Free Captivated: Spellbound (Book Two) by Trinity Night

Chapter One
    “I want you to wear this while you are here,” Alexi said, handing me an outfit Laura Ingalls would have thought was out of fashion.
    “You’re kidding me right?” I said, staring at the mid-calf length skirt, billowy peasant blouse, and head scarf, “I can’t wear that without laughing at myself.”
    “It will turn me on,” he said handing me the outfit.
    I relented and accepted the clothes. I liked to turn him on, but couldn’t his tastes be a little more— conventional— like maybe a black negligee or a pink teddy? Alexi was anything but what I knew as conventional. The half gypsy, Ukrainian looked like a Transylvanian lord standing in front of me with his gleaming blue eyes and shoulder length black curls. Arcane tattoos showed beneath the neck of his shirt hinting of dark magic that was unknown and unthinkable to me. I wanted to please him. Every time I opposed with him, I looked at his round face and wondered how I could possibly disagree with someone so utterly gorgeous.
    “Did you bring my backpack?” I asked, walking into the bedroom to change, “I can’t wear this costume all the time.”
    “I will bring it to you tomorrow. I left it at my flat. In the meantime, you should acquaint yourself with what it is like to live here. The well is around back and so is the outhouse. You will need to learn to build a fire. You can find coal in the shed. First, you build a fire with paper and wood, then you add the coal. It isn’t that complicated. For hot water for washing, you can use this electric water-warmer.”
    I walked out of the bedroom wearing the outfit he’d given me. I felt really stupid. But, I had to admit, it had a certain charm. He looked at me and smiled his slow, wicked smile. Then, he held a long metal rod in front of me. The electricity in the cottage was random at best. Standing in that ridiculous outfit in a kitchen with no running water, I suddenly felt foolish for staying in Odessa with Alexi. He had a lot of bizarre ideas that an American girl like me just couldn’t rap my head around. Maybe Ukrainian chicks didn’t mind living like it was " Ye Olden Days" , but women like me had expectations-— like refrigeration and a toilet.
    I sighed, taking the stick from him and placing it on the rough wooden counter. He moved into me, his rich spicy scent filling my nose with the promise of forbidden lust. He leaned his leg between mine, pressed against my pleasure zone, and breathed down on me. I felt the trance-like state that followed Alexi wherever he went.
    “My Darling, you will enjoy this. Just think of it like, what do you call it? The camping?”
    “Yes, the camping.”
    I put my arms around him and waited for him to lean in to kiss me. His strong arms moved around my waist and held me tight; his mouth moved down to mine— lips parted, barely brushing my lips with the taste of cloves and cardamom. He drew away, and I licked my lips as he stood back. I’d done a lot of camping. I liked camping. Even though I usually wore clothes from REI rather than clothes from the Renaissance Fair.
    He kissed my cheek and handed me a basket of food. It was mostly raw produce, a packet of milk in a plastic bag, some kind of dry porridge, a loaf of crusty bread, salt, oil, cured sausages, tea, sugar cubes, and cookies. Typical low budget Ukrainian fare. I took the heavy basket and placed it on the table. It was plenty for food. Better than I’d been eating before I agreed to stay. The British kids I’d traveled from Budapest with and I, had very meager meals during the last week.
    I could have gone back with them, but I didn’t want to give my parents the satisfaction of telling me “I told you so.” This was supposed to be my summer, my adventure, my time to learn about life and about myself. I was tired of them always telling me what to do. I graduated with the dumb business degree they wanted me to get— with honors— and it was time for me to do what I wanted for once.