Dark Carousel (Dark #30) - Christine Feehan Page 0,50

and real, but when she looked at his eyes, he seemed to have “checked out.” And then she blinked and he was back.

“Still as sore?”

She wasn’t. “Oh. My. God. You have the gift of healing. Not only are you telepathic, but you actually can heal.”

“A little,” he admitted. “I have a couple of gifts. I’m not as good at healing as a couple of others I know, but it gets me by.” He eased off of her and stood, pulling her up with him. “The bathroom is through that door if you want to clean up, and I put clothes right there on the chair for you. You can get dressed up here.”

“Where did these clothes come from, Tariq? Because I didn’t buy them.” She touched the striped royal blue bra and the matching lace panties. She could never afford anything like the lingerie he gave her. The jeans were soft and fit like a glove when she drew them up over her hips. The thin camisole was formfitting, a little tighter than she was used to wearing, and emphasized her curves while drawing attention to her narrow rib cage and smaller waist. She didn’t want to point out that, although beautiful, the camisole fit in a way she was certain drew attention to her hips and butt.

“A friend owns a boutique. I called her with your sizes last night. I was worried about you going back to your house in order to get more clothes so I had some delivered in your size, Genevieve’s and Lourdes’s. That way, your three stalkers as well as Fridrick won’t have the chance of trailing you back here. They aren’t going to think to look for you here. Without you going in and out often, that minimizes the danger to everyone else.”

She hadn’t thought of that—bringing danger to the others who lived there. She didn’t like the very real possibility nor did she like that she hadn’t thought of it herself. She actually felt the color drain from her face. “Maybe I should . . .”

“Don’t say it,” he chastised, slipping his arm around her waist. “Fridrick and Vadim are after the children and Emeline. By being here, you haven’t increased the danger. And no, I’m not reading your mind, but your expression is transparent. You aren’t paying for the clothes, either. It was my decision to purchase them. I didn’t consult with you, so that’s on me.”

He nuzzled her neck, and truthfully, every protest died just like that, with his lips on her. He took her hand once she was dressed. Strangely, she hadn’t seen him dress, but he was back in his immaculate suit as they went downstairs together.

7

Bella was a beautiful little girl, just as short as Lourdes, who had the Vintage disadvantage of being in the lowest percentile for height, but not so much for weight. The two little girls were instant best friends and right now they were each clinging tightly to one of Tariq Asenguard’s hands and chattering a mile a minute about hunting for trolls or zombies down by the lake in very excited voices. Charlotte loved that for Lourdes. The child had lost her father and had been placed with her aunt and then moved over and over before they could set down roots anywhere.

The property couldn’t have been any prettier. To a child of three, the trees, shrubbery and flowers along with the gleaming blue lake and fairy-tale outbuildings had to be a wonderland. There was a covered patio with an outdoor kitchen and comfortable chairs, but it was the old-fashioned carousel that caught her eye. This one was an early Herschell-Spillman Company carousel made in the United States, and it was amazing. Completely restored. Clearly it worked, and she longed to rush over and take a good look at it, but to her shock, she found watching Tariq with two three-year-olds took priority.

“Oh. My. God. You are so far gone it isn’t funny,” Genevieve said. The teasing note in her voice disappeared. “Seriously honey, I’m happy for you. I am. But you have to be careful. He’s . . . experienced, and you’re not. You don’t let people in. Especially men. I’ve gotten to know you very well, and you’re the type of woman who will give her heart completely to one man and if he breaks it, it will stay broken. You haven’t known him more than one night. You didn’t take the time, and you’re falling too fast. Way too fast.