Magical Dawn











MAGICAL DAWN



By



Elizabeth Batten-Carew









© copyright March 2006, Elizabeth Batten-Carew

Cover art by Dan Skinner, © copyright March 2006

ISBN 1-58608-856-4

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com









This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are
of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance
to living persons or events is merely coincidence.










To my two sons,

Matthew and Jason,

who have brought

a special magic to my
life.












Dear
Reader,



When
I was a child I loved the Arabian Nights fairy tales and would read them again
and again, especially Aladdin and his lamp. I used to dream of finding a lamp
and having my own genie. When the “I Dream of Jeannie” TV series began, I was
thrilled. I watched it every week, then later in reruns.



Magical
Dawn, my personal, updated take on genie stories was actually one of the first
romance books I ever wrote. I sent it to Harlequin with high hopes. Although
the editor liked my writing, she’d recently published a genie story and didn’t
want another so soon. I tried other publishers and finally gave up. The New
York market wasn’t interested in fantasy romance. That was ten years ago.



I
hadn’t considered Magical Dawn for New Concepts Publishing (NCP) because I
currently write steamier romances for them, so I didn’t think they’d be
interested.



This
past summer Romance Junkies (RJ) had a contest where they posted first chapters
submitted by authors, and readers would vote on them. I had lots of people
write to me (through RJ) saying they’d love to read the story. I nearly fell
over when I received an email from a publisher asking me to submit it to them
for publication. In fact, it was my editor at NCP and, since RJ had asked
published authors to post under a different name, she didn’t even know it was
me!



Andrea
and I had a laugh over that. I did submit it to her and now, here it is! I
hope you enjoy Dawn and Luke’s story. I think it’s pure magic!



Best,



Elizabeth
Batten-Carew












Chapter 1



Luke
Jacobs tugged at the stopper of the ancient brass bottle, but it wouldn’t
budge. Perched on the edge of the couch, he pulled and twisted, to no avail.
Frustrated, but not defeated, he clamped the bottle between his knees and
yanked as hard as he could. With a satisfactory pop, the stopper jerked free.

Victorious,
he smiled and peered into the opening. A few tendrils of green smoke curled up
out of the bottle like unsteady fingers testing the air in the room.

“What
the hell?” Startled, he plunked the bottle down on the coffee table and dropped
backwards into the plush fabric of the couch. He watched as the smoke flickered
one way and then the other, rising slowly, tentatively upwards. More smoky
plumes followed until a tall, narrow cloud hung over the bottle, then moved en
masse to the floor and hovered there momentarily.

The
wispy mass compressed into a tight plume, then coalesced into a discernible
shape, a shape that captured his attention as no other could. Before him stood
the most exotic, breathtaking woman he had ever seen. He rubbed his eyes and
blinked several times, but she still stood there staring at him.

Dressed
in a harem costume.

She
stood quietly for a moment or two, as though assessing the situation, then
pressed her hands together as if in prayer and inclined her head forward.

“Thank
you for freeing me from the bottle.” Her words, spoken in a deep, melodious
alto, intrigued him. “I am most appreciative.”

Her
speech seemed a bit stilted, with a slightly foreign flavor. Thank you for
freeing me from the bottle? Was this some kind of joke?

Good
Lord, he’d had a few drinks at the company celebration this afternoon, but not
enough to conjure a hallucination like this.

Bemused,
Luke’s curious gaze followed the curves of her body. Her bodice, made of a dark
green velvet, was cut quite low, revealing the swell of her breasts. Though she
seemed quite composed, her breasts rose and fell slowly, as though she was
taking deep, calming breaths. He forced his lingering gaze onward, past her
bare midriff to her hips, encased in the same material as her top. A full skirt
of sheer fabric, in varying shades of green, billowed to the floor.

He
swung his gaze back to her face and focused on her eyes, which were a striking,
almost unnatural shade of emerald green.

“Who
are you?”

“My
name is Dawn. That is, of course, a translation into your language.”

“Of
course,” he answered, as if he understood what the heck she was talking about.
He didn’t know how the hell she’d done that trick with the smoke, but he
figured the best thing to do would be to go along with her until he found out
what she was up to. “How did you get in here? This is a secure building.”

“I
told you, I was in the bottle. When you carried it here, you brought me as
well.” She flicked her long, dark hair--captured into a ponytail which flowed
from a little velvet pill-box cap on the top of her head--back over her
shoulder.

“You’re
joking, right?” He smiled at her, wondering how she’d arranged to get into his
apartment and why. He would have to talk to security about this. Later.

