Cherished (16 page)

She smothered a laugh. He was too cute and growly and she didn’t want to offend him because the thing was, he was very sincere. He took his duty as her watchdog very seriously. As did Nico. Sebastien, she’d learned, was all bluster and inside a total cream puff.

He liked to act all laid-back and like he didn’t really care. He liked to pretend to be a hard-ass. But when it came down to it, he did every bit as much to fuss over her as the rest.

This was truly paradise. Completely removed from reality. She couldn’t imagine any other woman possibly having such an existence. It was like something plucked from her deepest, buried fantasies and brought to life.

After being the caretaker for so long, she was finally the one being taken care of. It was…Well, she didn’t have the words to describe how wonderful it felt. She couldn’t really dwell on it without choking up.

She sipped at the lemonade and sighed in pleasure. Everything here was so simple. That in itself was a distinct joy.

“Your mother called for you,” Garon said as he knelt by her lounger.

Talia sat up in the lounger and raised her shades with her free hand. “She did?”

Garon nodded. “Xander spoke with her himself. He assured her you were fine.”

“Xander spoke to her?” Talia croaked out. “Did she realize…I mean did she know…”

“Who he was?” Garon asked with a smile.

Talia nodded numbly.

“I’m guessing you didn’t tell her the whole truth about where you were going,” Garon said gently.

Talia blew out her breath, her shoulders sagging. Garon took the glass from her before she tilted it over.

“No,” she admitted. “I gave her the number Xander provided. The direct line to the villa. But what I told her was that I had been invited on holiday with…friends. She was so thrilled that I was getting out that I didn’t have the heart to tell her all the details. She’s always worried so much over me not having a life as she puts it. She frets endlessly that I’m not out there doing what young people do. She doesn’t understand that I would do anything for her. Anything at all,” Talia said fiercely.

Garon leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “What I think she knows is how special her daughter is and that she was happy that you were finally going to get to do something for yourself.”

Talia nodded. “She was. She was so happy you would have thought it was her getting to go.”

She turned her face up to Garon, anxiety curling in her stomach. “What did Xander say? How did she react? I don’t want her to be…” She broke off, biting her lip.

“You don’t want her to be what?” Garon asked quietly.

Talia sighed unhappily. “I don’t want her to be ashamed of me.”

Garon’s brow furrowed and his lips formed a thin line. “Ashamed?”

Talia closed her eyes for a long moment. “This is nothing personal to you, Garon. Or the others. You’ve all been so wonderful to me. I feel like a pampered princess. I’ve never had a more wonderful time in my life. But the bald truth is, I signed a contract to be a glorified whore.”

Garon’s expression grew even darker, but she held up a hand to silence him.

“I know the word sounds awful, but let’s be honest. I’m not saying that any of you treat me like some cheap, tawdry lay. God, far from it. I’m so lucky. I mean how stupid does a girl have to be to sign a contract like that and jet off to some remote island not
having any idea what she’s getting into? I’m damn lucky you all didn’t turn out to be some monsters bent on making me a sex slave or selling me into slavery when you were done with me.

“But none of how wonderfully I’m treated changes the fact that I basically sold myself. For sex. I didn’t want my mother to know that. To
ever
know it. She would die if she thought that I’d ever agreed to something like this out of gratitude for what had been done for her.”

“And is that why you agreed to come here? Gratitude?”

“Of course. I knew nothing about any of you. My reasons may have changed or at least my feelings, once I arrived here, but when you were all just nameless, faceless entities and I received the summons from Xander, I felt like I owed him a debt I could never repay and if all he wanted from me was six months of my life, nothing was too much to give in repayment for my mother’s life.”

“And if he wants more than six months?”

Talia frowned, her brows bunched together in consternation. “Is that what he wants, Garon? I mean he told me he had no intention of ever letting me go, but you and I both know that’s not likely. Were they abstract words? Said in the heat of the moment? I don’t really know what he wants and I’m afraid to ask. I don’t want to ruin this wonderful fantasy. I’m afraid to do or say anything to make it all go away. And so I haven’t broached the subject since the night on the beach when he told me why he really brought me here.”

