Page 41 of Bedazzled
Tania…
I’ve always been one of those weird people who woke up in a good mood. Tired, hungover, it didn’t matter. My eyes opened with a smile on my face and…
Oh, fuck me what have I done?
Burying my face in my hands, I wondered if it would be better to just disappear. I avidly read stories about people who had managed to drop out of society. Become someone else. Maybe I could work on a wind-powered chinchilla farm in New Zealand and change my name to something super bland. Mary. Mary Smith. Mary Smith-Jones.
I’d been too tired and upset last night to really pay attention to anything, but looking around the room, I was stunned. This was just a guest room? There were wonderful floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out on the boulevard and the Neva River with blue and green tapestry draperies. Two comfortable leather armchairs with a table piled with books between them were set in front of the fireplace. The bed was a beautiful four-poster with carved wooden posts, draped with pale green silk, matching a quilt so thick that it buried me halfway into the mattress. I was blissfully warm and really didn’t want to leave it.
Eyeing the enormous fireplace across the room, I noticed that the coals were still glowing red. I could be out of bed, throwing more wood on the banked fire, and back in bed in thirty seconds. Maybe less.
It was as I was bending over to put more logs on the fire when there was a brief tap on the door and it opened to reveal Yuri, who was staring at my panty-clad ass, which was the only item of clothing I’d chosen to don for this engagement.
“Hey!” I awkwardly crossed my arms over my breasts. “Ever heard of waiting ‘till someone says ‘come in’?”
Damn him. Yuri’s gaze was making a slow circuit of my body, my red face, my poorly concealed breasts that were now sporting very pert nipples thanks to this freezing room, and my legs, rapidly turning blue.
“You are welcome to turn up the thermostat if you are cold.” He pointed to the little white box on the wall next to the bed.
“Helpful,” I managed, my teeth ready to start chattering, “thanks.” Could you… close the door?”
He had the nerve to look me over again, lingering on my breasts with an expression that screamed,I’ve seen those before.
Dick.
“As you wish. Can you find your way back downstairs for breakfast?”
“Yes,” I nodded firmly, “got it. Shut the door, I can’t feel my toes anymore and I’m getting back into bed until I’m sure they’re not frostbitten.”
However, when Yuri left I changed my mind and headed for the bathroom. There was a huge clawfoot tub with elegant antique fixtures that looked like it had been here since indoor plumbing was invented.
I turned on the water, it was wonderfully hot and there was a tray of little crystal bottles filled with differently scented bath oils. I threw in some lavender because I was going to need some serious soothing aromatherapy to get through the next few hours. There was another fireplace in the bathroom which was the coolest thing ever and since it was set up with kindling stacked just so, I found the matches on the mantel and lit that sucker and then sank into the bath.
For a moment, I wondered if Yuri has a fireplace in his master bathroom, too. The thought was painful. His master suite. Where I was not welcome. He dumped me into - admittedly a palatial - guest room and it looked like it was going to be a permanent stay.
I could see the open closet door from my vantage point in the tub and someone had put away my clothes, just the few things I managed to throw into my suitcase before Patrick picked me up to begin the stupidest, most appallingly idiotic ‘rescue mission’ ever contemplated. Sliding down in the tub until I was completely immersed, I wished I could go back in time to three days ago and kick my own ass.
Yuri…
“Where’s your lovely bride?”
“Good morning, Mother. She is no doubt preparing herself to face the inquisition.” I seated myself at the table. Because my mother was in residence, even a meal as humble as breakfast had to be served in the formal dining room.
Looking around the table, I smothered my impatience. “It appears everyone is looking forward to live entertainment this morning?”
My sisters were both in attendance, eyes wide and excited to see the upcoming drama. A sleepy Ella was possibly dozing over her blinis and Maksim had a hand on her arm, keeping her from falling face-first into her breakfast.
He looked disappointed in me. “Between the two of us, you are the gentleman in this family and yet even I know that one escorts one’s wife to breakfast. Particularly when she doesn’t know her way around the house.”
“Gentlemen? When, precisely, were we trained to be gentlemen?” I was edging on disrespect, but I was too tired to care.
“I raised you to be gentlemen,” Mother interjected.
“You sent us to ballroom dance lessons,” I said crisply, “it is not quite the same.”
“Uh, good morning?”
While I knew Tania had always battled her own demons of insecurity and self-worth, she didn’t give an inch here. She stood in the doorway, dressed in a fire-engine red sweater and black leggings.
