Stolen Melody (Snow and Ash #2) (21 page)

“You’re picky then?”

“No!” There are people out there who are starving. Thousands of them. I would not insult humanity by turning my nose up at anything. “There isn’t much I don’t like. It’s just, I mean, I work out a lot. I try to eat things that will”—I clear my throat—“keep me fit.”

He gives me an inscrutable look, but he lets that go.

I don’t have an ounce of fat on me. Anywhere. Men don’t like muscular, curveless women. Most of them find it a turnoff, actually, and I do whatever’s necessary to keep myself that way. So no sweets. Not much fruit, either. Definitely no starches.

Kent’s plate is empty. So is his brother’s, General Lawrence Barry. The general and I have barely spoken. He’s opened his mouth only enough to acknowledge that I exist and that he approves. Nico, the good-looking brother who fled the second I said I hated sex, didn’t bother to show.

I stir my food, trying to put off the inevitable.

Finally Dad gets to his feet, the buzzing voices still, and my stomach sinks. He holds up his glass. “To the bride and groom.”

A roomful of people raise their glasses and repeat the toast.

My heart thunders in my chest, and my stomach squeezes down to the size of a walnut.

“To the alliance,” counters General Barry, and again glasses are raised.

Dad glares at me as though to say,
don’t you dare screw this up,
and everybody else seems to be giving me pitying looks. Why do I feel like one of Henry VIII’s wives?

If I hear one more comment on my lack of boobs, I think I’ll kick the person in the teeth. Well, I’ll picture it, anyway.

Kent leans toward me. “Do you want to get out of here?”

My heart chugs to a halt. The titters and condescending glances whirl about me like some bad-movie visual. I don’t know what’s worse, staying here or going to his bed.

He did say I didn’t have to have sex. Lord help me. I have to face this sometime.

When I suck my lips in and nod, he says something to his brother, then takes my hand and gets to his feet.

The room erupts into applause. Kent guides me through the throng, and all I can think is
what am I doing here?

“She looks terrified, poor thing.”

“Well, can you blame her?”

Rage overcomes fear, and I whip around to glare at the speaker. The dumpy-looking woman with the fuzzy hair shrinks back, her face pale and a hand at her throat.

“Coming?” Kent asks, and I hear a hint of relief in his voice.

“Yes.” I raise my chin and grip his hand firmly. I sweep the room, searching for other signs of disrespect, and the contempt I sense shifts to wariness.

We pass through a series of hallways and enter the private area reserved for the Barry apartments. I don’t think I’ll ever find my way around this massive place.

“Don’t be nervous,” he says as we climb the stairs. “I promised I wouldn’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

“Okay,” I say stiffly. “Thanks.”

I read glumness in his sigh.

I’m disappointing him already. I try to think about all the people who won’t get murdered in the constant raids between the Barrys and the Masons. Doesn’t help that sick, shame-filled feeling that settles in my stomach. If only I could be normal.

Kent opens our door and reveals a room dimly lit by a small fire. In the center rests a queen-size bed with mahogany fence-post-like slats at the headboard and footboard. On the lower corner lies a pair of women’s flannel pajamas.

You can’t get more sexless than flannel pajamas. I almost giggle, but I’m too embarrassed by this obvious communication that there will be
no sex
tonight.

“I’m going to take a shower.” He indicates the bathroom door with a nod of his head. “Do you need anything in there first?”

“I just want to brush my teeth.” And pee.

I grab the pj’s, scuttle into the bathroom, and do my business. In record time I’m changed and back out again.

He looks like he’s trying to decide whether to laugh or throttle me.

I flick my eyes at the bathroom and squeak, “Yours.”

His lips thin, and he turns away.

I take the nearest side of the bed and pull the covers up to my chin. The Barrys rule an area smack-dab in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. Can’t they find a few sticks of firewood?

When Kent emerges from the bathroom, he’s wearing sleep pants but he’s bare-chested.

Holy crap. The body on this man. Every inch of him is chiseled. Even his chiseled pieces are chiseled. If I was the type of woman who could feel anything whatsoever, I’d attack him. And he’s so graceful. For some reason this comforts me.

He climbs into the opposite side of the bed, turns away from me, and settles himself in to sleep.

Slowly, as it sinks in that this is it, I begin to relax. When the heat from his body reaches me, I want to scooch closer to him. He doesn’t scare me at all.
 

Well, all that much.

I hope you enjoyed your preview of The Other Brother, another Stand Alone novel in the Snow and Ash Series.
 
This title will be available for pre-buy on July 1, 2016.
 
Book One,
THE GENERAL’S DAUGHTER
, is already available for purchase.

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