“Lie back,” he said in a gentle voice. “You’re burning while we’re sitting here talking.”

She reclined again, knocking her shades down in frustration. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so forthcoming with Garon. His loyalty was to Xander, and he’d likely tell Xander their entire conversation.

Garon’s big hands descended on her body, rubbing the sunblock over her skin in slow, sensuous sweeps.

“It should be obvious to you that Xander has no desire for you to leave his side,” he said. “And you said he said as much. He doesn’t blithely say things he doesn’t mean. He’s very exacting and focused.”

She reached up to push her glassed over the top of her head again. “Obvious? Garon, he’s hinted that he has deeper feelings for me. I don’t know if that’s the right word for it. I’m not sure what his feelings are. Perhaps it’s better to say that he’s admitted to having a preoccupation for me for some time. Now what that means is anyone’s guess. We have a contract. He says that was his way of getting me here. Okay, I’m here. What now? And what does he
mean
by saying he never wants to let me go?”

“Maybe he’s waiting for you to decide what your feelings are for him.”

She went silent as Garon continued the soothing massage with the sunblock cream. Xander had asked her what her feelings were the night on the beach and she’d neatly avoided the question. Instead she’d told him she was ready for him to make love to her, and maybe she’d thought that was statement enough.

Here she was frustrated because Xander wasn’t very forthcoming when in fact he’d been far more up front than she had been. He’d put himself out there, admitting to…at least an attraction for her, and she’d given him nothing back.

“He probably thinks this is just a contract for me,” she said quietly. “Something I have to do or something I feel obligated to do.”

“Is it? I think it’s a valid question.”

She closed her eyes as he cupped her breasts and carefully smoothed the lotion over the plump mounds. Her nipples hardened immediately, begging for more attention.

“At first it was,” she admitted quietly. “But then…”

“Then?” he prompted.

She frowned. “This is all very embarrassing.”

He dropped one hand down between her thighs, sliding his fingers through her folds until he found her clit. He ran his finger over and then around the nub before withdrawing his hand. Damn tease.

But then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was startling. And unexpected. He was affectionate with her. They all were. But it always seemed to be in a group setting. Xander was always present. When he wasn’t, the others took very good care of her, and they were at times, intimate, but this went beyond the task of pleasuring her. It was more…personal.

His tongue swept over her lips and then probed until she parted her lips to let him inside. He didn’t maul her with his mouth, nor was he forceful. It was a gentle, sweet kiss that made her ache.

“You should know by now that nothing should embarrass you. At least not with us. I would hope you feel comfortable with me by now. You can say anything without fear of judgment, and I certainly won’t make you feel shame for whatever it is you’re thinking.”

Talia ran a hand through a length of her hair and fiddled nervously with the ends. “I’m not sure I want Xander to hear this yet. I mean when he does, I’d prefer it to be from me.”

“I don’t report private conversations back to Xander. Not unless they are a potential threat to him.”

She sighed again. “The thing is, I’ve always been a little half in love with him. Maybe even more. But I’ve always thought it was a crush that would go away with time and distance. I mean he did a lot for me and my mother. What if I’m confusing gratitude for love? But the more time I spend with him, the more bewildered I am because I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do or feel. If he only intends to keep me for six months and then send me on my way, then what kind of an idiot would it make me to fall in love with him? With any of you?”

He lifted one eyebrow and surveyed her with that half smile
she had quickly come to associate with him. “Then you do feel something for us.”

Her cheeks bloomed with heat. Trust her tongue to get away from her.

“That sounds stupid. I’m sorry. I don’t know what the hell I feel. I wish I did. I know I should just relax, go with the flow, enjoy being surrounded by men who treat me like a goddess, but I overthink things. I always have. It’s one of my faults.”

Garon pressed his lips to hers again and he brought his hand up to touch her cheek. “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe we all have feelings for you as well?”

Chapter 16

Talia’s head was spinning as Garon drew away, his gaze stroking over her face. “What?”

