The Bed You Make
Chapter 47, continued
"Now what?"
Though the question was posed somewhat flippantly, Stefan could hear the uncertainty in Dara's voice. To his mild surprise, he found that he did not care for even a hint of apprehension or misgiving. "Now," he answered calmly, "I go about rescheduling tomorrow's appointments and informing the waitstaff of my wishes."
Dara frowned. "Rescheduling?"
"You were to have met several of the local residents with whom we do business," Stefan replied. "That schedule will be cancelled as you will be unavailable for the day."
"Why would I be unavailable?"
Stefan heard rather than saw the moment Dara answered her own question. Her quick intake of breath, which she tried to disguise with a small clearing of her throat, was a dead giveaway. And more than just a little arousing, Stefan admitted. Unbidden, his mind conjured images of the beautiful lawyer lying naked beneath him making just that sound over and over.
"I thought we would dine in as well," he continued, as though Dara had not faltered to a stop. "It will afford you the opportunity to become more comfortable with the reality of the agreement we have entered into."
Dara didn't bother to refute Stefan's words. Despite her best efforts she knew that she had been unsuccessful in hiding her nervous, restless mood. She worried the inside of her cheek. She'd thought that with the confession of her attraction out there she would feel that welcome sense of control that came from tackling a difficult situation head-on. Instead, admitting her physical pull to Stefan made the ground beneath her feet feel even more shaky than before.
"If you are in need of some quiet introspection, Rivare has made a delivery of books for my perusal. They are in the library." Rivare & Sons was a small, family-owned book procurement service. Its founder, Henri Rivare, created the company after his love of books led him to all four corners of the globe in search of rare and special edition printings. Not every find was something he wished to add to his personal library and so Henri began to send out discreet feelers to wealthy clientele noted for their taste in fine books. Stefan had been one of his first overtures.
"Thank you," Dara quietly accepted his gesture. "I think I will check them out."
Stefan watched her head toward the library. He understood Dara's sense of disquiet. Even now a seldom heard little voice questioned the sensibility of the arrangement he'd entered into with the lovely and intriguing attorney. Stefan had never complicated his business dealings by allowing personal matters to become a distraction. And in matters of this magnitude (securing Nikolas' future), he most certainly did not allow his personal desires to even be of consequence.
Yet, here he was.
Stefan silenced the cautious voice still murmuring in his ear and instead focused his thoughts on the various instructions he needed to relay to the servants. The kitchen staff needed a menu for that evening's meal, while security needed to be reminded of just what level of event would warrant disturbing Stefan's evening with his wife.
Halfway to the door, he paused. Stefan retraced his steps and disappeared into the huge walk-in closet on the far side of the room. He reappeared with a neatly folded silk bundle which he placed in the center of the oversized bed. Stefan tore a sheet from the pad of writing paper on the bedside table and dashed off two lines with his ever-present fountain pen. Then he gently placed the note atop the silken bundle and headed out to complete his tasks.
