The Knight's Rose

Chapter Eleven ~ The Kiss of a Rose

Nikolai leaned toward me to see where I was pointing, and my nose was suddenly wafted with the smell of his expensive scent. It was tantalizing and made my heart beat even more irregularly.

The sudden sound of Nikolai's chuckles filled my ears, and I waited for him to explain what he found so humorous.

"That says drawer, Rose," Nikolai told me, his own long finger pressed next to mine. "Though, humor me, if the emperor was killed by the dragon, then who did Rhodopis live happily ever after with?"

"The dragon, of course. They took over the kingdom and made it into an empire. At some point, they even took over the world," I told him, my mouth quirking up into a small grin.

"I think I prefer your version more than the original," Nikolai laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Well, the original seems mighty boring," I decided before closing the book. "I'll go get another book."

I went to stand up, only for my foot to get caught on the tear of my dress. Instead of falling forwards, I jerked backward and landed on something hard and warm. My bottom was pressed against Nikolai's muscled thighs. My back fell against his brawny chest, and I squeaked in embarrassment when his shirt rode up against my back, and I caught a glance of his tanned toned torso.

"I-I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry," I rushed out, attempting to get up, but my foot was still stuck in the tear of the dress.

"Rose."

When his mouth uttered my name,  my body tensed trying to get ready for any harsh words that he would say. Instead, his hands gently pressed against my waist, making my insides squirm with heat.

"You're so thin, it makes me want to feed you. I regret not buying you anything from that pastry shop," Nikolai muttered, and I could practically see his eyebrows furrowing. "Have you eaten, Rose?'

My face heated up at my poverty-stricken body, and I tried to remember if I had eaten anything today. Well, there wasn't anything at home for me to eat, but I did eat an apple the baker's wife had given me. The pastry I had saved for Lily was still in my bag, safe and untouched. It would remain like that until I give it to Lily later on when I get home. Lord knows I couldn't eat while my sisters sat at home starving.

"Yes, I have," I answered Nikolai, distractedly. My mind had gone back to how I was still seated on his lap and his large gentle hands on my bony waist. "I ate an apple."

"That's it?"

"Well, my mind was a little preoccupied with other things," I half-lied because in a way my mind was preoccupied and if I did have any food, then I wouldn't have managed to gobble it down because of the nervous butterflies in my stomach.

I reached out to my pull my foot out from the tear of my dress, only to hiss in pain when I moved wrist to quickly. I had forgotten about my bruised wrist, and I was tempted to push my sleeve up just to see what color it had turned into. But I didn't want Nikolai to see that it was bothering me, though my hiss of pain had given me away.

Nikolai moved his hands from my waist, and pulled me up against his chest, the back of my head pressed against his right shoulder. He pushed my dress outward, allowing my foot to slip away and gain back its freedom.

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome, though may I ask something?"

"Yes?"

"Was that tear from before today?"

"No," I hastily said, before realizing the underlying question. He wanted to know if my dress had been ruined by the same person who bruised me. I felt his body tense underneath me, and I tried to come up with anything to say.