Twice Upon a Time (Lovers' Leap 2)

The man on the floor groaned. Reece released Lara and kicked the man in the ribs.

He then put his foot on the man's throat. “Who sent you to kil Farima?” Reece asked, his voice only half as cold as his heart felt at the moment. He leaned forward, putting more of his weight on his foot. The man choked. “Tell me who sent you.” There was a flash of metal, and Reece expected the knife the man had been hiding to end up through the instep of his foot, but instead the assassin stabbed himself through his open mouth and into his own brainstem. He went limp, instantly dead.

Lara screamed. Reece stepped away from the dead man on the floor and pulled Lara from the edge of the bed, dragging her to the far side of the room. She clung to him, sobbing against his chest harder now than before. He held her against him, murmuring soothing words under his breath, until several guards entered the room.

They took in the scene before them and one of them raced out of the room, apparently to find additional help. Two of the guards checked on the dead assassin. Another approached Reece.

“Is the princess safe?” the man asked.

Reece nodded. “Just frightened and maybe a little bruised.” The dark man nodded. “That man is one of the Kadins' eunuchs,” he said. “I'm certain the governor will wish to speak with his mistress.” The Kadin. The first wife of a harem. Was that who was threatening Farima? The governor better do more than speak to her or Reece would take matters in his own hands—assuming history al owed him to intervene. He knew from past experience that he couldn’t change history even if he wanted to. At least not in a way that would have an effect on the future. Reece nodded again. “I'd like to take the princess away from this room until the body is removed. Perhaps there is a different room she could use that has a bit less blood on the floor.”

“The room next door is vacant,” the man said.

Reece lifted Lara into his arms and carried her out to the bathing pavilion before entering the neighboring suite. This one was just as opulent as the first. Reece carried Lara to a divan and set her down. When he stood to retrieve a sheet to wrap around her nude body, she clung to his hand.

“Don't leave me alone,” she pleaded.

“I won't let you out of my sight,” he promised.

She reluctantly released his hand and he hurried to retrieve a cover for her before returning to the divan. He took note of the darkening marks on her long neck. If the bastard hadn't been dead already, this sight would have driven Reece to murder.

“Hold me, Reece,” she requested.

He gladly complied, sitting next to her on the divan and pulling her into his arms.

“Why did he do that? Why did he kill himself?” she asked.

“I'm certain his punishment for trying to assassinate you would have been death. He chose his own death rather than reveal who sent him to kill you.”

“Why would anyone try to kill me?” she asked.

He stroked her back soothingly. “A harem is a scary place,” he murmured.

Chapter Five

Lara was glad that Reece didn't leave her side for the rest of the day. Even when Farima’s mother-in-law came to speak to her about the incident, he refused to leave the room. Rather than be angered by his behavior, the governor's mother seemed pleased that he was so dedicated to the princess’s well-being. As night approached, a meal was brought to Farima in her room. One of the eunuchs tasted all of the dishes before leaving her alone with Reece to eat. She insisted he sit down and eat with her. He complied, but warned her of the possibility of someone entering the room and seeing he had the audacity to dine with royalty. She didn't care. Her feelings for Reece were growing stronger with each passing moment they shared. Farima loved Nasir just as much. Lara wanted the couple to be together even if it meant the end of a politically motivated marriage. They needed to find a way to be together. Just as Reece had found a way to be with her after he’d discovered her murdered in that parking garage.

“Try some of this,” she said, placing a bite of perfectly seasoned pilaf on his tongue.

“It's good,” he said, watching her while he chewed. That look. She knew what it meant. It didn’t take a second for her thoughts to fol ow his towards the more physical expression of their growing love.

“I'm feeling sort of dirty,” she whispered, glancing up at him. “Do you think you might help me through another bath?”

He grinned, and her heart skipped a beat. “I think I can handle that.” She smiled and ate another bite of pilaf savoring its perfectly seasoned flavor.

Reece placed a hand on her lower back, soothingly stroking her bare skin beneath her clothes.

“I'll probably need another massage to relax me as well,” she whispered.

“Not a problem.”

“And I'll want you to make love to me, of course.”

“I aim to please,” he whispered. He kissed her gently, and she opened her mouth, pulling him closer. His fingers found the tip of her breast and stroked her pebbled nipple until she cried out with need.

“I'm feeling very dirty right now,” she said, standing up and abandoning their meal.

She led him to the bath. There were a few torches lighting the bathing pavilion but the main source of light was the moonlight streaming through the arched doorways on the far side.

“I'm so glad Farima’s husband has a private bath,” she murmured, standing still as Reece's hands moved to remove her clothing.

“Are you sure about this, sweetheart? You've had a pretty traumatizing day.” He swept her top aside and it dropped to the floor.

“I'm sure,” she whispered. Every inch of her thrummed with longing for him.

He bent his head and flicked her hardened nipple with his tongue before drawing it into his mouth and sucking. She clung to his shoulders, her knees going weak. He rubbed the surface of his tongue over her nipple and then lifted his head to kiss her eager lips. His fingers brushed feather-light over the skin of her lower back as he molded her body to his. The crisp hair on his chest teased her breasts. The evidence of his excitement pressed against her lower bel y robbed her of all remaining strength.

“Reece,” she moaned into his mouth.

He drew away and looked down at her. “Is now a good time to tell you how I feel about you?”

She stared up at him, her heart drumming. Shadows obscured his expression. He lifted one hand to touch her face. She couldn't have responded if she tried.

“I'll wait then,” he said. He unfastened her pants and moved away to draw them down her trembling thighs.

“Don’t wait. Tell me. Say it as often as you like,” she gushed.

He smiled. “I want to be with you always. No matter where. No matter when. I love you, Lara.”

“I love you, too.”

“That’s good,” he said. “Sex is so much better with the one you love. You showed me that.”

“Show me.”

She wondered if things had always been like this between them. Had he always made her feel like a vessel of smooth, melted chocolate? Like there was a fire beneath her, turning her boneless, making her feel like she was the most delectable object on Earth. He was so familiar with every inch of her body, as if there was some Guide to the Many Erogenous Zones of Lara Kensington available at local bookstores. Reece's personal y autographed copy was dog-eared, with highlighted passages, notes in the margins, and sticky notes marking the best parts. He sank to his knees and lightly stroked the backs of her knees with his fingertips while he kissed trail along the inside of her thigh.