I WANT YOU

CHAPTER 10

Arthur rose from his leather seat, and Anna’s eyes dropped to the man’s crotch before she quickly looked away.

She was going to die of blushing tonight. The older man took the glass of liquor he’d poured and then sat on the corner of his desk, his body so close to Anna that she could feel the heat coming off of the man.

“I’m glad to see that you’re so loyal to Cristina.”

Anna was so aware of the older man who was sitting a few inches in front of her that her heart was thumping wildly, the blood pulsing through her ears with a deafening roar.

She swallowed tightly when Arthur tucked his finger under her chin and made her look at him.

“How’s the wrist?”

What wrist? Oh, hers! Anna lifted her arm and waved the cast. “Fine.”

“Let me know if there is any discomfort. Aberdeen took the liberty of filling your prescription for pain meds.”

Anna wanted to duck her head, but Arthur hadn’t removed his finger.

“Thank you for all that you do for me, Mr. Knight.”

“You’re like…” Arthur paused, and Anna once again prayed the man didn’t say 'like a daughter.'

“You’re a part of this family, Anna.”

Anna’s heart skipped a beat at the proclamation. “I would like to think so,” she said, hoping she wasn’t overstepping her boundaries.

But with Arthur, one never knew. From what she’d heard and seen over the years, he ran his company with an iron fist.

The man wasn’t known for his niceties except when it came to those who he considered his family. And the man had never been anything but kind to her.

The man’s thumb caressed Anna’s chin, and she felt her heart thumping. If only Arthur would kiss her! Anna had yet to kiss anyone, and she was dying to know how soft the older man’s lips were.

She bet that the older man could kiss his brain right out of her head.

Disappointment filled her when Arthur's hand fell away. “Go join Cristina upstairs.”

Anna rose from her seat, and her face was inches from the older man’s. Arthur hadn’t moved. He just stared at Anna with those intense eyes, making her feel as if her legs were made of cooked noodles. “Good night, Mr. Knight.”

Arthur caressed Anna’s cheek. “Good night, Anna.”

Anna knew she should head out of the study, but she was transfixed with Arthur and couldn’t seem to move.

“Was there something else you needed?” Arthur asked as he continued to pet her cheek.

She wasn’t sure what insanity possessed her, but Anna leaned forward, their lips a mere inch apart. Arthur's caressing hand slid to rest at Anna’s nape. “Yes?”

Anna tried to find her voice, about to ask the older man to kiss her when Arthur pulled back, letting his hand dropped.

“Go find Cristina.”

It took a second for Anna’s brain to kick in. She took a step back, and nearly fell over the chair behind her. Arthur's hand shot out and caught Anna, steadying her. Anna blushed and pulled away, hurrying from the study.

Once she climbed the stairs to the second floor, she stopped and leaned against the oak-paneled wall, breathing heavily.

What had that been about? Why had Arthur looked as if he was about to kiss her only to send her away? Arthur could still smell Arthur’s masculine cologne as she fought to catch her breath.

“Are you feeling ill?” Aberdeen asked as he moved toward her. Anna jumped and squeaked. She hadn’t seen the assistant there.

“I’m fine,” Anna answered as she gazed at Aberdeen. The man always reminded her of a rigid butler. Aberdeen was impeccably dressed, and his shoulder-length black hair was combed to perfection. He had a swarthy body, slim, but it filled the expensive suit nicely.

“You appear flushed,” the man said. “You should lie down.”

I’m flushed because Arthur nearly kissed me. “No, no.” Anna waved Aberdeen’s concern away. “I’m good. I’ll just go find Cristina.”

“Lady Cristina is in her bedroom.”

Anna nodded her thanks as she took off. She needed to calm down before she saw Caleb. Her friend would know right away that something was amiss if she sees her now.

He slipped into one of a bazillion rooms and found the bathroom. Anna turned the tap on and splashed cool water on her face, her mind going back to how Arthur had held a hand over her neck. Was it her imagination, or had Arthur drawn her closer?

“You wish,” Anna groused to herself.

She straightened, and her head snapped toward the bathroom window when she heard howling of wolves.

That wasn’t uncommon around here. Arthur owned fifty acres of forested land, and she had heard that sound more times than she could remember over the course of ten years.

Arthur had told her and Cristina that wolves roamed the woods and they should steer clear of them.

That had been fine with Anna. She never wanted to run into one of them.

But the sound was still eerie every time she’d heard it. They lived in the heavily populated city of Dark Haven, but Frost Manor sat atop a hill, isolated from the city below.

When Anna had first started coming here, she used to see Frost Manor as some magical place to escape. A castle on a mountain.

In some ways, she still did. The house was huge, and one could get lost if they didn’t know where they were going. Anna had done just that when she first came here. Now she knew the place well enough to know where she was going. There were still some rooms that were off-limits, like the entire west wing.

And Anna swore she heard noises coming from that side of the house from time to time, but she’d never been brave enough to investigate.

Turning the tap off, Anna grabbed a towel from the rack and patted her face dry. She glanced at herself in the mirror and rolled her eyes.

Her skin was flushed, and her eyes looked too wide. But this was as good as she was going to get. Tossing the towel aside, Anna made her way to Arthur's bedroom.

Seeing her best friend sprawled out on her bed. Anna curled next to her and closed her eyes, dreaming of Arthur and howling wolves.

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