Chapter Eight
L owen emerged from her bedroom with a slight headache.
She didn’t get wasted the previous night, only buzzed, but it was enough to cause a dull throbbing in her brain.
Even the hot shower only somewhat eased the tension in her neck.
Evren stood by the kitchen sink, drinking coffee.
He took one look at her and turned to one of the cupboards, pulling down a bottle of aspirin and wordlessly handing it over.
“I must look really bad,” she commented. She filled a glass with water and then downed two pills.
“Nah,” he replied. “You’re still beautiful.”
She blinked at him, and then felt heat engulf her cheeks. She’d never had someone compliment her before.
“Hey, guess what?” he asked.
“What?”
“I took the day off. Thought we could fulfill some of the items on your bucket list.”
“Thanks for making that sound fatalistic.”
He grinned. “Ever had a massage?”
“No.”
“Ever went to a concert?”
“No.”
“Then you’re going to have a lot of firsts today.”
“But Jeremiah said I had to stay hidden.”
“And you will,” he said, with a wink. “Perks to owning your own casino is that I know all the secret hallways. But first, I have a special breakfast planned for you.”
Her eyebrows rose. “What special is that?”
He held out his elbow “Let me escort you, m’lady.”
She was thoroughly charmed when she slid her hand through his to grip his muscled arm. They rode the private elevator all the way to lobby level, but instead of merging into the public body of people, he led her to an isolated carpeted hallway.
“Jeremiah wanted a way to access certain places through the casino, so he had all these hidden hallways added,” he explained.
A moment later, he stopped at a door, and when he opened it, Lowen stepped into a grand kitchen. When he shut the door, it blended seamlessly and she had no idea where it was. A very clever hidden passage right under people’s noses.
Waiting for them was an older gentleman, with a closely shaved white beard, wearing a white chef’s hat and a white chef’s coat.
“Hello, Chef Michael,” Evren greeted.
“Good morning.” Chef Michael gave her a warm smile. “Welcome to my kitchen.”
Lowen stood there with her mouth open. “Uh. Thank you.”
“Chef, this lovely woman is the one I told you about,” Evren said. She blinked up at him. “Her meal last night was excellent, so I thought you might let her be your sous-chef this morning.”
“It would be my privilege,” he said, giving her a head nod.
Excitement flooded her senses, causing a few butterflies to dance through her belly.
When Chef Michael smiled and nodded at her, she had to restrain herself from jumping up and down.
In her previous life, Scias never let her go anywhere so she watched a lot of television, mainly baking shows.
Never did she think that something she enjoyed in secret would become a real-life experience.
As Evren found a stool to sit on to watch them work, Chef Michael patiently showed off his kitchen, teaching her how to prepare food.
This was quite different than simply watching it on television.
She was immersed in delicious scents, preparation techniques, flavors, presentation, and time management.
Chef Michael remained patient with her as he showed her a world she never thought she’d step foot in, and would remain in her happy memories for the rest of her life.
After cooking a delicious breakfast, they all sat down to eat. Chef Michael told her stories of his youth as he studied food preparation all over the world. It helped diversify his flavors. When they were done eating, Lowen hugged him.
“Thank you so much for being patient with me,” she told him.
He patted her back. “Anytime, my dear. My kitchen is always open for you.”
With a wave goodbye, Evren took hold of her hand and led her back to the secret corridor. Happiness carried her on a high plateau, and she looked up at Evren.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
He glanced down at her. “You’re welcome. Now, you’re going to get pampered.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll see.”
He nodded and led her to another level of doors. This time when he opened one, it was into the lobby of a spa. A woman waited and greeted them with a huge smile.
“Welcome to The Oasis,” the woman said. “My name is Ginger, and I’ll be taking care of you for the next two hours.”
“I’m getting pampered too,” he told her, pushing her toward Ginger. “Meet you in the mud room.”
“Mud?”
“Believe me, it helps with stress.”
Doubt filled her but she carried on, changing into the bikini that was left her for her.
When she emerged in the room Ginger led her to, Evren was already in a large tub of .
.. well, mud. The brown goo covered him all the way up to his shoulders, and his gaze did a slow pan from her head to her feet and back to her head.
Sexual heat darkened his eyes, and her body pulsed with an answering tug.
Holding onto the rail, she walked down the steps into the ooey-gooey bath.
Much to her surprise, it was warm and as soon as she settled in, mud squished into a lot of areas she never thought wet dirt would, or should, be.
At first, she wasn’t a fan of the texture, but after a moment, much to her surprise, the warmth of the mud seeped into her tense muscles and soothed them.
“Good, right?” Evren asked.
“Surprisingly, yes,” she admitted.
“I book a day here at last once a month.” He closed his eyes and leaned his head back onto a cushion. “Jeremiah turned me onto this.”
“Your brother, the dragon?”