“No,
I’m quite serious.” Her eyes glittered, as though angry that he would challenge
her claim.

“So,
you’re a genie and you’re going to grant me three wishes. Isn’t that the way it
goes?”

“Actually,
you are not limited to three. I am bound to stay with you and grant as many
wishes as you please.” She said the words as though she didn’t care, but he’d
conducted enough high-level negotiations in his business dealings in the
computer software industry to detect the slight strain in her voice. He ignored
that for now, more concerned with why she was here.

“Really?
How interesting.” He stood up and strolled around her, scrutinizing her from
every angle, his index finger tapping his lips as he considered the
possibilities. Someone had put her up to this hoax. The question was, who?

The
obvious answer, of course, was George, Luke’s best friend and partner.
Remembering how Grant, the foreman of the construction crew working on Luke’s
new corporate headquarters, had given him the bottle earlier today at the
ground-breaking ceremony, he realized it could easily have been a set up
orchestrated by George. He had been pushing Luke to start dating again for the
past three months--ever since Evelyn, Luke’s fiancée, had broken their
engagement.

But
Luke hadn’t wanted to date anyone else. He’d found himself comparing every
woman to Evelyn. The memory of their breakup still sent pain lancing through
his heart. Was it because he still loved her or because, as George insisted, he
simply couldn’t stand the thought of losing his dream of happily-ever-after?

Luke
mentally shrugged. George knew Luke better than anyone, but he had never liked
Evelyn, a fact that had disturbed Luke immensely. Not that George had ever said
anything against Evelyn or tried to convince Luke not to marry her. Luke had
just known.

Over
the past few months, George kept offering to introduce him to one woman or
another. He had turned him down each time. Seeing this lovely woman, he now
wondered if he’d been a fool. In fact, it surprised him that George hadn’t kept
her a secret, dating her himself. Luke didn’t think he would be so generous if
the situation was reversed.

She
stood very still under his scrutiny. He stopped circling and stood in front of
her. Suddenly, she exhaled sharply and blurted, “You don’t believe me, do you?”

He
laughed, trying to decide whether to go along with her or toss her out. Seeing
the flush of pink on her cheeks and the rapid rise and fall of her breasts as
she drew indignant breaths, he decided that he definitely would not throw her
out. This could be a lot of fun--and he hadn’t had fun in ages.

“Sure
I do. You’re a genie.”

She
pursed her lips. “Don’t lie to me.”

He
held his hands up as though to fend her off. “Hey, I’m willing to go along with
this. Don’t get huffy.”

She
planted her hands firmly on her hips, which had the effect of thrusting her
breasts forward. “This is serious. Don’t you understand that?”

He
put his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. “Of course, I
do. Relax.”

Once
his skin came into contact with hers, he realized that touching her had not
been the wisest move. Their gazes met and locked. He could feel his chest
expanding and contracting, each breath an effort. His hands slipped over the
silky skin of her shoulders and down her arms, pulling her closer. He could see
tiny grains of gold in the depths of her emerald eyes, like sparks of
electricity. Her pupils dilated as she gazed up at him, widening to swallow the
glittering green of her irises. Her skin pebbled under his fingers and he felt
her shiver.

He
released her and stepped back, breaking the spell.

During
that moment of indulgence, he had come dangerously close to kissing her. Shock
cascaded through him. At how easy it had been to forget Evelyn and his pain at
having lost her. At how easy it would have been to pull Dawn into his arms and
lose himself in her lush curves. At how easy it would be to forget himself
entirely.

He
realized he still wanted to kiss this woman, yet he knew nothing about her. In
fact, she had probably been paid to have a date with him.

A
sordid thought jolted into his brain. His eyes narrowed. “Are you a hooker?”

She
raised an eyebrow. “A hooker? What is that?”

He
smiled, despite himself. She really was into this genie role. “You know ... a
lady of the evening, a ... concubine?”

Her
eyes darkened, turning a beautiful shade of moss green with the golden sparks
blazing hotly in their depths. She drew her shoulders back and raised her chin
defiantly.

“I
am not a hooker!” she said regally, glaring at him.

Relief
washed through him and he couldn’t help smiling at her look of indignation. He
raised his hands in a loose shrug. “All right, just making sure. Tell me, what
is the point of your little visit? What wishes will you fulfill?”

Her
shoulders drooped a little as she answered. “Whatever you command.”

