying Hi. His message said: Hi. And sweet dreams, Kira. ;-)

  Though still flustered, the message did make me crack a little smile for some reason. Curiously, Blake never responded to his message that I'd accidentally sent. Not even by the time Marielle and I had enjoyed a little snack in the kitchen and then had unpacked my little bag. I figured maybe he'd just gone to bed right away.

  Which is exactly what I did myself after quickly washing my face, brushing my teeth, and getting into pajamas once Marielle said goodnight and left. After sinking back into a perfectly firm-yet-soft mattress atop a king-sized bed in the master bedroom, I fell asleep almost instantly.

  However, I awoke sometime around four in the morning with a not-unfamiliar ache low in my belly. I also soon realized that the feminine folds between my thighs were incredibly slick. I'd been having a dream about Blake and Steven, and in the dream, the three of us had been in my bed, naked. Steven had been brushing his firm lips against mine, and Blake had his mouth to one of my breasts, teasing my nipple with his tongue. I'd been holding their stiff members in each of my hands, feeling as they got stiffer and stiffer. And longer and bigger.

  I debated whether or not to help myself to some relief from my frustration, but ultimately decided against it. After picturing Blake and Steven naked in great detail, I knew my own touch just wouldn't do. And would possibly instead just leave me even more frustrated than previously. So, after a quick visit to the bathroom, I got into bed and closed my eyes once more. Though this time, it seemed like it took an awfully long time for sleep to come.

  Late the next morning, Marielle sent me a text saying she'd figured I'd want to sleep in a bit and wondering if I was ready to take a full tour of the castle. I'd actually just woken up. Somehow, I managed to text her back successfully, asking her to give me just a forty-five minutes more.

  She actually gave me a little more than that, fortunately, because I ended up rushing around after taking some time to load my breakfast dishes in the dishwasher and then successfully start it up. Marielle also came bearing gifts.

  Beaming, she presented me with an armload of clothes, jewelry, and even a few items I didn't recognize. "Brand-new presents. Courtesy of Lord Ashcrest's court. There's some new jeans, a dress, some heels buried under the pile somewhere...I even picked out a few makeup items. Are you familiar with makeup?"

  I shook my head. As far as I could remember, the citizens of Quincy had only come into some real, factory-made makeup once, when someone visiting from Detroit had brought a box filled with lipsticks. But they were all the same strange shade of yellowish-orange, and no one had worn the lipstick much after the visitor from Detroit had left.

  Marielle gave me a little smile. "Well, maybe we can take a few minutes to play around with some makeup. I figured maybe you'd like to try out some lip-gloss and mascara. Not that you need any makeup at all, honestly, but I just thought it might be fun."

  It turned out that I loved makeup. Marielle applied a few different items on my face and then wiped them off so I could try myself, and when I did, she said I was a natural.

  "You're definitely taking to makeup much quicker than you did texting."

  A while later, we left to have lunch at a little cafe located within the castle, and then we set out on my tour. The afternoon passed by in a blink. I lost count of the many different boutiques and shops within the castle we toured, picking up a few things here and there along the way, and I also lost count of how many beautiful, bubbling stone fountains we passed. One of them actually sat in the middle of a gorgeous greenhouse-slash-casual-public meeting room on the fifth floor.

  Along the way, Marielle also introduced me to a lot of different people, and very tactfully, as "the royal family's friend and guest." By five o' clock, I was ready for a break, and before I even said anything, Marielle seemed to realize it.

  With an arm around my shoulders, she began steering me over to the elevator bay.

  "Come on. I'll cook us some dinner while you enjoy a nice, long bubble bath. And then, I'll help you style your hair and get dressed, and all that other fun stuff."

  I readily agreed. A bubble bath sounded amazing.

  An hour or so later, I stepped out of the bath, completely relaxed, then dressed in some lounge clothes and joined Marielle for a simple yet delicious dinner of baked chicken, baked potato, and salad. At Marielle's suggestion, we also enjoyed some white wine with our meal. By the time I'd finished my second glass, I leaned back in my chair, my muscles feeling like limp noodles.

  Marielle gave me a little smile. "So, are you feeling pretty good? Feeling relaxed?"

  It wasn't lost on me why she was asking. I hadn't forgotten what would be happening later that evening. But if her master plan all day had been to distract and then relax me, it had worked beautifully.

  In response to her questioning, I slowly nodded, feeling deliciously warm and cozy in my oversized knit lounge shirt. "Mm-hmm. I'm so completely relaxed I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to get out of this chair."

  But not a moment later, I did at least sit up, and I did so suddenly. My phone had sounded with a text alert. I snatched up the phone, pushed a button, and then swiped a finger across the screen. The text was from Blake, and it said: Hello, Kira. I'll be coming by to visit you around eight.

  *

  With my pulse accelerating, I set my phone on the table. "So, I guess it's Blake who will be coming over this evening. Actually in about a half-hour."

  I thought of his dark gray eyes, his strong-jawed, unbelievably handsome face, and his long, hard body. Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and my pulse accelerated even a bit faster.

  I reached for the wine bottle across the table. "Maybe I'll just finish this off."

  Marielle and I each had two glasses, and there was at least a large full glass left.

  But, with a hint of a smile, Marielle grabbed the bottle away. "Well, you probably don't want to be too tipsy when Blake arrives. We'll just pour you another little splash."

  Being the oldest of my family's children, and by far, I was used to being in charge, and I normally couldn't stand it when another woman tried to "big sister" me. But for some reason, with Marielle, I actually kind of liked it. Maybe I needed a "big sister" for the first time in my life.

  She poured me another "splash" of wine, actually maybe a third of a glass, and I began sipping it, resisting the urge to slug it back.

  Marielle began pouring another little splash for herself, glancing at me. "So...do you feel ready for everything? Do you have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen?"

  I scoffed, but smiling a little. "I'm twenty-two. Yes, I have a good idea about what's going to happen."

  I'd sure been thinking about it enough at different times during the day.

  "Well, even some twenty-two-year-olds aren't that experienced. I sure wouldn't blame you if you had any questions."

  I took another sip o
f wine and then sighed. "No...no, I don't have any questions. I haven't...fully been with a man yet before, but I don't think I have any questions. I guess I just have...maybe just a little sudden attack of nerves."

  "Well, that's very understandable. But you are fully willing?"

  I didn't even need to think about it

  .

  "Yes. Maybe before seeing Blake and Steven yesterday, I wouldn't have been, but...."

  At the mention of their names, an image of their tall, muscular bodies popped into my head, and a little heat rose to my cheeks.

  "Yes, I'm...I'm fully willing."

  "Well, good. But just so you know...the Ashcrest men are men of honor. They're not cruel or sick in any way. So...if you happen to get another sudden attack of nerves during one of their visits...and if you were to say stop, or slow down...I'm fairly confident they'd do so until you felt comfortable again."