Caresse hadn’t known when she’d delved into the trunk, with Marigold’s encouragement, that the dresses had belonged to the former lady of the house.
“Did you really wish to attend the ball?” a melodic but undeniably masculine voice inquired from behind her. “It makes me sad to see you cry.”
Chapter Four
As Caresse spun to face the stranger who had somehow gained access to her room, her feet tangled up and she lost her balance. He leaped forward to catch her, and she arched back with a squeak, right out the open window.
He threw out a hand in a motion too fast for human eyes to see and latched onto the wide neck of her chemise.
“Help!” she screamed as she looked up and saw the night sky above her.
“I’m trying,” he said as the thin fabric began to rip.
Bracing his legs against the windowsill, he whipped out the other arm and caught her by the waist as she wind-milled uselessly with her arms out in open air. “Stop moving please,” he added, his eyes widening in alarm when he looked down, but he didn’t let her go as he pulled her back into the room.
She was grateful at least that he didn’t seem inclined to see her fall to the cobblestones four stories below.
“Oh, that was close.”
When he cleared his throat, she realized she’d wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, forcing his face deep into her cleavage and had wound one of her legs around his hip. She made to let go, and he stopped her.
“It’s okay, just hold on to me.”
The handsome stranger breathed a relieved sigh when he had her back on her own two feet, and she promptly squeaked when the cool night air touched her bare breasts. She grabbed the skirt of her dress hanging nearby and draped it across her exposed chest.
She gave him the once-over, which didn’t help in catching her breath. He was worthy of being panted over. At least six feet four and buff, going by the way his wide chest and arms filled out his suit coat.
“You’re huge.”
He grinned, his lip curling in a smirk she shouldn’t have found endearing.
“Why thank you. You’re stupendously beautiful.”
“Shut up. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Who are you, and what are you doing in my room? Are you lost?”
His cheeky grin and twinkling eyes were disarming as he straightened the wrinkles out of his coat sleeves and gave his white shirt cuffs a tug. Then he shocked her as he gave her a courtly bow with his arm out, not as a mock gesture but with formality. “I am your faery godfather.”
“My—what the fuck?” she squeaked through a constricted throat before clamping a hand over her mouth. “What did you say?”
“I’m your faery godfather.”
“Where’s the camera?”
“What?” he asked, curiosity filling his twinkling brown eyes as he smoothed his lapels.
She blinked as she looked at his suit. “Is that a tuxedo? Are you a host on one of those reality shows? Am I on camera?” She cast a glance around the room, looking for a camera crew to come jumping out of the shadows. Where is my little Doop-Doop? Did you do something with him? You better not have scared him.”
He chuckled and nodded. “One thing at a time, beautiful. You mean a reality television show like you have in the world you came from. Nah, no Big Brother or Bachelor.”
“Are you sure? You’re sexy enough. Twenty women would fight over you for an entire season. What’s going on here? Where is Doop-Doop?”
“You think I’m sexy, huh? I told you, I’m your—”
“Fairy Godfather! I heard you! You’re a fairy?” she asked with a quirked eyebrow, and he frowned.
With an incredulous expression, he gestured to his physique. “Do I look like fricking Tinkerbell? I’m fae. Big difference. Disney got the whole fairy thing all wrong. Fae are badass. Think Legolas with a crewcut and modern fashion sense, although I’m also lethal with a bow and arrows and other weaponry. But yeah, I’m yours, just like I was your mother’s before you. Actually, we were more like best friends because of Ella and Selena being friends and all, but that’s a story for another time. You can call me TFG for short.”
“TFG?” Her knees felt a little weak.
“Yeah. The Faery Godfather. Hey, you look like you need to sit down.”
“Ya think?” she said as he scooped her up, set her on the cot, and sat beside her after unbuttoning the tuxedo jacket enveloping his lean musculature.