He
smiled again, confused but willing to play along. If she had been a hooker he
would have sent her on her way. Gazing at her beautiful face, at the gentle
curve of her cheek, and the fringe of black lashes, impossibly long, that flickered
across her eyes when she blinked, he decided there was no way she could be a
hooker. Despite her brave stance, somehow she looked vulnerable and--innocent.
But, of course, in this day and age that didn’t make any sense. A woman as
beautiful as this would not still be innocent, especially if she made a habit
of going around in a skimpy little outfit like this one. The mere sight of it
made his pulse pound.

“Look,
I know you don’t believe I am what I say I am, so why don’t you wish for
something to prove it?” she suggested.

Maybe
the drinks at the celebration party had affected him more than he thought,
because he found the desire to touch her almost irresistible.

“All
right. I wish you would kiss me,” he said, his mouth forming the words before
his mind could stop them.

What
the hell had come over him?

Curiosity,
he reasoned. He desperately wanted to know why this woman--above all
others--affected him this way. Surely she wouldn’t begrudge him one little
kiss. And if she did, she could simply refuse.

Her
eyes flashed wide, and she gasped, but immediately stepped toward him. Her
scent intoxicated him, a heady perfume of exotic wildflowers and spices. Her
face flushed a deep rose color as she brought her lips to his in a light kiss.
His arms slid around her automatically, and he pulled her body against his,
capturing her lips again. She struggled to push away from him.

“I
wish you’d be a little more co-operative,” he muttered. At his words, she
melted against him, her lips moving under his in such a sweet response that he
groaned and tightened his embrace.

When
he finally released her lips, she exhaled roughly. “Please, I don’t think you
understand what you’re doing.” She enunciated each word carefully, as she tried
to push some distance between them. “Wish for something that a mere mortal
woman couldn’t give you.”

He
found that suggestion particularly intriguing. “Exactly what do you have in
mind?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

She
wriggled a little in his arms, and he reluctantly released her from his
embrace. She scurried away, placing herself out of reach.

“I
mean like asking for something to appear out of thin air or to be transported
somewhere. Something that would prove to you that I have magical powers.”

“Oh,”
he said. “You are persistent with this story, aren’t you?” What did she want
from him? It would be easy to prove that she wasn’t a genie with the right
wishes, yet she seemed to want to challenge him. “I warn you, I love games, and
I play to win. I’m afraid I’ll wind up forcing you to admit that this is just a
setup.”

She
planted her hands on her hips. “No, you will not.”

He
admired her gumption. She looked ready to take on the world. He cracked his
knuckles and wiggled his fingers, dramatically preparing to meet her challenge.
“Okay, let’s see just how good you are at improvisation.” He rubbed his hands
together. “Now, then ... a wish ... a wish...” He stroked his chin as he
thought carefully. A question skittered into his mind. If he proved she was
not a genie, would her mission be over? Would she leave? He realized he didn’t
want this to end so soon.

“All
right. How about dinner?” he suggested.

This
was definitely the right approach. With this wish, she would cook a nice meal
they could linger over while he watched her in that incredible costume. He had
some microwaveable gourmet meals in the freezer and a fully-stocked wine
refrigerator so, if she was resourceful--and somehow he was sure she was--she
could pretend to whip something up in a few minutes.

“Whenever
you want something, you must state your wish. You can start with ‘I wish’ or ‘I
want,’ but you don’t have to, as long as you state clearly what it is you
want,” she explained.

“I
want dinner.”

“For
how many?”

“Oh,
just the two of us.” He smiled. “Now, why don’t I just go freshen up?” he
suggested, wanting to give her the opportunity to prepare the meal and make it
appear as though by magic, but as he turned around, a rich aroma teased his
nostrils. His gaze flew to the dining room table where a huge feast lay
waiting.

“I
don’t know what you like, and I’m not sure of your modern foods, so I hope my
selections please you.”

Stunned,
he approached the table and lifted lids off silver platters, amazed at the
variety of dishes before him. One platter was heaped with cubed lamb mixed with
a thick grain and a variety of vegetables. Another contained chicken with lemon
and orange slices, and yet another had large chunks of vegetables spiced with
some exotic herbs he couldn’t identify. Baskets of bread in various shapes and
sizes sat alongside a delicious-looking dessert of a light pastry that smelled
of cinnamon. His mouth watered at the delicate aromas.

How
had she done this? Summoning his common sense, he realized that a meal would be
a predictable part of a date. George would have anticipated it. How she’d
gotten it in here, he wasn’t sure, but then again, his back had been to the
dining room. George, or some other accomplice, might be hiding in the kitchen,
ready to help fulfill his ‘wishes.’ For a little while, anyway.

“It
looks great, Dawn.”

“Thank
you. I only wish to please you,” she said as she inclined her head.

“Really?”
Luke asked, raising his eyebrows.

