Read Online Under the Same Sun (Stone Trilogy) by Mariam Kobras - Free Book Online
Authors: Mariam Kobras
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it in the stiffness of her stance.
Her hair smelled nice, like lavender and roses. It was in a pile at the back of her head. The mass of curls was right under his chin, tantalizing, inviting him to sink his hands into it, her body close enough for him to feel her warmth.
“That’s a lovely dress. My favorite color on you, rose.” He pointed at the one they were unpacking just then.
“I know.” She shifted as if to shake him off.
“Did you think of me when you bought it? Did you buy it because you knew I’d love to see you in this?” He could feel the bones in her shoulders move under his hands, fine, fragile like a bird’s.
“Yes. No.” With a sigh she signaled the valets to leave, which they did, closing the doors softly behind them.
Naomi moved away from him to hang up the last two shirts herself.
“I’m sorry,” Jon said, “I really am. Baby, look at me. I’m just so scared. After what happened I want to make sure you’re really safe, and being on tour we’re exposed all the time; there are so many possibilities for someone to hurt you.”
“I’m sorry too.” Said so softly that at first, he thought he hadn’t heard right.
“I’m sorry I ran off again, Jon. I don’t know what makes me do that; it’s an impulse, a crazy urge to be free, and I don’t even know of what. Everything I want is right here, right in front of me.” She returned to him and laid her arms around his neck.
“This tour was a stupid idea.” It took him a moment to return the embrace. “It’s too early for you, the stress is insane, and we have only just started. We should have canceled the whole bloody thing and retired to Halmar, where you could heal in peace and regain your strength.”
For a moment she was tempted to agree, but then she replied, “No. No, Jon, we can’t do that. We need to step forward. I need to step forward. This is our life now, this here, you…” Her words trailed off into an exhausted silence.
“You know what?” Jon knew exactly what to do. “I think you need to lie down and sleep some more. All this stepping forward stuff is well and good, but it will be so much easier if you’re rested and not jet-lagged and tired. I promise, I’ll wake you for tea.”
She complained some more, mumbled how she wanted to go out for lunch later and enjoy the sunshine on the Embankment, take a walk down Regent Street and watch the bustle on Oxford for a while, but she did as he suggested.
Jon watched how she peeled off the skirt and blouse and kicked off her shoes, how she pulled the clips out of her hair and then curled up under the blanket, her eyes closing while she was still muttering about the things she would miss. Carefully he closed the curtains until only a small sliver of light remained, an arrow pointing toward her like an invitation, and left her to sleep.
chapter 6
I t wasn’t what Parker had hoped for.
In the more imaginative of his dreams he had envisioned a small table in the corner of a quiet restaurant, a niche where he could stare all he wanted and talk to her in private, dropping the pretense of a newspaper interview, just the two of them, alone.
Walking into the hotel’s lobby now though, he realized it had really only been that, a dream, and there was no way for him to make it a reality.
Sal Rosenberg was there to welcome him and lead him to the breakfast room with the beautiful view of the garden.
On the phone, when he had called to ask for the meeting, Parker had been taken aback at how easily it was agreed to. He had been expecting obstacles: requests for credentials, at the worst a security check, but no; Jon Stone’s wife had expressed the wish to talk to him, and all those important, powerful people around her bowed to her demands.
Of course they wouldn’t let her off their publicity leash, that much became clear as soon as he followed Sal out onto the terrace.
She was there, it was true, and so lovely the sight shook his heart, but an entire posse of men
Her hair smelled nice, like lavender and roses. It was in a pile at the back of her head. The mass of curls was right under his chin, tantalizing, inviting him to sink his hands into it, her body close enough for him to feel her warmth.
“That’s a lovely dress. My favorite color on you, rose.” He pointed at the one they were unpacking just then.
“I know.” She shifted as if to shake him off.
“Did you think of me when you bought it? Did you buy it because you knew I’d love to see you in this?” He could feel the bones in her shoulders move under his hands, fine, fragile like a bird’s.
“Yes. No.” With a sigh she signaled the valets to leave, which they did, closing the doors softly behind them.
Naomi moved away from him to hang up the last two shirts herself.
“I’m sorry,” Jon said, “I really am. Baby, look at me. I’m just so scared. After what happened I want to make sure you’re really safe, and being on tour we’re exposed all the time; there are so many possibilities for someone to hurt you.”
“I’m sorry too.” Said so softly that at first, he thought he hadn’t heard right.
“I’m sorry I ran off again, Jon. I don’t know what makes me do that; it’s an impulse, a crazy urge to be free, and I don’t even know of what. Everything I want is right here, right in front of me.” She returned to him and laid her arms around his neck.
“This tour was a stupid idea.” It took him a moment to return the embrace. “It’s too early for you, the stress is insane, and we have only just started. We should have canceled the whole bloody thing and retired to Halmar, where you could heal in peace and regain your strength.”
For a moment she was tempted to agree, but then she replied, “No. No, Jon, we can’t do that. We need to step forward. I need to step forward. This is our life now, this here, you…” Her words trailed off into an exhausted silence.
“You know what?” Jon knew exactly what to do. “I think you need to lie down and sleep some more. All this stepping forward stuff is well and good, but it will be so much easier if you’re rested and not jet-lagged and tired. I promise, I’ll wake you for tea.”
She complained some more, mumbled how she wanted to go out for lunch later and enjoy the sunshine on the Embankment, take a walk down Regent Street and watch the bustle on Oxford for a while, but she did as he suggested.
Jon watched how she peeled off the skirt and blouse and kicked off her shoes, how she pulled the clips out of her hair and then curled up under the blanket, her eyes closing while she was still muttering about the things she would miss. Carefully he closed the curtains until only a small sliver of light remained, an arrow pointing toward her like an invitation, and left her to sleep.
chapter 6
I t wasn’t what Parker had hoped for.
In the more imaginative of his dreams he had envisioned a small table in the corner of a quiet restaurant, a niche where he could stare all he wanted and talk to her in private, dropping the pretense of a newspaper interview, just the two of them, alone.
Walking into the hotel’s lobby now though, he realized it had really only been that, a dream, and there was no way for him to make it a reality.
Sal Rosenberg was there to welcome him and lead him to the breakfast room with the beautiful view of the garden.
On the phone, when he had called to ask for the meeting, Parker had been taken aback at how easily it was agreed to. He had been expecting obstacles: requests for credentials, at the worst a security check, but no; Jon Stone’s wife had expressed the wish to talk to him, and all those important, powerful people around her bowed to her demands.
Of course they wouldn’t let her off their publicity leash, that much became clear as soon as he followed Sal out onto the terrace.
She was there, it was true, and so lovely the sight shook his heart, but an entire posse of men
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