Authors: Sarah Brocious
“Am I really going to be the voice of reason here? Me?” She squeaked, as his hands moved over her body and did wonderful things to her nervous system. “Nolan?”
“Yes, Raina?” he asked patiently, trailing kisses to her ear. “I’m listening.”
“Obviously you are not listening,” she breathed when he nipped her earlobe.
“Yes I am,” he growled. “Voice of reason, blah blah blah.” His fingers gripped the back of her neck and he gave her that smile. He drew her in for a leisurely kiss with no more fight from his Aelan.
She sighed in defeat and let her hands find that lovely thick hair of his.
He leaned back against the sofa, allowing her to lie against his chest as he feasted decadently on her willing lips. “My reasoning,” he breathed, pulling back slightly. “Says I have the woman I love in my arms in my home…all alone, no chaperones…and I’m going to take full advantage of it before it’s taken away from me. Do you understand?” His hands traveled tenderly along her sides. He gave her another soft peck before the undeniable sound of the front door flying open was heard.
Her eyes widened,
“Nolan! Raina! Where are you hiding?”
Nolan raised his brows to her and started laughing. “See? I wouldn’t have gotten far anyway!”
She giggled and laid her head against his chest as they waited for Thanatos to storm in.
And oh did he storm.
His green eyes snapped at her, seeing her sprawled across the chest of her fiancé and looking pretty proud of herself. She wasn’t making like she intended to move anytime soon either,
“You, up,” he growled at Raina. “You,” he pointed at Nolan. “Hands off!” He shook his head. “I knew when I went to Raina’s and you weren’t there!”
“Raina needed my care…”
“And I knew it wouldn’t take long!”
“We were talking,” Raina defended. She was still using Nolan’s ample chest as her pillow. “Honest, Thanatos! Wait until you hear our plans!”
Blonde brows rose sky high. “Oh I saw where the plans were heading! And I told you UP, beautiful!” He walked over to help her off of her comfy immortal.
She frowned at him.
Nolan gripped his arm and tilted his head. “I suggest you handle my fiancé a little gentler friend or you and I…”
Thanatos rolled his eyes, pulled away, and set Raina down in a chair. “I’m the last one you have to worry about hurting her!” He rolled his shoulders and shrugged his coat off. “We have an issue! And I’m sorry…I know it’s all rainbows and butterflies for the two of you right now but we have to deal with this right now!”
“How was the meeting?” Nolan was sure that was where this stemmed from.
“Yeah, thanks for leaving by the way. That was awesome going in halfcocked!”
Nolan frowned. “You wanted me to leave Raina like she was?”
Thanatos rolled his eyes. “You were looking for an excuse to be alone with her and don’t deny it!”
Raina cut in, ”No Thanatos, it was really bad this time! He actually had to make me sleep to finish…I’ve been through bad! But even your apple cider vinegar concoction would not have touched this!” Her blue eyes met his.
He gave her a look and knew in an instant that she told the truth.
“Well than we have to be on our guard now more than ever! Nolan you can’t leave her open to another attack because it seems Elenora has put herself in position to be a part of not only our personal but our working life!”
Nolan scowled.
“Yeah…new client…guess who showed up? And she’s not alone!”
“Who?” Nolan’s silvers narrowed.
Thanatos cleared his throat. “Well let’s just say that poor Bradley nearly fainted when he heard the name of her partner! He just got over the immortal news. To find his old best friend is still alive and kicking…” The green eyes flashed with anger. He just wanted to go back to being an unfeeling brute!
Raina gasped.
“You aren’t serious?” Nolan rose to his feet and angrily shoved his hands in his pockets before he began pacing.
“I am,” Thanatos growled. “David feels he knows enough about the business he can invest from the sidelines and do what he’s been doing best…be a silent partner. “It’s mayhem right now!”
“The meeting wasn’t to start until…”
Thanatos cut Nolan off,” Well, after Raina’s confrontation with Elenora the she devil came storming into the building saying that the meeting was now or never! She was looking for you Nolan! She was so pissed off! She had Bradley backed in a corner and pretty much agreeing with her terms before…”
“I will talk to him,” Nolan said in a sure voice. “She’s not going to bully the guy because he’s shocked out of his mind!”
Raina was in shock looking back and forth from the two of them. “Why would David want to be involved in Bradley’s business?”
They both looked at her at the same moment. Each had that “are you kidding me” look on their faces.
She shrunk back and gave a shrug. “It’s not all about me!” She gave them their scowl back. “Seriously guys it’s not all about me! As flattering as that is, we have to be realistic! There has to be another reason!”
“You,” Nolan growled.
“If he’s still in with Richard than he would want to keep a closer eye on you because you would lead to…Nolan. He would want to keep a close eye on all those that matter to you. So maybe not you and only you…but you in general,” Thanatos reasoned.
She sighed and sat back in the chair once more. “And what do we do about this?
“You are doing nothing about this,” Nolan said firmly. “You are keeping safe and planning our wedding." He came to stand over her, hands still in pockets, unwavering in his stance,
She sat up straighter. “Then you are doing the same!”
He opened his mouth to argue.
She got to her feet and stood as tall as her five foot three stature would allow. “I want you safe as much as you want me safe! For once please…” She stepped up to him and set her hands gently to his chest. “Let someone protect you.”
“Raina,” he growled.
“For me? It could be your wedding gift to me! I won’t ask for anything else! I won’t accept anything else! All I ask is for your safety!” Her blue eyes held his.
Thanatos chuckled softly. “Man, how can you resist that?
Nolan rolled his shoulders and then they slumped in defeat. “Okay.”
She smiled and stood up on her tip toes to wrap her arms about his neck. “Thank you!” She sighed when his arms wrapped about her.