“Surely you can’t be surprised by this. Or do you think we often have a woman here that we pamper and lavish attention on?”

She didn’t respond because she really didn’t want to put her foot in her mouth.

“You do, don’t you?” Garon said, realization lighting in his eyes. He shook his head and sent her a look of exasperation.

“You can’t blame me for thinking it,” she defended. “I was sent a contract. I went through medical exams. I was ‘briefed’ on what to expect. It was all very clinical, as if it had been done a hundred times before. I honestly think or thought that I was the latest in a long line of diversions or at the very least the latest entertainment.”

“Such an interesting conversation you two are having,” Sebastien drawled.

Talia closed her eyes as mortification swept over her.

“Shut the hell up, Bastien,” Garon said fiercely. “This isn’t the time for your fucking sarcasm.”

Sebastien strolled over, then pulled up one of the chairs to sit at the foot of Talia’s lounger. “On the contrary, I have no intention of being sarcastic. Are you going to correct her assumption or shall I?” he said to Garon.

Talia frowned, unsure of whether this was all a big joke to Sebastien. She and Garon had been having a serious conversation. She had no desire to become the brunt of Sebastien’s amusement.

“It depends on entirely on your presentation,” Garon said sharply.

Sebastien curled his lip at Garon and then focused his attention on Talia. “Despite what you may think, you’re the only woman Xander has brought to the villa. This is his…sanctuary. It’s where he’s spent most of his exile from Cristofino. I won’t lie to you and say there’ve been no other women or that he’s sat and pined endlessly for you. But none have captured his attention as you have.”

He paused and drew in a breath. A shadow of uncertainty flashed over his face, surprising her. Sebastien was nothing if not cocksure.

When he found her gaze again, his eyes burned with intensity. Like he was sending her a clear message that he was dead serious.

“None have captured
my
attention as you have,” he finally added.

“What are you trying to say?” she whispered.

“Perhaps it would be best if I were to speak for myself,” Xander said from behind Talia.

She turned rapidly, nearly pulling a muscle in her neck. Xander stood there, hands shoved into his pockets, staring at her, Garon and Sebastien.

“Leave us,” he said to the others.

Talia blew out her breath in frustration. Was she doomed to never be able to complete a conversation where she stood to gain information to help her make sense of this whole situation?

Garon and Sebastien stood. Garon ran his hand over her cheek before departing on Sebastien’s heels. Xander walked around the lounger so Talia could better see him and then he glanced upward at the sun.

“I don’t think you should remain out here any longer. I don’t want you to get too much sun and grow ill. Why don’t we go inside, have something to eat.”

She shook her head mutinously. “Oh no. Not the ordeal of an awkward meal again. This is starting to make me crazy. If you want to speak for yourself, then do it now.”

He cracked a slight smile. “Come, Talia. I’m not having this conversation with you out here in the midday sun. It’s too intense. If you prefer, we’ll go to my suite and Wickersham will bring us a light snack so you can eat while I talk. I won’t make you wait.”

She eyed him suspiciously.

“I give you my word,” he said in amusement.

She sighed. “Okay, you win. We go inside. But if we’re eating snacks, I want something full of sugar and calories.”

He smiled indulgently and reached to help her out of the lounger. “I think that can be arranged.”

Twenty minutes later, Talia was sitting cross-legged on Xander’s bed with a tray of beautifully decorated confections in front of her. She ate one of the mini cupcakes and then licked the frosting from her thumb with relish.

There were chocolates too. And what looked to be a cake ball on a stick coated with white chocolate. It was beyond awesome.

But even as distracted as she was temporarily by the goodies Wickersham had provided, she wasn’t going to let Xander off the hook this time. She wanted—needed—answers.

“Are you having any?” she asked, extending one of the long toothpick-looking sticks out to him.

He paced in front of the bed and shook his head.

“Why are you so tense, Xander? You’ve been kind of weird ever since the night you…made love to me.”

He stopped and looked sideways at her. “Weird? In what way?”