She
backed away and added hastily, “I know you’re still not convinced. Please, try
another wish.”

“Okay.
I wish for a beautiful woman to share this meal with.” He turned back to the
table, expecting Dawn to sit with him, but as he pulled a chair out for her, a
sultry voice startled him. Turning, he saw a sexy woman in a slinky black dress
approach him. She had auburn hair, cropped short and wispy around her face, and
enormous, chocolate-brown eyes. Her seductive smile sent his blood pressure
skyrocketing.

What
was George up to? Two women? Had this one been hiding in the kitchen? Where had
George found two such incredibly beautiful women? He turned back to Dawn and
glared at her. This might be the nineties, but he wouldn’t have a date with two
women. George should know him better than that. Dawn watched him, her green
eyes cool and aloof.

“Dawn,
I only want one woman here, and I want it to be you.” He tried to keep the edge
of anger out of his voice. After all, she wasn’t responsible for George’s bad
judgment.

“As
you wish,” she replied.

Turning
to the other woman, he started to apologize, but she disappeared right before
his eyes. He blinked in confusion. She was simply there one second and gone the
next. Luke could feel the color drain from his face. He turned back to Dawn and
stared at her. Could she really be...?

No.
His logical mind rejected the thought. Then the answer came to him. Dawn must
be a magician. Or maybe George had hired an illusionist to help with this
little scam. Whatever the explanation, Luke was very impressed.

Dawn
joined him at the table as he had requested. Luke sampled the various dishes,
enjoying the meal immensely. Most of the selections he’d never tried before,
and he loved exotic foods. And exotic women, he thought, as he watched Dawn at
the other end of the table. Once they had eaten their fill, he guided Dawn to
the living room, handing her a glass of wine. He went to start a fire in the
fireplace.

“Let
me do that,” Dawn offered.

“All
right, go ahead,” he said, amused.

“You
must command it. I cannot perform magic of my own now that I am yours.”

“Oh,
right. I forgot.” She was a good actress, he thought. “Okay, make a fire for
us.” Suddenly, a nice fire blazed in the fireplace. She was a good magician,
too.

“Would
you like me to clean up the meal?”

“Can
you do that as quickly as you made it appear?”

“Of
course.”

“Okay,
go ahead. Clean up.” He waved vaguely at the table, pleased that he was getting
the hang of this little act. He sank onto the sofa, his wine glass in his hand
and waited. She continued to stand expectantly before him.

“What’s
the matter? Do you want me to help?”

“No,
it’s all done.”

He
swung his head around and saw that the dining room table had been completely
cleared. How the hell had she done that? He swallowed hard to ease his tightening
throat. He glanced back at her uncertainly.

“Uh,
come over here and sit down, Dawn.” Luke patted the sofa cushion beside him.
“Do you think we could get rid of whoever’s hiding in the kitchen?”

“There
is no one hiding,” she said as she sat beside him. “Look, I know you still
don’t believe me, but there’s no one helping me. These aren’t just illusions.”

He
heard the frustration in her voice--and something else. He watched as she wrung
her hands together and stared at him intently. He sensed she didn’t want to be
here. So why had she taken a job like this? Spending the evening in a strange
man’s apartment wasn’t the safest thing to do, especially in such a revealing
costume.

Was
she in need of money?

He
didn’t like the thought of her doing something potentially dangerous because of
money problems. Maybe he could find her a job at Jacobs Industries.

Good
Lord, he didn’t even know this woman and he was thinking about offering her a
job. What was it about her?

He
scrubbed his hand across his face. Or maybe, the problem was with him. Over the
past few weeks, the pressures of making preparations for the new building and
closing an important deal with a new software distributor had been weighing
heavily on him. Tonight those cares had slipped away.

And
for the first time since his breakup with Evelyn, he didn’t feel lonely.

All
because of Dawn.

Before
this was through, he would find out more about her. He did not want her doing
this sort of thing with other strange men.

“There
must be something you could wish for that would prove to you that I am a
genie,” Dawn said.

Her
persistence in trying to convince him spoke highly of her potential to do well
in his company. “Okay, what would you suggest?”

“Well,
I could transport you somewhere.”

“You
mean fly somewhere on a magic carpet?”

“A
what?”

“Never
mind.” Luke stared past her into the depths of the fire behind the brass
screen, sipping his wine.

“I
could make a huge chest of riches appear.”

Her
obsession to convince him she was a genie, although commendable, started to
stretch his patience. “That wouldn’t prove anything. It could be done in the
same way as the meal.”

“What
if I make something very large materialize in the room, something that could
not have been hidden in another room or even brought through a doorway?”