“Anyway,” he went on, as if women nearly fainted at his feet every day, “I’ve been watching over you, and I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but I hope you’ll come to trust me. I’ve hung out all this time with Charles because I knew eventually you’d grow up and come back and also because Ella asked me to watch over him, only then you disappeared, and I realized it was safer if you did and—”
She put her hand over his full lips, and he quit speaking, but she could tell he was smiling by the way his eyes twinkled and the outer corners of his slightly slanted eyes narrowed. He took the opportunity to lay a smooch on her fingertips.
“Too much?”
She nodded. “Way too much. What do you want with me?”
“Actually,” he said with a tilt of his head as he turned to her and caressed her jaw, “it’s what I can do for you, beautiful baby girl. Did you really want to go to the ball?”
Blinking, she looked out the window at the moon rising beyond the palace and then turned back to him, utterly confused.
One thing at a time.
“Yeah, actually I did. I was just thinking about that when you appeared. And speaking of appeared,” she said as she got down on her knees and looked under her cot. “Where is Doop-Doop? Where did you go, honey?” She patted the floor to entice him and then muttered, “If you scared my little friend, I’m taking it out of your hide.”
She heard a chuckle and then a raspy, playful bark right by her head. She kneeled up and promptly fell back on her ass. Doop-Doop sat on her cot as if he’d been there all along and gave her a panting doggy grin and play-bowed for her.
Frowning, she looked around her room. “Uh…hello?” She picked Doop-Doop up and looked in all the corners of the room while the rascal happily licked at her neck and her cleavage, the affectionate little mite. “I must be losing it.” He wriggled to be set down. When she placed him on the cot, his form blurred, and she fell on her ass once more when TFG appeared in the spot where Doop-Doop had been sitting.
“I am losing it!”
With his elbows resting on his wide-spread knees, he leaned forward as he laced his fingers together. The move was decidedly masculine, and confidence practically radiated from him as he tilted his head and said, “You’re not losing your mind. I’m not the Bachelor or any other dumbass who wants to get hitched to some stranger on national television. I’m your faery godfather, and I’m here to help you. Bippity-Boppity—”
She crab-crawled backward. “Wait! Wait! Don’t do any bippity-ing or boppity-ing! I have questions!”
TFG grinned as he helped her stand. “And I have answers. Boo, baby!” He lifted one hand and snapped his fingers.
It was a toss-up which sensation was the most disconcerting as she was enveloped by a dizzying swirling sensation. The nimble, invisible fingers sliding a silk stocking up her bare legs—
Bare legs?
Or the teasing fingers that gently tweaked her bare nipples—
Bare nipples?
Before lifting her abundant breasts and encompassing her torso in a snug silk corset and then plumping them until they lay within the confines of the bust just so.
TFG just grinned as he gestured in a swirling fashion over his head, gathering a glittering cloud into a small tornado while eyeing her semi-nude body. She was afraid to move or even breathe while he had that gleam of mischief in his eyes. “Please don’t turn me into a toad.”
He arched his brows in shock. “Toad? Not hardly!”
Slamming her eyes shut, she made a keening sound as she was su
ddenly wrapped in the mini tornado he’d created from thin air. It was cold, then hot, and then the wind settled.
Shoulders clenched around her ears, she was afraid to open her eyes. Gradually relaxing when nothing hurt or felt weird or slimy, she finally said, “What did you do to me?”
His reply was slow in coming, so she opened her eyes and gasped. With wide eyes and a warm smile, he led her forward so she could see herself better in the silver mirror that had appeared. “No, beautiful one. What have you done to me?”
She stared at herself in the glass. The eyes were hers, the hair color was hers, and the face peering back was hers. But she was adorned in a magnificent ball gown of purple and blue silk, with iridescent feather trim at the low neckline and the tops of the off-the-shoulder sleeves.
“How did you…”
He held up one hand and pointed at it. “Fae magic.”
“And you’re…”
“TFG, or if you want, you can call me Leandre…or Doop-Doop,” he added with a chuckle. “I almost hurt myself laughing when you called me that the first time.”
