Free Dark Prince by Michelle M. Pillow Page A

Olena waved her hand absently around them.
    "Ah," Yusef mumbled.
    "You’re not, are you?" Olena grinned. She gave a delicate shrug, causing the sheet to dip low. "Oh, well, a girl can’t have everything."
    Yusef chuckled at her teasing tone. She didn’t seem too terribly disappointed by the idea of being married to a common man. That pleased him. His dark eyes lit slightly to see the curve of her breast. He’d been staring at her body for about an hour without being overrun with passion. But, now that she was awake and moving, his body wasn’t so easily tempered back.
    "I much prefer not to be nobility," she mused honestly, confirming his assumption. It would be harder to sneak around the galaxy if her picture was published everywhere as a missing ladyship.
    "What’s your name?" Yusef’s tone was light, though the question had been driving him mad.
    Olena just smiled widely. Yusef knew she wasn’t going to tell him. She was enjoying teasing him too much.
    "Well, knight, are you going to let me see me or what?" Olena demanded, holding her hand out and wiggling her fingers.
    Yusef tossed the carving at her. Olena caught it with both hands. To his delight, she dropped the sheet to do it. Quickly, she righted it, pulling back to lean against the dragon headboard. She held the sheet down with her arms.
    Olena was amazed. The carving looked exactly like her, though the edges were a little rough and unfinished, down to the way her hair curled by her temples when she let it dry naturally. It was perhaps one of the most beautiful things she had ever had done for her. Hiding her emotions, she forced a sardonic tenor to her words, as she expressed, "Typical."
    Yusef raised a brow. Olena tossed it back at him.
    "You made my breasts bigger," she explained, acting as if she didn’t care. Inside, she shook violently. This game was getting too close.
    Remember your scar, she thought, trying to remind herself to be strong. As he watched her, she saw hurt flicker in his eyes before he hid it. Or did she see it at all? Did she just feel it as if it was her pain, too?
    Great, she thought, growing bitter. I must have hit my head when I fainted. Fine pirate I’m turning out to be.
    Olena had a feeling her whole body would be marked with cuts before this ordeal was over--especially if he kept looking at her with those liquid, shifting eyes of molten gray.
    Yusef pulled open a dresser drawer and dropped the sculpture unceremoniously inside. Olena’s eyes nonchalantly followed the movement. She itched to get a hold of the sculpture. She wanted to keep it.
    "Are you hungry?" he asked.
    "Mm, starving," Olena admitted. Without thinking, she added, "You wouldn’t happen to have any clothes I could borrow, would you?"
    Yusef glanced at her bags on the floor.
    "Oh, yeah, that," Olena forced a giggle, lying easily. "The guys grabbed the wrong luggage and I’ve been stuck with those things the entire trip."
    Yusef detected the falsehood and said nothing, merely nodded.
    Olena cleared her throat, not sure how much this dark warrior suspected. She didn’t dare mention the gun. "So, you got a shirt or something I can use?"
    "Sure," he said, opening another drawer and tossing her a light cotton shirt. Olena slipped it over her head. Then, crossing to her bags, she pulled the first one open and looked inside. Digging, she found her bra and underwear and slipped them on under the shirt.
    Yusef watched quietly. When she turned back to him, she inquired, "Pants?"
    "Sure," he said again and, leaning over, he opened a bottom drawer.
    Olena’s head angled slightly to the side, admiring his firm backside. She straightened and affected a look of perfect innocence before he turned around. Yusef tossed her a pair of light cotton pants and she slipped them over her hips.
    "If you stay out of trouble," he said. "I’ll take you to the dressmaker and pick up some things that fit."
    "Dressmaker?" Olena wrinkled her nose in instant distaste. "No thanks, knight.