He
laid his wine glass on the coffee table. “You mean like an elephant or
something? No, thanks.”

Her
hands clenched at her sides, and she stared at him with large eyes filled with
distress. “I must find some way to convince you.”

She
appeared so anxious and vulnerable. Why was it so important to her to convince
him of this hoax? Had George promised her some kind of bonus if she succeeded
in convincing Luke of the impossible?

From
the look of her, she desperately wanted that extra cash. Just how much did she
need money? And why?

A
surge of protectiveness raced through him. Succumbing to an irresistible urge
to touch her again, he took her hands in his own. She quivered under his touch.

“Dawn,
do you need money?”

She
shook her head. “No, I have no need of such things.”

She
didn’t need money? But then, she might just be staying in character. He stared
at her face, but her gaze avoided his. On the other hand, maybe he’d been reading
her wrong all along, and she was simply uncomfortable around him.

“Dawn,
do I make you nervous?”

She
glanced up at him, hesitating before she spoke. “A little.”

He
released her hands, and she immediately crossed her arms over her chest as
though she were trying to hide herself. Luke got the distinct impression that
she would prefer to be wearing something other than this skimpy costume. If she
was so uncomfortable in the outfit, why in heaven’s name had she taken this
role?

“Dawn,
did you bring something else to change into?”

She
cast her gaze down again, shaking her head.

Could
it be that she was uncomfortable because her attire contrasted so sharply from
the dark grey suit he still wore after a day at the office? Pulling away from
her slightly, he said, “I know. Why don’t I change into something more
comfortable?”

She
glanced up at him. “Like what?”

“I
was thinking of my ... robe and slippers,” he offered. He had meant to say
jeans and a sweatshirt, but fantasies of sitting with this deliciously sexy
woman in front of the fire and slowly stripping off his robe and making love
with her--actually of her stripping off his robe and making love to him--had
forced his tongue around a different set of words than he’d intended.

The
drinks he’d had at the party, along with the wine at dinner, had loosened him
up more than he’d realized. This gorgeous woman affected him more than any
woman ever had. Even Evelyn. His gaze skimmed Dawn’s curves again. In fact, for
the first time since his breakup with his Evelyn, he started to think maybe it
was time to move on.

But
not with this woman. He sighed as she glanced at him nervously. Damn it, he
could tell she wasn’t the kind of woman to want a brief affair, despite her
choice of job. Why she had chosen to be here tonight, he didn’t know, but it
was clear she didn’t do this kind of thing often.

He
expected Dawn to politely set him straight as to the boundaries of this
evening, but she shocked him by saying, “Why not let me change you?”

“What?”
His eyes widened, and his pulse started to race at the thought. Maybe he was
wrong about her. Would the fantasy that had been stirring his hormones into a
swirling turmoil since he’d first seen this woman come true after all? She had
been so shocked at his suspicion that she might be a hooker, and yet, now she
made this outrageous suggestion.

He
couldn’t help testing the theory. “That ... could be fun. They’re in the
bedroom. I’ll go get them,” he said, as he started to get up.

“No,
you don’t have to. Just say ‘change me.’”

Thoughts
of her fingers skimming his chest as she undid the buttons down the front of
his shirt sent his breathing into an accelerated rate. He could imagine her
pushing his shirt from his shoulders, then her hand sliding down his chest to
his waist. His skin tingled in anticipation. Next, she would open his belt,
then slip the top button of his pants free. The thought of her fingers sliding
down the zipper of his fly caused his lower anatomy to swell, pressing
uncomfortably against the fabric of his suit pants.

“Change
me.” His words came out low and husky.

He
watched her expectantly, then realized with a start that something had changed.
The texture of fabric against his skin seemed different. The discomfort he’d
felt a moment ago had disappeared as though the barrier of cloth itself had
gone. Glancing down at himself, he saw that he now had on the robe and slippers
in question--and nothing, he realized, underneath.

He
could feel his face drain of color, and he stared at Dawn in utter amazement.
No one could remove and replace the clothes from his body without him being
aware of it.

There
was only one answer.

He
must be drunk!

Luke
promptly passed out.












Chapter 2



Dawn
watched the man sitting beside her slump back and, as he started to slide
sideways, she sprang out of the way. Standing in front of the couch, she stared
down in trepidation at the tall, sandy-haired man who’d studied her so
thoroughly all evening. She’d stood very still under that intense examination,
keeping her emotions carefully hidden, hoping she’d maintained a cool façade.