His eyes popped open wide and he started laughing. “Oh my God, I’d love to see his face if he heard that.”
“Shh, he already doesn’t like me, I don’t want to add any fuel to the fire.”
“He likes you,” he said.
“Uh, were you sitting at someone else’s table yesterday?”
“If Jeremiah didn’t like you, he’d have kicked you out. Literally. Just a swift foot to your ass right out the door.”
Lowen cocked her head, eyebrows raised. “How comforting I have something to look forward to.”
He chuckled. “I’m afraid he never learned gentlemanly behavior.”
“Too busy creating his empire?”
“He’s been driven his whole life, and raising five stepsiblings didn’t leave much room for softness.”
“You’re very lucky you had him in your corner.”
“I am,” he agreed. “I remember Aera giving him hell, acting out. Either drunk or stoned most of the time. Saxon had serial killer tendencies. And he tried hard to get Georgie and Cricket off the drugs, but you can’t help someone who doesn’t want help.
He eventually had to walk away, and I think that ate at him. Made him feel like a failure.”
“But he’s accomplished so much.”
“So much is never enough.” Evren shook his head, as if clearing his thoughts. “He’s gruff because he’s had responsibility riding on his shoulders when no kid should have to be a grown-up. Sometimes he doesn’t know how to word things, but he doesn’t hate you.”
She leaned back and closed her eyes. “As long as he doesn’t force me to go back to Scias, we’re all good.”
Conversation died as she relaxed into the briny mud. She never thought soaking in a tub of goo would be soothing, but here she was, living the life.
After the mud bath, Ginger helped her shower off and then handed her a long, white formless sheath to wear.
The thing had virgin sacrifice written all over it, but she put it on and entered another room where two massage beds were placed next to each other.
Soft, relaxing music filled the room. A woman helped her remove her dress and lay face-down on the bed.
Lowen positioned her face in the round circle which allowed her to breathe, and a warm blanket was draped over her body.
Although she couldn’t see him, Evren joined her on the next bed, and her mind went right to the fact that he was just as naked as she was.
Then all thoughts were wiped away when the lights dimmed and oiled hands began to knead her muscles.
All her tension drained away under the expertise of the masseuse, leaving her to float in the relaxed void of nothingness.
No thoughts. No fears. She turned into one big pile of goo.
After the massage, large, warm stones were placed along her spine.
It wasn’t long until she dozed, lulled to sleep by the ambient mood.
It could’ve been minutes or hours, but eventually she was brought back to awareness when the stones were removed.
She was helped to sit up, only noticing then that Evren was gone.
She slipped back into the shapeless dress so she could return to the women’s room, where she took it off and stepped into the Roman bath.
What a vastly different life compared to her old one.
Eventually, there would be a time when shadows didn’t make her flinch.
When hearing a man’s raised voice didn’t send her tumbling into a panic attack. One day, but not today.
Lowen slathered on moisturizer before dressing, and when she entered the lobby, Ginger and Evren waited. The kind woman handed her a bag.
“This is a little something to help you remember to pamper yourself whenever you need to.”
“Thank you,” Lowen said, moved. She’d never gotten a present before, not on her birthday or Christmas. Her father always thought holidays were a waste of money.
They said their goodbyes and then Evren led her back to the hidden hallway.
****
L ater that night, Lowen stood in the private viewing box, watching some band on the stage below. Apparently, they were an up-and-coming group, and she had to admit she liked their music. It also didn’t hurt that they were some of the most gorgeous men she’d ever seen.
After, she and Evren returned to his apartment and the music still buzzed through her head. It had been one of the best days of her life ... in both her lives.
“Good night, Lowen,” he said.
She looked up at him, and for a moment, she thought he would kiss her.
Did she want his kiss? Absolutely. Did he want to kiss her?
She had no clue. What did he think of her?
Did he think she was crazy? Truthful? Worth it?
Sexy? Did she want him to think she was sexy?
Her gaze landed on his lips and she waited, breath hitching in her chest as anticipation caused her heart to speed up.
What was wrong with her? She hated sex. Didn’t she?
Or did she just hate Scias? Well, she definitely hated Scias, but surely the romance books couldn’t be wrong.
Right? God, she was so confused. Trying to scrub the riotous thoughts from her head, she focused on Evren.
His beautiful eyes. His sensual mouth. The kindness in his gaze.
Men could be cold, hateful. They used their strength against the weak to abuse.
Torture. Dole out punishment even when it wasn’t needed.
She had no doubt Evren Genier could do the same, be just as brutal and hateful as Scias, but there was one difference.
He looked at her with tenderness, like she was spun glass.
Fragile. Something to treasure and hold carefully in the palm of his hand.
And then...
He pulled back.
Disappointment flooded her, but maybe it was the right thing to do. At least, for now.
“See you in the morning.”
“Good night,” she murmured. She went to her bedroom and shut the door.