“My friend Elaina…she’s the really adventurous one. She’d know exactly what to do in this situation.”
“Or at least what to name me. Listen, your friends are fine, or at least I’m pretty sure they’re fine.”
“Was that supposed to be reassuring? I don’t feel very reassured. Are you sure you’re Doop-Doop? If he’s locked in a cage somewhere, just-just-just know that I know how to perform a castration, Mister TFG or…whatever.”
Leandre sighed. “I gotta say, you’re taking up time here we could be spending at the ball, but I love your devotion and loyalty. Doop-Doop is fine and dandy and ready to take you to the—” His form blurred once more.
Arf! Doop-Doop barked, standing on four legs in the spot where the handsome stranger had stood on two. Then he blurred back again, looking sexy and hunky just as before.
“I need a drink.”
“And opals, I think.”
She squeaked when Leandre tilted his head as he gazed at her and swirled his fingers, and a gorgeous gold necklace dripping with fiery opals appeared on her nearly bare décolletage. Her earlobes were gently pinched by warm unseen hands, and earrings appeared to match the necklace.
“Those go perfectly with your eyes and hair color. And girls like tiaras, I’m told.”
Tiny gold sparks flew from his fingertips, and she jumped when a gold tiara, matching the rest of the jewelry, slid into her upswept hair-do.
“You look nearly fit for royalty.” He rested his chin in his palm as she lifted the hem of her ball gown and showed him her stocking-clad, but otherwise bare feet. Tapping his fingers against his cheek, he said, “I know just what you need.”
“Please, no ankle-breakers. I’ll kill myself falling down stairs, or I’ll crush someone when I topple and land on them.”
“Crush them? Please tell me you didn’t give any credence to Niebleht’s unkind words. She’s such a hateful little twat. And you don’t have to worry. These are guaranteed to be breathtakingly sexy and easy to walk in. And comfortable. You’ll be able to dance every dance.”
“Wait, they’ll be comfortable? Lay ’em on me. Good thing this gown is long so we’ll be able to hide my comfy shoes.”
He sat down on the cot and gestured to the spot beside him. “Sit and give me your feet.”
Hesitant, but somehow trusting this stranger, she did as he asked and inhaled deeply as he wrapped his big and incredibly warm hands around her definitely not tiny feet. A smile spread on his full lips, and she took a second to stare openly at his face while he paid attention to her feet.
His brow was broad, and the dark slash of his eyebrows gave him a regal, almost ruthless, appearance. If he weren’t being so gentle with her, she might be intimidated by him under other circumstances. His eyelashes were thick and dark to match his brows and darker than his hair, and his cheekbones were high. The sensual lines of his mouth and his dimples were accentuated by high and well-defined cheekbones and a square jaw with a slight cleft in it. Although utterly masculine, he had to be the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.
He glanced up at her suddenly, and his smile widened, and she thought his cheeks darkened just a little.
“There,” he murmured, and she did a double take when she looked down at her feet and spied his creation.
They were soft like leather, fitted perfectly to her feet, but they reflected light like a mirror and had an ethereal iridescence to them, as if they were an optical illusion. She leaned forward and gasped when she saw her reflection in the mirror-like surface. They’d probably shatter the second she stood and took a step.
Offering her a hand, he said, “Give those babies a whirl, princess. You won’t have to worry about toppling over—or losing one of them. I’ll take them off of you myself later tonight.”
Envisioning that scenario warmed her middle more than she anticipated words from a stranger would. But when he’d said he was hers, he’d sounded completely sure of himself.
His word was true. The shoes encased her feet in softness and comfort, and she felt perfectly balanced on the heels. He gave her a twirl and then dipped her, merriment in his eyes when she squeaked.
So much was happening all at once, and she felt a little dizzy as she gazed up at him. “You called me a princess. I’m not really a princess.”