Why
had he fainted? She knew he’d had a few drinks, even before the dinner
wine--she could tell that from the intoxicating taste of his kisses--but he
hadn’t acted inebriated. He certainly hadn’t consumed enough liquor to make him
pass out. In fact, he had seemed quite sharp. So sharp she’d been afraid he’d
see past her defenses to the vulnerability she felt so acutely.

The
thought of his kisses reminded her of her reeling senses as he’d held her in
his arms. Her legs had felt weak, and she’d found herself leaning against him
for support. His male presence had enveloped her, the brisk scent of his
aftershave making her feel light-headed. She’d felt as though she would drown
in this man. Desperately, she’d sought a way to stop his advances, to make him
see that he shouldn’t do these things to her.

She
shook her head, allowing herself to relax a bit. After all the time she’d had to
anticipate this meeting, it hadn’t gone at all how she’d imagined.

Dawn
tipped her head to see his face straight on. She had to admit that she found
him attractive, if a bit brash. He had a handsome face, with angular lines that
had softened when he smiled. Arching eyebrows swept up from his straight,
classically sculpted nose. Long lashes fringed his closed eyelids which hid
eyes the color of the sea at dusk. The square line of his jaw, shadowed with a
light growth of whiskers, framed the curve of his full lips, providing a
sensuous contrast. The memory of those lips moving on hers sent quivers through
her. This man radiated a potent sexuality that made her extremely nervous--and
breathless.

She
had to be very careful around him. Clearly, his mores differed radically from
her own. Not used to being touched by a man, let alone kissed, she felt he had
taken far too many liberties. Where she came from, such behavior would be
unthinkable. He’d actually asked if she was a concubine. And hadn’t thought she’d
be insulted!

She
sighed. Glancing at his face again, peaceful in sleep, she wished she could
move him into his bed, but he appeared far too heavy to move on her own. Still,
there must be something she could do to make him more comfortable. She didn’t
want him waking up with a backache and a foul temper.

Glancing
around the room, she spotted a couple of closed doors. She walked to the
farthest on the left and found a large desk and bookshelves inside the room.
The next door revealed a bedroom and she went inside and pulled a pillow off
the bed and a quilt from the closet. Returning to the couch, she lifted his
head and tucked the pillow underneath, then draped the quilt over him.

Tucking
it in, she thought about how frustrating it had been trying to convince him she
was a genie. This was a very skeptical time and, with all the wonderful
technology around, it seemed particularly difficult to prove magic existed.
Maybe he would come around in the morning. She hoped so. It was imperative that
she make him believe.

She
glanced down at the skimpy costume she wore. This certainly didn’t help her
state of mind. She’d been horrified when she’d been forced to wear it.

The
sound of him rolling over startled her. Glancing at his sprawled form, she
noticed the quilt had slipped off his shoulders, so she pulled it back up. A
curl lay across his forehead, and she stroked it back, then found herself
twirling the lock around her finger. She smiled, pulling her finger free, and
stroked his hair flat. His face reflected strength, she decided, but also
hinted at compassion. When he’d held her in his arms, anxiety had eroded the
edges of her composure, but she hadn’t felt threatened. Exactly. Except for her
peace of mind.

Don’t
let that fool you. He’s a man. Just like Amar. Just like her father. He’ll
worry about himself first and foremost. And he’ll take what he wants from you,
whether you want to give it or not.

The
only man who had ever really loved her, who had ever really cared about her,
was Sky. But he was lost to her now.

She
dragged the back of her hand across her teary eyes, blinking them back into
focus, and stared at the man lying on the couch. She wanted to direct her anger
at him, to vent her frustration at how she’d been treated by the men in her
life, at how her future had been forced into the groove of another’s choice,
but that would be a dangerous thing to do. Her situation was far too
precarious.

What
kind of man was he? Her heart fluttered at the thought of what he might demand
of her. He had already forced her to kiss him. How long would it be before he
would demand her in his bed? If she had a choice, she’d leave here right now.
Staying in the same domicile as this man meant trouble.

But
she didn’t have a choice. In fact, she had very few choices about anything
right now.

Running
her hands up and down her arms to chase away the goose bumps, she decided she
would find a way to cope--as always. This challenge would prove no greater than
any she’d faced in the past. The key lay in finding a way to keep him at a
distance.

Turning
away from his sleeping form, she scanned her surroundings. It was clear he
wasn’t just a common man. Expensive furniture filled his large, plush-carpeted
living space. He’d chosen neutral colors for his décor--a grey background with
black-stained wooden furniture and a charcoal velvet couch. The effect would
have been severe if it hadn’t been for the brilliant splashes of color used in
the accessories. Royal-blue, amethyst, and jade-green throw cushions decorated
the two armchairs, the love seat and the couch he lay sleeping on, though he’d
knocked two of them to the floor.

