Compromising Kessen (Vandenbrook #1)(63)

Why didn’t he say it first? Unless maybe he didn’t feel it. Maybe he just felt passion for her, nothing more. Because when she stopped and tried to be logical, she realized it wasn’t logical. Nothing about her relationship with Christian made sense. She had to be out of her mind to think he would confess his love to her right now.

“Kessen.”

“What?” Her head snapped up, nearly knocking him in the chin.

“If you keep squinting like that you’re going to get wrinkles.” He touched her forehead lightly with his hand, but he might as well have been searing her. His hands were like a torch she could feel all the way down to her belly.

Not good. Definitely not good, especially if he wants me to stay up with him all night.

“I was thinking about the ball tomorrow night.” She quickly broke contact, so a coherent thought would be present. Christian looked at her thoughtfully and made a waving motion with his hand.

“It’s not a big deal, Kessen. Just a whole bunch of our old family friends and important people in society. If you play nice and dance with me more than once, I promise to help you fake a sickness, so we can go somewhere else and watch a movie or read…”

He said the last word with all the emotion he apparently could muster, making reading sound more like eating nails than enjoying a nice romance novel.

Kessen beamed. “So you’re saying you’ll read to me if I go and play nice?”

“Did I mention reading to you? No, I don’t think I did.” He grimaced. “How about I’ll show you a few of the spots the book took place in, and then if I feel generous I will read one line of your choice.”

Kessen took a minute to pretend to ponder the idea, when what she wanted to do was scream like a little girl. Her obsession with these books was well on its way to being a little much.

“Deal.” She reached out her hand to grab his, but stopped when she heard a faint yelling in the background.

Both she and Christian turned to see Duncan and Nick on the other side of the door with paintball guns in their arms and at least four layers of clothing on.

Duncan put his gun down and lifted up a sign that said “WAR.”

Then Nick nodded his head and did a little “I’m watching you” gesture, while he held up another sign that said “Run and hide … here we come.”

Kessen didn’t need to be told twice; she quickly pushed Christian down and made a run for the front of the house, where she figured the door would still be unlocked. Christian yelled at her as she ran around the corner. The last thing she heard was the sound of paintball guns going off and him screaming expletives into the night sky.

She made it to the front door and was accurate in her assumption. It was open. She ran up the stairs and locked her bedroom door, then looked out her window. Pinned to the ground with paintball stains covering his designer jeans was Christian. He had a sign on his back that read, “Ransom.”

Kessen laughed and yelled down to Nick and Duncan, who were at the moment dancing around the fire as if they were wild Indians.

“What will it take for you to let him go?” she yelled as loudly as she could.

Duncan looked up first. “Payment, princess. Payment.”

Interesting turn of events. “What type of payment?”

Duncan looked stumped; he punched Nick in the shoulder. They talked in hushed tones for a few minutes before Nick yelled up at her, “We will give you Christian if you promise not to speak to him until the wedding.”

She shook her head. “Impossible. That’s not even nice, and honestly it’s more than four days away!”

Nick looked guiltily to the ground, and Duncan began whistling.

“Isn’t it?” Kessen yelled. “Boys!” This time they cringed when her voice reached their ears.

Nick cleared his throat. “It’s been moved.”

Kessen put her hands over her eyes. “Please tell me you’re referring to something other than my wedding.”

She thought she heard Christian moan.

Duncan began untying Christian slowly; he used the time to explain the situation. “We were having it on Sunday, because Christian’s sister was going to be here, but she can’t make it. So now Lady Newberry has decided to move the wedding to Friday night.”

Kessen felt ill. “But it’s Tuesday night!”

By now Christian was untied but a little too sore to move from his current position. “Whasdmoes if da.”

“What did he say?” she yelled.

Duncan interpreted, “He said, ‘What’s one or two more days?’”

The man had a point. Either way they were getting married, but she wasn’t ready. Not at all. That meant Friday she would be married. That was two less days to get to know Christian or make him fall in love with her, or at least somehow get him to admit it.

But then again, she wasn’t admitting it, either.

Now she was back where she started. Both of them were stubborn idiots, and neither willing to take the giant leap love asked of them.

“I refuse your demand of silence!” she cried.

Nick gave Duncan a little signal. Duncan began wrapping the rope around Christian.

“Ugh, fine!” Kessen yelled. “How about a compromise? I won’t speak to him the day before or the day of the wedding?”