“Oh but you are to me, princess.” His gaze was mesmerizing as he held her close, studying her…thinking to himself. Finally, he seemed to come to a conclusion and said, “I’m going to kiss you now.”
He lifted her chin and leaned closer. Being this close to him should scare her. He was a stranger…but then again he wasn’t…somehow. His scent was of the outdoors, the forest, as befitted a big strong man like him, with a tinge of herbs, maybe lavender or rosemary, and…what was that?
“Sweet orange,” he murmured. “That’s how you’ll know I’m near, even if you can’t see me.”
“Huh? I—”
Her words were cut off by his lips brushing against hers, so warm, stroking her and wooing her to open. He gently nipped at her lower lip before licking it with the tip of his tongue and then sweeping inside her mouth, dueling with her tongue.
A blaze roared to life inside her, and arousal dampened her inner thighs as she wrapped her arms around him and arched her back when he pulled her closer. A deep sound rumbled in his chest as he tightened his arms and slowly released her lips after pecking them one last time.
He was smiling when she finally opened her eyes, and his cocky grin made her giggle. He leaned infinitesimally closer and said, “Your beautiful eyes will give you away. Best to create a distraction. Up you get.”
He helped her to rise, positioned her in front of the mirror, and swirled his hand in a large circle around her head and shoulders. Gold sparkles shimmered all around her and landed on her skin and the dress, making it shimmer with golden light as she moved.
A feather-like touch stroked over her cheeks, brow, and temples, and he smiled in approval.
“Perfect. But you need just a bit of camouflage. Take a look,” he murmured, twirling his finger to indicate he wanted her to model for him.
She giggled, suddenly filled with anticipation for whatever the night held, and hurried to the mirror. Her face wasn’t hidden so much as decorated with touches of gold and the colors of her dress, and dotted here and there with tiny opals to match the jewelry. The “mask” seemed to hover over the upper half of her face like a three-dimensional effect.
“Why do I need camouflage? Is it a masked ball?”
“All in good time, princess. Now model for me.”
She twirled slowly for him—thankfully without toppling or rolling her ankle. A breeze that went up her skirt seized her attention, and she came to a sudden stop. “Um, I think you forgot something.”
“Nuh-uh,” he said, shaking his head, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Uh-huh. Where are my panties? I got a gar
ter belt and stockings, but no panties.”
“Yep. Like I said, perfect.”
“But I’m…I’ll…” Her cheeks grew hot as she stopped herself from admitting she was wet.
“I know.” He was teasing her, the mind reader, but she didn’t sense a bit of meanness in his good humor. He seemed intent on making her happy. “And it’s very sexy.”
He led her to the center of the room, and with the circular motion of his fingers, he created another mini tornado. This one didn’t muss her hair or her dress as it encircled them in a cloud of rose petals.
“Ready?” he asked as he encircled her waist with one arm and then wrapped the other under her derriere, latching onto one butt cheek like it was his favorite.
“Dude, that’s my ass you’re holding on to.”
“Grr,” was his reply as he held her to him securely. Through the silken layers of the skirt, she felt his hand shift until he was practically groping her crotch—not that her horny body minded. “Wouldn’t want you to slip.”
Nooo, unless, of course, it was down on your dick.
He suddenly snorted and covered it with a cough, like something was caught in his throat.
“You have a boner.” She clapped her hand over her mouth.
“You noticed, huh? Now that I’m in this form I can’t seem to control the needy bastard.”
His erection seemed to grow even harder and thicker…and she got wetter. Something in the twinkle of his eyes distracted her, and she thought back to earlier in the night when she’d caught little Doop-Doop staring at her ass. That thought led to another. “Oh no!”
“What’s the matter, princess?” he asked. His body heat seeped through all the layers of fabric and stoked the tingling awareness growing in her pussy.
“I just remembered I checked under your tail! I looked at your balls!”
He burst into laughter. “Yes! And you were mighty impressed by my furry cajones!”
Midnight of the Fae Page 5