He grinned down at her. “There is one thing frontline though! One thing I have to be involved in. I’m going to make sure Bradley is okay. He’s been through a lot and he is my friend… and then yes, I am staying out of it too…I promise…only background!”
Thanatos cleared his throat. “Well, I’m making no such promises! I am getting in loads of trouble and I already know what I am doing for your wedding present…so no picking it out for me! Thank you very much!”
Raina peaked over her shoulder and gave the green eyed devil a smirk. “I know better than to ask you to behave…it only makes things worse!”
He tilted his head as if to consider this and then gave a nod. “Yeh, pretty much!”
Nolan drew her attention back and gave her a quick kiss. “How about I get you some of my comfortable clothes and you go take a long soak in my tub? Any ache left will disappear. You can take another nap and then we will talk more wedding?”
Raina gave a nod. That sounded fabulous. “But you are trying to lose me for an hour or so just so you and Thanatos can plan,” she accused gently.
Nolan grinned down on his perceptive girl. “First I take care of you…but yes, I think my council is appropriate. I won’t be physically involved.”
She liked his answer. “We don’t have to talk wedding today. I will take you up on the bath and the nap though. We will do wedding tomorrow…when Emily’s friend comes to take measurements.” She straightened the collar of his shirt that she had effectively wrinkled.
“Where is that designer planning to meet the three of you tomorrow?”
“Emily’s?”
Nolan smiled gently. “Why not bring him to your house?” He glanced about. “This room seems adequate?”
Raina grinned back. “Here?”
“Your house,” he repeated. “You’ve got to start to get used to it…and we have to start making good memories here…truth?”
She nodded, smiling shyly.
“This afternoon was a start,” he murmured warmly, pulling her near again.
Thanatos cleared his throat.
“That last part was for show,” Nolan growled. “You don’t think I heard you roaring up the drive?” He chuckled and looked down on his Raina. “It was quite an enjoyable show too I might add!” He gave her a quick kiss and spun her around. “We will be a moment Thanatos. You and I have things to discuss but I want to make sure my Aelan is comfortable. I won’t be gone long enough to cause concern…I promise!”
Raina smiled as he scurried in front of her and grabbed her hand. He led her out of the room and quickly to the stairs.
“I’ve never seen your room,” she said shyly.
“It will be ours,” he said equally as shyly. “You can fix it up any way you like but it is the best room in the house!” He seemed to grow anxious with her speed and swept her up in his arms, going a lot faster up the stairs this way.
She wished there were more flights to go with this mode of transportation!
He set her on her feet at the top of the stair and led her to the end of the hall. The double doors at the end were tall and quite magnificent. He pushed them open with ease and smiled at her over his shoulder. “Come on in.”
Now, she had been in his apartment and the room there but neither had anything on the rooms here. It was bigger than all the rooms of his apartment combined. The combinations of colors were quite soothing. Greens, blues, yellows, and whites were combined in the furniture…the art. The front room of the bedroom was the first to greet them.
Raina saw herself spending many an hour with a book on the lovely couch in the corner. She stared down at the plush carpet beneath her feet and cringed at her boots…although now dry, caked with wintery dirt.
He tugged her fingers. “The bathroom is this way.”
“What’s that way?” She nodded through the other entrance, but knew her answer. She saw the end of a rather massive bed through the doorway.
“Something we are going to ignore,” he growled. “That room is off limits, Aelan.”
She smiled.
He stepped up to a closet just outside the bathroom and pulled out a pair of his lounge pants and a t-shirt that would swallow her up. He tilted his head toward the bathroom. “I will show you where everything is and then leave you to it,” he promised.
Raina followed him into the vast room that would easily fit two of her own bathrooms. She eyed the massive tub with appreciation.
Nolan’s eyes swept the room and the towels that hung now on their hangers. “I will get you fresh towels those are just mine from this morning…”
“I’ll use yours,” she said softly.
He gave her a look and smiled, laying his clothing on a stool near the bath. He leaned over and started the water, testing its heat with his fingers. “I don’t have any girlie bubble bath…or salts,” he chuckled, walking back to her. “We will make sure we stock up. I notice your bathroom is never in short supply.” He backed her against the counter and raised his brows.
“I like baths Mr Gregor. You will have to get used to it,” she replied teasingly. She squeaked in surprise when he lifted her to the counter so that she was seated before him.
“I could learn to love them if I’m taught,” he teased back. His nose bussed hers. He gave her a quick peck and then knelt before her.
Raina again squeaked in surprise.
He carefully undid the laces of her boots, pulling them gently from her feet. He followed as gently with her socks, rubbing her naked feet affectionately. He rose again before her, pulled her against his body, dug his fingers deep in her hair and took her mouth reverently. She breathed in a breath of shock and then pleasure. She wrapped her arms and legs about him. Her whole system kicked into overdrive and she reached for his buttons. He chuckled huskily, disengaged her leg’s grip from about his hips and then breezed out of the bathroom, leaving her wanting more.
“Enjoy your bath Aelan,” he called through the sitting room, as he exited the bedroom.
Raina was finding it hard to catch her breath. She frowned. “Tease,” she growled. She swore she heard him laughing down the hallway.
She giggled at her own reaction and undressed so she could enjoy her bath.
When she had thoroughly soaked for at least a half hour; Raina climbed out of the tub and wrapped herself in the massive towel that hung next to it. She smiled, knowing it was his and he had used it much the same. It even smelled a bit like him…in all the good ways. She quickly dried and crawled into his much too large clothing.
He had promised a nap, but she was sure he would still be deep in his talk with Thanatos. She smirked. Since he was not there to take care of her…she would take care of herself! He had said this was her house after all!