Read Online Seduced in Shadow by Stephanie Julian - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephanie Julian
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ten years.
It made her feel sexy and desirable, neither of which had been in her vocabulary since she’d returned to Berks County and become a hermit.
Of course neither had the word linchetto .
She’d just had sex with a drop-dead gorgeous, incredibly sexy myth who knew she could talk to animals.
Did she believe him? It sounded crazy, all that stuff about magic. And his ears…
53
Stephanie Julian
Her brother Justin was the smartest man she knew and he’d always believed there were things that couldn’t be explained through science or logic, that some myths had a basis of fact to them.
Her dad had believed too. She vaguely remembered long walks in the forests in northern Berks County, just her and her dad. And the animals that had followed them, talking to her. He’d believed her when she’d told him she understood what the animals were saying and he’d convinced her of the need to hide that ability.
As she’d gotten older, she’d learned too well how to hide her gift. She hadn’t wanted to be different from all the others kids. She’d wanted to fit in, to have friends, boyfriends. She’d known that would have been impossible if they’d even suspected she could talk to animals.
She’d have been a freak, a weirdo. An outcast.
Ellie took a deep breath and released it in a sigh. “So…magic really does exist?”
Antonin nodded but didn’t speak.
Instead he moved toward her, drawing her attention back to him. He’d pulled his cargo pants up and zipped them but hadn’t bothered to button them up on top, so they hung low on his lean hips.
Good God, the man was absolute male perfection. He wasn’t overly muscled but he wasn’t thin either. His eyebrows were thick dark slashes over those stormy gray eyes and his dark hair—
Okay, her raging libido was so not helping her right now. Every time she had a coherent thought about what was going on, it got messed up by the sheer beauty of him. Focus, Fiorella.
“And Justin is in trouble?”
Antonin sighed and shook his head. “I can’t tell you anything more about Justin, Ellie. It’s gotta come from him.”
“But it has something to do with his job?”
54
Seduced in Shadow
He just stared at her.
She huffed. Fine, the man wasn’t going to budge on that issue. “Then tell me more about you. Where did you grow up? Who are your parents? What do they do? Where did you go to school? Did you go to school? Do—”
Antonin held up one hand like a traffic cop. “Why don’t we go down and get something to eat and I’ll answer your questions. You should have something to eat.” On that note, he just walked out of the bathroom.
Sighing, Ellie followed him down the hall to a narrow staircase that led to the first floor. Antonin guided her through the front living room, where dark heavy shades diffused the morning sunlight, to the dining room and finally into the bright white kitchen at the back of the house. He waved her into a chair at the table along the back wall. Through a large window, she saw a stunningly beautiful but small garden completely enclosed by a tall wooden fence.
“Do you want something to drink?” he asked. “Water, juice, wine?”
The clock on the stove said it was only eleven a.m. Screw it. “Wine, please. White, if you’ve got it.”
He nodded, his expression sober. “Sure. Not a problem.”
He turned to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Italian Prosecco , pouring her a glass before setting it and the bottle on the table in front of her. She took a healthy sip and watched Antonin pause, as if listening to something she couldn’t hear.
She glanced around, noting again the time on the clock. Only four hours had passed since she’d decided to get up and run this morning.
“Should have stayed in bed,” she muttered.
A slight popping noise made her turn her head. Antonin’s house was laid out like a row home, which meant she could see straight from the kitchen through the dining room to the living room at the
It made her feel sexy and desirable, neither of which had been in her vocabulary since she’d returned to Berks County and become a hermit.
Of course neither had the word linchetto .
She’d just had sex with a drop-dead gorgeous, incredibly sexy myth who knew she could talk to animals.
Did she believe him? It sounded crazy, all that stuff about magic. And his ears…
53
Stephanie Julian
Her brother Justin was the smartest man she knew and he’d always believed there were things that couldn’t be explained through science or logic, that some myths had a basis of fact to them.
Her dad had believed too. She vaguely remembered long walks in the forests in northern Berks County, just her and her dad. And the animals that had followed them, talking to her. He’d believed her when she’d told him she understood what the animals were saying and he’d convinced her of the need to hide that ability.
As she’d gotten older, she’d learned too well how to hide her gift. She hadn’t wanted to be different from all the others kids. She’d wanted to fit in, to have friends, boyfriends. She’d known that would have been impossible if they’d even suspected she could talk to animals.
She’d have been a freak, a weirdo. An outcast.
Ellie took a deep breath and released it in a sigh. “So…magic really does exist?”
Antonin nodded but didn’t speak.
Instead he moved toward her, drawing her attention back to him. He’d pulled his cargo pants up and zipped them but hadn’t bothered to button them up on top, so they hung low on his lean hips.
Good God, the man was absolute male perfection. He wasn’t overly muscled but he wasn’t thin either. His eyebrows were thick dark slashes over those stormy gray eyes and his dark hair—
Okay, her raging libido was so not helping her right now. Every time she had a coherent thought about what was going on, it got messed up by the sheer beauty of him. Focus, Fiorella.
“And Justin is in trouble?”
Antonin sighed and shook his head. “I can’t tell you anything more about Justin, Ellie. It’s gotta come from him.”
“But it has something to do with his job?”
54
Seduced in Shadow
He just stared at her.
She huffed. Fine, the man wasn’t going to budge on that issue. “Then tell me more about you. Where did you grow up? Who are your parents? What do they do? Where did you go to school? Did you go to school? Do—”
Antonin held up one hand like a traffic cop. “Why don’t we go down and get something to eat and I’ll answer your questions. You should have something to eat.” On that note, he just walked out of the bathroom.
Sighing, Ellie followed him down the hall to a narrow staircase that led to the first floor. Antonin guided her through the front living room, where dark heavy shades diffused the morning sunlight, to the dining room and finally into the bright white kitchen at the back of the house. He waved her into a chair at the table along the back wall. Through a large window, she saw a stunningly beautiful but small garden completely enclosed by a tall wooden fence.
“Do you want something to drink?” he asked. “Water, juice, wine?”
The clock on the stove said it was only eleven a.m. Screw it. “Wine, please. White, if you’ve got it.”
He nodded, his expression sober. “Sure. Not a problem.”
He turned to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Italian Prosecco , pouring her a glass before setting it and the bottle on the table in front of her. She took a healthy sip and watched Antonin pause, as if listening to something she couldn’t hear.
She glanced around, noting again the time on the clock. Only four hours had passed since she’d decided to get up and run this morning.
“Should have stayed in bed,” she muttered.
A slight popping noise made her turn her head. Antonin’s house was laid out like a row home, which meant she could see straight from the kitchen through the dining room to the living room at the
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