He was a little like the large, gorgeous Labrador retriever she'd had as a child. Except she had never dreamed about sharing Duke's wet kisses, much less taking on his friends.
She had to stop thinking that way, but Landon made that difficult when he stood so near and the night fell softly all around her. She'd snuck away to escape the crowd, but she was surprised at just how much she liked being out here alone with Lan. "Did Tal make you wear that tux?"
Even in the deep gloom, she saw his telling flush. Maybe Lan's down-to-earth nature was what made her feel so comfortable. He was obviously uneasy with the wealth around him. Ever since she'd returned to Bezakistan and the palace, she had felt the same way. She'd seen real suffering in the real world, and sometimes this opulence chafed.
"I don't know why I have to wear this monkey suit. It was made for me, but it still feels too tight," Lan said with a bit of a Texas drawl.
She couldn't help herself. He was far too endearing to ignore. Months and months of trying had just proven she wasn't capable.
Alea closed the space between them. "The suit fits you perfectly, but the tie is too tight."
He looked up, his eyes flaring briefly as she neared. "I'm not much good with clothes like this. I have to admit, I liked the uniforms in the Army better. Uncle Sam's dress code made it easy."
And she'd bet he'd looked good. Of course, he looked devastatingly handsome in a tux, too.
Dangerous train of thought. Stop now. After hesitating for an instant, she forced herself to buck up and do what she'd crossed the room to accomplish.
"May I?" she asked before reaching for his tie.
Lan nodded, and she quickly undid the black scrap of silk. The Armani tuxedo had been perfectly fitted, but she knew very well that his normal wardrobe choices ran more toward sweat pants and loose fitting T-shirts. It was a crime against women everywhere that the man didn't just walk around shirtless.
Don't go there, Alea. He can't handle your damage. None of them can. And you can't handle them.
Her inner voice was way more practical than she was, but it was also right. Landon Nix was a gorgeous god of a man who wouldn't look at her twice if her cousins weren't paying him to. None of them would. She'd seen a picture of Dane's ex-wife once. She'd been blonde and stacked and gorgeous. She wasn't sure why they'd divorced, but it couldn't have had anything to do with a lack of desire. Any heterosexual man would want that woman.
No one would want Alea if she wasn't tied to the fabulously wealthy, royal al Mussads.
Landon didn't move a muscle as she knotted his tie again, this time much looser. No wonder he'd been uncomfortable. He'd practically strangled himself. She smoothed down the lapels of his jacket, feeling his hard chest beneath. He was so close and he smelled incredible. The heat of his skin penetrated her senses. His gorgeously sculpted lips lingered just above her own. His eyes, which had always seemed so cold, were now a warm blue and focused intently on her. A flash of heat passed through her body.
If he knew what she was thinking, she would undoubtedly make a complete fool of herself because he was her cousins' employee.
Quickly, Alea retreated, needing some distance between them. "There you go. That should be more comfortable."
He nodded, clearing his throat. "Yeah. Thanks. It is. You're really good with that. I mean with men's clothes." His eyes closed briefly. "I didn't mean it like that. And you were putting them on, not taking them off. God, I'm just going to shut up now."
This was another reason she felt more comfortable with Lan. Looks aside, he wasn't anywhere near perfect. In fact, he could be a charmingly inept conversationalist. "It's okay. I only know how to tie a bowtie because Kadir was so bad at it. When Rafiq would try to help him, they would get into fistfights. When I was a girl, they broke my Barbie house. To avoid future disasters, I took care of their ties from that point on."
Right up until they had married Piper, and she'd taken over the duty. Tal, Rafe, and Kade were now happy men.
Alea was still alone. And standing too near Landon wasn't helping. She crossed back to the stone railing and tried to find some peace. This was one of the few places she felt even a vague connection to her life before her abduction. When it was very quiet, she could almost hear her younger self running among the trees, her head thrown back in laughter.
Why had she ever left this place? Why did she feel like she didn't belong here anymore?
Why could she not focus on anything but Landon right now? "Is there any way you could wait inside, even for five minutes?"