Weight of the Crown by Christina Hollis Read Free Book Online Page B

there are some matters I must attend to I want to reassure you that I intend to look after my nephew properly.’
    ‘Of course. That means we’ll all be able to get some work done,’ she said, trying to sound firm.
    Lysander’s smile became more of a rueful grimace as he nodded towards Ra’id’s small, excitable figure in the front seat. ‘I wouldn’t be so sure about that!’
    As usual, Lysander and his team were fast tracked onto the plane so he could start work straight away. He was glad of the excuse to bury himself in paperwork, because he needed time to think. Alyssa was starting to affect him far more than he’d expected. She was stealthily stripping away all his certainties about women. He loved women in all their forms and, so far, wanting a woman and sleeping with her had been one and the same thing to him. He had never met one who didn’t want to gratify her desire for his body within minutes of meeting him. Alyssa was no exception, but for some reason she was determined to fight it. Despite her reticence, nothing could hide the signs. He loved watching the pupils of her breathtakingly blue eyes grow large and dark when she looked at him. When the tip of her tongue danced sensuously over her lips it betrayed her thoughts until he wanted to kiss her senseless.
    He moved irritably in his seat. Trying to settle himself was impossible, especially as she passed by just then with Ra’id and gave him the briefest of smiles. It wasn’t enough. He was hungry for Alyssa’s laughter. No other woman looked at him like that, or stood up to him the way she did. It was the effect she had on himthat concerned Lysander. Women who wanted money or status were easily dealt with, but Alyssa wasn’t like that. She was an unknown quantity. Simply bedding her would pose no problem for him at all. He knew she would come to him, sooner or later. He saw it every day in her eyes, felt it in her touch and, for a few spellbinding seconds, he had tasted it on her lips. Yet each time he tried to get closer, she backed off. It seemed as though life leant too heavily on her mind to let the real Alyssa inside the starchy nanny out to play. That thought ran through his chest like a rapier blade. Lysander knew all about secrets, and the way they could lead to disaster.
    He pulled a hand down over his face, blocking out the memories. He didn’t want to think about the past in any more detail than that.
    And that was why he found Alyssa so disturbing.
    Alyssa was not happy. Ra’id’s excitement made her feel ten times worse about being so nervous. She made herself join in with him, while fighting to hide her fear. She wished she could be like the rest of the staff, laughing and joking while they stood on the tarmac as they waited to board the plane. When Lysander had jokingly told her,
Cheer up, it might never happen!
she’d snapped at him without meaning to. That made her feel even worse.
    Ra’id couldn’t wait to be shown to his seat in Lysander’s private quarters. Alyssa followed him, glad to be well away from the rest of their party. While a stewardess strapped Ra’id into his seat for the flight, Alyssa sat and shivered. She hardly noticed whenLysander asked for a blanket, but she was soon very glad he had. Taking the seat beside her, he threw the blanket over her lap and arranged it round her. As the engines rumbled into life he slipped his hand under its folds and caught hold of her hand.
    ‘I was right. You looked cold, and your hand is freezing. Are you sure you’re all right, Alyssa?’
    He sounded so concerned she shook her head, but couldn’t open her eyes. Only the smallest shiver of apprehension betrayed her.
    ‘Oh, is
that
it?’
    She heard a mixture of relief and triumph in his voice. Then he gave her hand a quick squeeze and announced loudly, ‘Ra’id, Alyssa has a headache, so you must be very quiet.’
    Leaning close to her, he whispered very softly in her ear, ‘Why didn’t you tell me you’re afraid of