Compromising Kessen (The Vandenbrook #1)(38)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

“I’m not letting you marry him if he doesn’t love you back,” he said almost in a whisper. Kessen felt her hand tense underneath his grasp. “It wouldn’t be fair; I would never forgive myself if I didn’t stop you from being stuck in a loveless marriage. You deserve so much more.”

“Then why did you come?” she asked.

“I came to offer my support … and to see for myself what was truly happening over here. Honestly, I could have supported a marriage based on mutual understanding, almost as if it were a business deal. I could handle that. But a marriage where one of you is head over heels and the other doesn’t even care? I couldn’t agree to letting you do that.”

Kessen nodded in understanding. A business transaction was one thing; a heart being involved was quite another. “If you worry about Christian falling in love with me, you’re going to age prematurely, and I know how you feel about wrinkles.” She nudged him in the side.

His gaze penetrated to the depths of her soul. “What makes you think I’m more worried about you than Christian? I told you the chocolate chip cookie story for a reason. You tend to get greedy when you want something; it’s what makes you a good businesswoman. It can also get you into trouble. Don’t make this a competition. If you do, only one of you can come out a winner. And that, my dear, will put an end to your nuptials for sure.”

“What exactly are you saying?” she asked, still confused.

He took an agonizingly long breath. “Kessen, I’ve never met a man more perfect for you in my entire life. If you screw this up, you’re an idiot.”

She punched him in the arm. “Then what was with all the talk about a loveless marriage and you being worried and stuff?”

He shrugged. “I wanted a reaction; instead you stared into space as if to give everything great thought. Seriously, you could do without thinking for a while, especially where Christian is concerned.”

Nick kissed her on the forehead while simultaneously slapping her shoulder. “See you later, kiddo!”

The door closed behind him, and Kessen was alone with her thoughts yet again. Nick was trying to lure her into saying she loved Christian, but why? What was the big deal? They were already getting married; they had the paparazzi and her father’s product launch to thank for that. Instead of mulling it over more, she took Nick’s advice and cleared her head of all thoughts.

She changed into her bedclothes and drifted off to sleep, and her last conscious thought was that Nick hadn’t locked her door.

****

A knocking penetrated Kessen’s dream, which upset her mainly because it was filled with Christian’s perfect face—fallen angel that he was. She mumbled a Spanish swear word before padding to the door.

Just as she reached for the knob, it opened, revealing Christian in only his pajama pants. It was like a gift from the sleep gods. She blinked a few times, just in case she was still dreaming.

“What time is it?” she finally asked, when he did nothing but continue to stare.

He shook his head. “Um, I don’t know. Is it weird that I had to see you?”

She wanted to scream no then wrap her body sinfully around his, but instead she managed to shrug nonchalantly as if it was a normal occurrence for devastatingly handsome men to visit her bedroom in the wee hours of the night.

“We didn’t have enough time. No. We don’t have enough time, I mean…” He turned around towards the large fireplace and began building a fire.

“What I mean is…” He cursed. “Sorry, I just can’t seem to articulate what I want to say in a way that sounds remotely smooth and calculated.”

Kessen giggled and put her hand over her mouth when he shot her a menacing glare. “You were saying.”

Christian’s eyes turned black as he walked slowly to where she stood, pinning her between his body and the wall. Her only option would be to pretend to faint and hope she didn’t get a concussion in the process. She decided to stand.

“I want us to be friends,” he said against her face.

She suddenly felt ill. “So you don’t…” It was hard to finish a sentence containing the most devastating blow she had ever received from the opposite sex.

“No, no, no!” he yelled, then kissed her furiously on the mouth and spoke against her lips. “It’s not like that. I want—dear Kessen, you have no idea how much I want more than that. But I want more of you; I want to know you like Nick knows you. To be your friend and more. I want all of it. I don’t think I would ever be happy with just one part of you.”

It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to her in her entire life. It was easy to throw compliments at women; it was quite another thing to want her soul as well.

And then his lips were urgently pressed against hers. Here we go again, she thought, as she wrapped herself as tightly around his body as she could.

“Kessen—” he mumbled against her hair and jaw.

She felt somehow braver in the nightlight and let her tongue trail down his chin; he shuddered in response, opening her mouth to his tongue yet again. Their mouths danced as if they’d never kissed another soul but each other.

Their bodies matched a perfect rhythm of give and take until both of them were breathless.

“Ahem.” A voice penetrated their passionate haze.

Kessen, suddenly mortified, clung to Christian for support, thinking his body would hopefully shadow her own. Actually, she just wanted to throw him under the bus so she could save herself.

“What have we here?” It was Nick’s voice. She would bet her life on it. On second thought, maybe just Nick’s life.

Christian swore under his breath so only Kessen could hear. “I, uh—”

“He sleep-walks!” Kessen blurted.

Christian’s eyes widened. “Um, yes, and I tend to—”

“You tend to attack innocent women in your sleep?” Nick finished.

Kessen fake laughed and punched Christian playfully in the arm. “Ha! You know what they say.”

Nick looked at her. “Oh, this should be good.”

She didn’t have time to respond before the door burst open again. “Lies! All of it lies!” It was Duncan, and he was dressed in all black. Actually, Nick was in all black too. What were they planning on doing? Compromising them more?

“What’s a lie?” Christian asked innocently as he ground his teeth together.

“I will swear on my family inheritance, which is substantial, by the way,” Duncan winked at Kessen meaningfully, “that Christian does not, nor has he ever, sleep-walked.”