She
leaned forward to pick them up just as he mumbled something unintelligible and
flung his arm over the edge of the couch. She did a quick sidestep, hitting her
shin on the coffee table, jarring it. Her glass tipped, but she snatched it up
in time to prevent wine from splashing onto the carpet. Other items toppled,
and a couple of things fell to the floor, including his empty glass. Luckily,
it didn’t break, cushioned by the soft carpeting. Her gaze flew to the man
still sleeping on the couch. He lay quietly, oblivious to the racket she’d
caused.

She
dropped to her knees and peered under the table. Picking up his glass, she
scanned the floor for other items and found herself staring at the brass
bottle. Reaching for it, she plunked down onto her bottom and sighed. Her
fingers curled around the cold, uncompromising metal. Things could be worse.
She could be married to Amar. The thought sent shudders through her.

She
carried the bottle to the mantel and set it down, then tidied up the table.
There seemed little else to do, and she needed to occupy her
mind--desperately--so she wandered off to the room with the bookshelves and
selected a couple of volumes that caught her eye--one about a new view of
scientific theory, the other a history of the past decade. Too wound up to
sleep, she curled up in a big, leather armchair and spent the night reading.

When
the sun rose, light shimmered through the blinds, forming narrow stripes on the
wall. She closed her book, then stretched and yawned, luxuriating in the
abundance of space around her. The dark hours of night had slipped by as
quickly as the words under her ravenous gaze, and with the sunrise came the
promise of a new start. A new life.

Thoughts
of how little control she had over her life clouded the optimism she clung to
so fiercely. Pushing them aside, she reminded herself that, although no man
could be trusted--except Sky--at least the one who had opened the brass bottle
seemed more pleasant than most.

Hunger
curled through her stomach. She hopped up and wandered into the kitchen to
search for something to make for breakfast.

The
cupboards revealed containers of various shapes and sizes, dishes, pots and
pans. As she pulled open the refrigerator, the kitchen door swung open and a
screech pierced the air. Dawn jumped and swung around to face an older woman
who was giving her a fierce stare.

“Well,
I never!” the older woman huffed.

Dawn
stared back, wide-eyed, and waited.

“Have
you nothin’ to say for yerself? The very idea ... traipsing around in that wee
bit o’ cloth. The very idea!” She scowled at Dawn.

“It’s
all right, Mrs. Stuart.”

The
scream had woken Luke and, bleary-eyed, he had rushed into the kitchen to see
what was going on. He glanced at the woman in the skimpy genie costume. So, she
wasn’t a dream after all. Well, some of what his foggy brain remembered must
have been a dream, but how much? Dragging his hand through his hair, he decided
he’d have to try and sort that out after a cup of coffee. Right now he had a
housekeeper to calm down.

How
in heavens name would he explain that outfit? His gaze caught on the stack of
invitations beside the refrigerator. “She was just ... showing me the costume
she plans to wear to my annual masquerade party next week.” It had never been a
masquerade before, but what the heck? He glanced at her costume and said, “It’s
very nice.” More than nice. His heart had already started pumping faster just
seeing her in it. He could watch her in that sexy ensemble all day. He glanced
back at the older woman. “And why don’t you take the day off, Mrs. Stuart? The
place is in pretty good shape and...” He glanced back at his beautiful visitor.
What was her name again? Dawn. That was it. “Dawn and I will make our own
breakfast.”

“Of
course, Mr. Jacobs. Whatever ye say.” She glared at Dawn one more time before
stalking out of the room. “I’ll be back first thing tomorra, then, but only for
an hour, it bein’ Sunday. Even if there’s extra work, I can no’ stay longer,”
she said briskly. “Have a good day,” she added, but didn’t sound like she meant
it.

Once
the door closed behind Mrs. Stuart, Dawn turned to him. “Thank you,” she said.
“I’m sorry my being here upset her.”

“Well,
she’s not used to seeing women here so ... unusually dressed ... and I’m sure
she thought the worst. Don’t worry about it.” He glanced around the kitchen,
searching for some coffee.

“Is
there anything I can get for you, Mr. Jacobs?”

He
blinked at her. “Why are you being so formal?”

“What
do you mean, formal?”

“I
mean the Mr. Jacobs bit.”

She
stood a couple feet from him, leaning back against the kitchen counter, looking
incredibly sexy in her harem outfit. Hazy memories of her stripping off that
costume, piece by piece, followed by passion-filled moments with her arching
beneath him, crying out in ecstasy, forced his pulse to a faster rhythm. Or had
that been a dream?

