I was too numb to pretend anymore. “What did you mean by distraction and you thought so at first?”
Tamara eyed me for a moment, then stood. “Come with me.” She beckoned me to follow. As we walked together, she began speaking again. “Since your arrival, Drake’s been acting weird until his behavior when we returned from the slopes gave me an indication. I noticed his reaction to the mere mention of your name and the way he looks at you. The undisguised jealousy that masks his features when Rayden holds you or claims your attention.”
We turned down a few hallways before coming to a stop in front of a large ornate door. “Where are we?” I asked.
Tamara smiled and produced a bunch of keys from her pocket. She chose one and inserted it into the keyhole. As the door swung inward, she entered. “It’s Drake’s study. No one is allowed in here.”
I hesitated. “Then what are we doing here?”
She half-turned. “Look.”
I stepped inside. My eyes followed the direction of her outstretched hand. The air rushed out of my lungs in a soft gasp. Goosebumps skittered over my skin. I shivered. As though they possessed a mind of their own, my feet moved closer.
“Uncanny resemblance, isn’t it?” Tamara whispered.
Behind the large mahogany desk and leather chair stood a fireplace. On the wall above the baroque mantlepiece and almost life-size in appearance hung a portrait of a woman. With her back to the painter, her face in profile and hair pulled over one shoulder, she looked out a window. “How?” I mumbled. “Drake had no pictures of me.”
“The mind is a wonderful thing, Sianna. There’s no telling what you can have painted from memory alone if it means a lot to you.”
Unable to take my eyes off the painting, I stared. Not only was she in the exact position I’d waited while he’d gone to answer the door, but the painter had captured the off-shoulder, gypsy styled dress I’d worn that night to perfection. Even the shade of blue was amazingly similar.‘It matches your eyes, Princess,’Drake had whispered in my ear. Warmth raced through my veins at the recollection. I shivered at what followed. A thought crossed my mind.
“Yes, Drake painted it,” Tamara answered my unasked question. She’d moved to stand next to me. I turned to face her. She watched me intently. “He’s always been the artistic one in the family. Kyra takes after him. You should see some of the jewelry pieces he’s designed. I’d say this painting would attract a hefty price tag if it weren’t priceless. To him,” she murmured the last part.
Startled, I blushed. “What does this mean, Tamara?” I asked as realism once again dashed my admiration. “Has Rayden seen this?”
“Are you prepared to face the consequences if he does?” She touched my arm lightly. I read the understanding in her eyes. I shook my head, unsure what to say. “You do feel something for him, don’t you?” At my confused look, she added, “For Drake? You have feelings for him.”
“Is that even possible?” I ran a hand through my hair. “Is it possible to have feelings for two men?”
“If they’ve made an impression on your heart. Yes.”
“Why are you sharing all of this with me, knowing it could hurt Rayden or Drake.”
“Because it’s only fair that you know. I’ve watched my brother disintegrate over the years from a fun-loving replica of Rayden to a man hardened by failure to live the life he wanted. Then you came along, and one night was all it took for him to live again. Perhaps you can help him heal, bring him back to the man he wants to be.”
“Me?” I panicked at the words.
She nodded. “You owe it to your heart to give it the right man. You’ve been here a couple of days, but Drake has had some effect on you. Yes, I know you can argue it’s because you spent one night with him. If that night meant nothing to you, just a passing fling, neither of you would react the way you are. Drake has gone back to the city again, Sianna. Says a lot, doesn’t it?” Was she talking about the night from two years ago or two days ago? I couldn’t summon the courage to ask.
I processed the last few minutes in a state of shock. “I—”
“What are you doing in here, Tamara,” the quiet question had us both turning to face the door. Drake stood there, his face a blank mask, yet there was no mistaking the tiredness.
Slipping an arm around my waist, Tamara guided me toward the door. I avoided his gaze. “She needed to know,” Tamara said before she sidestepped him. I followed.
Only his sudden grip on my arm stalled my movement. I looked up at him. “Would you stay for a moment?” Although his eyes remained unreadable, the slight curve to his lips made me nod.
I shifted my gaze to Tamara. She smiled. “It’s okay. Stay.”
As she walked away, I followed him into the study and tensed when he closed the door. He walked to the fireplace. I had no idea what he did, but he had a fire burning almost immediately. He moved to the couches, gestured for me to sit, and with his hands crossed over his chest, leaned against a sill. My mind in turmoil, I remained at his table, my eyes on the painting.
“Do you like it?”
“The detail...” I trailed off, fascinated by the way he’d captured every minute inch to perfection, just from memory.
Engrossed in the painting, I didn’t hear him move. He stood behind me, so close, his warmth wrapped me in its embrace. “Sometimes, all it takes is a moment, a breath, a glimpse, to fall in love, and that alone can create a lifetime memory, Princess.” His gravelly voice, deep and seductive, feathered down my back like a lover’s caress. I shuddered. He turned me around to face him. Sliding a finger under my chin, he tilted until my gaze met his. “Every inch of my brain tells me to walk away from you. That nothing but pain will follow. And, God, I tried. Every sleepless night has been worse than the previous, and I’m going crazy. For once, I don’t want to listen to my head. Just once, I want to be the irresponsible one. For once, I want to live because my heart is crying inconsolable tears.”
“What are you saying?”
