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Authors: Christina Bell
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provide?”
“Your staff cleans,” Ana chided. “I put things right. Titania has certain requirements. She needs the good linens and her bath already drawn when she arrives. Tonight, she wants a bed in her room for India. She would rather have him with her than in the nursery.”
Puck couldn’t resist the temptation to reach out and run his finger slowly from her chin, down her jaw line and to her slender neck, where he let it linger. “You should warn Titania. My father is home, and he is in a foul mood.” He let his finger slide slightly lower, toward her décolletage. “He’s already got a bee in his bonnet about Theo’s daughter. I don’t think he would do well, being bothered by another woman today.”
“What do you suggest I do?”Ana asked, catching her breath slightly as Puck allowed his hand to complete its path to the slightly exposed cleavage that peeked above her uniform. He calmly allowed his entire hand to rest there, comfortably, warmly placed on her bosom. “Titania’s lawyer advised her against moving out of the penthouse. He says she must stay here or she will concede power to Mr. Oberon.”
Puck leaned in close to her, searching her eyes for a sign that he might not be alone in his room tonight. “Perhaps it would be helpful if the boy were sent for a visit with my father. The way she keeps them apart, I worry that they won’t bond properly.”
“Oh, no. I am forbidden to take the child to Mr. Oberon.” For moment, it seemed to Puck that Ana resisted the controlling signals he was sending. She pulled back from him slightly. “I especially don’t want that sweet boy to be near you.”
“Ana, I’m hurt. After all of our time together, you wouldn’t trust me with my own little brother?”
“Trust you? After all of the mornings I have woken up in your room, wondering how I got there? Every time it happens, I say I will never surrender again, yet there I am. There is something strange about you, Puck. I watch what happens in this house, and I see things... things that aren’t natural.”
Puck was fully aware that Ana had seen an occasional spoon or glass fly across the room on its own. He couldn’t be expected to stand up and fetch every little thing he needed. Was it his fault if Ana happened to walk in on him summoning objects from time to time? He could specifically recall a time when he hurled a tennis ball toward Cam’s head just to test his own telekinetic aim, only to realize that Anne had come into the room when he wasn’t looking. He wondered if Ana shared what she’d seen with Titania, but he was pretty sure that Ana would speak of him as little as possible. Titania wouldn’t approve of her maid sleeping with Miles’s son, so Ana would surely want to give the appearance of being completely indifferent toward Puck. “What can I say?” He moved closer until his body was pressing her against the wall. “Boys will be boys.” Puck could tell that she was not going to give in to him easily tonight, so he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping it back so that he could look directly into her eyes. Mentally, he pictured the thing that he wanted from her and concentrated until his temples began to feel hot.
She pushed his chest hard with the flat of her hand. “I know what boys do. They flirt with their stepmother’s maid, and they pick fights with their brothers. They don’t make the sugar dish fly across the room.”
“You weren’t supposed to see that.” Puck smirked, trying to maintain eye contact, but failing.
“Your staff cleans,” Ana chided. “I put things right. Titania has certain requirements. She needs the good linens and her bath already drawn when she arrives. Tonight, she wants a bed in her room for India. She would rather have him with her than in the nursery.”
Puck couldn’t resist the temptation to reach out and run his finger slowly from her chin, down her jaw line and to her slender neck, where he let it linger. “You should warn Titania. My father is home, and he is in a foul mood.” He let his finger slide slightly lower, toward her décolletage. “He’s already got a bee in his bonnet about Theo’s daughter. I don’t think he would do well, being bothered by another woman today.”
“What do you suggest I do?”Ana asked, catching her breath slightly as Puck allowed his hand to complete its path to the slightly exposed cleavage that peeked above her uniform. He calmly allowed his entire hand to rest there, comfortably, warmly placed on her bosom. “Titania’s lawyer advised her against moving out of the penthouse. He says she must stay here or she will concede power to Mr. Oberon.”
Puck leaned in close to her, searching her eyes for a sign that he might not be alone in his room tonight. “Perhaps it would be helpful if the boy were sent for a visit with my father. The way she keeps them apart, I worry that they won’t bond properly.”
“Oh, no. I am forbidden to take the child to Mr. Oberon.” For moment, it seemed to Puck that Ana resisted the controlling signals he was sending. She pulled back from him slightly. “I especially don’t want that sweet boy to be near you.”
“Ana, I’m hurt. After all of our time together, you wouldn’t trust me with my own little brother?”
“Trust you? After all of the mornings I have woken up in your room, wondering how I got there? Every time it happens, I say I will never surrender again, yet there I am. There is something strange about you, Puck. I watch what happens in this house, and I see things... things that aren’t natural.”
Puck was fully aware that Ana had seen an occasional spoon or glass fly across the room on its own. He couldn’t be expected to stand up and fetch every little thing he needed. Was it his fault if Ana happened to walk in on him summoning objects from time to time? He could specifically recall a time when he hurled a tennis ball toward Cam’s head just to test his own telekinetic aim, only to realize that Anne had come into the room when he wasn’t looking. He wondered if Ana shared what she’d seen with Titania, but he was pretty sure that Ana would speak of him as little as possible. Titania wouldn’t approve of her maid sleeping with Miles’s son, so Ana would surely want to give the appearance of being completely indifferent toward Puck. “What can I say?” He moved closer until his body was pressing her against the wall. “Boys will be boys.” Puck could tell that she was not going to give in to him easily tonight, so he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping it back so that he could look directly into her eyes. Mentally, he pictured the thing that he wanted from her and concentrated until his temples began to feel hot.
She pushed his chest hard with the flat of her hand. “I know what boys do. They flirt with their stepmother’s maid, and they pick fights with their brothers. They don’t make the sugar dish fly across the room.”
“You weren’t supposed to see that.” Puck smirked, trying to maintain eye contact, but failing.
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