“Surely
after last night you should call me Luke,” he murmured, his voice a husky
whisper. He stepped forward to take her in his arms, but she ducked out of the
way.

“After
last night?” she asked, looking confused and a little nervous. “I don’t know
what you mean, but ... if you want me to call you Luke, I will. You didn’t tell
me your name yesterday.”

Of
course he hadn’t told her his name. He’d thought she’d known it. Hmm. From the
uneasiness of her manner, their lovemaking must have been a dream. That left
the question in his mind as to how much of last night had been real.

He
needed some coffee. That would clear his head a little. He didn’t see any and
he couldn’t detect the rich aroma of his usual Colombian brew, so he opened the
cupboard and pulled out a box of filters and a can of coffee.

She
stepped beside him. Awareness jolted through him at her nearness. He wanted to
slide his hands across her silky shoulders, then around her bare midriff. He
wanted to pull her into his arms and feel her breasts pressed against his
chest.

“Can
I do something for you?” she asked.

He
sucked in a deep breath and stifled the answer that tripped to the end of his
tongue. He shook his head as he concentrated on separating the coffee filters.
Two seconds later, he gave up. His body was not functioning in the most
efficient manner. She, on the other hand, seemed in good shape. His gaze
followed the line of her bodice. Very good shape, indeed.

“Uh,
actually ... Would you please make some coffee?”

“Of
course,” she answered and handed him a full mug.

He
eyed it warily. Where had it come from? He took a sip and felt the fog around
his brain begin to lift.

“So,
if my memory is to be trusted,” which he was starting to doubt, “you came in
here last night telling me that you’re a genie and that you’ll grant me wishes,
right?”

“That’s
right. You still don’t believe it, though, do you?” The tone of her voice and
the downward turn of her mouth told him she was disappointed.

“Hmm.”
He sipped some more coffee without answering.

“Would
you like me to make you some breakfast?”

“Sure.”

She
hesitated for a moment, waiting for something. “You have to ask for it,
remember. I’m not sure how to cook with your modern gadgets.” She glanced around
the kitchen helplessly.

“Oh,
right. Would you make bacon and eggs for us, please?” He wasn’t in a mood to
nit-pick this morning. She held up a plate with his breakfast on it. “What
about you?” he asked, trying to take her tricks in stride. She held up another
plate full of food. He didn’t know how she was doing it, but he didn’t question
it. He couldn’t help wondering why, however, with a talent like hers, she
couldn’t find a better job than entertaining lonely bachelors. “I’d like some
toast, too ... with strawberry jam.” He glanced at her expectantly.

“It’s
on the dining room table,” she said cheerfully and pushed through the swinging
door with the plates still in her hands, her ponytail waving jauntily behind
her.

He
followed along after her and, sure enough, there stood a plate of toast and a
jar of jam on the table.

They
sat down and ate in silence. Once his stomach was full, Luke felt much better.
He watched Dawn clean up the eggs on her plate, using a piece of toast to soak
up the bright yellow yoke.

She
claimed to be a genie. Her marvelous illusions, combined with the fact that he
hadn’t been totally sober, had very nearly convinced him she told the truth
last night. He shook his head as he thought of that last trick, though, where
she’d changed the clothes on his body. He didn’t believe any illusionist was
that good. Funny, he didn’t feel all that hung over this morning, and he really
hadn’t had that many drinks yesterday--just enough to make him very ....
relaxed. He shouldn’t have had hallucinations.

Watching
Dawn sip her coffee, Luke realized that she’d soon tire of trying to convince
him and this little charade would come to an end. He’d like to get to know her
better. When he thought about how forward he’d been last night, he was surprised
he hadn’t scared her off. Yet here she sat.

She
seemed like a nice girl. Despite some of the doubts that had crossed his mind
last night, Luke was certain George had hired her simply to have dinner with
him and provide some light entertainment ... sort of like a singing telegram
that went on all evening ... or like one of those murder mystery nights that
were so popular. This act was a little more personal, that’s all ....
one-on-one.

Why
she’d stayed until this morning, he wasn’t sure. Maybe she’d been worried about
him when he’d passed out and wanted to make sure he was okay. No matter what,
she’d be leaving very soon.

With
the way this woman made him feel and how easily she made him forget his pain
over losing Evelyn, he knew he couldn’t just let her disappear from his life.
But, if he wanted a chance to see her again, he’d better find out a little more
about her.

“So
.... are you an actress?”

Dawn
sighed and put down her knife and fork. “No, I’m not an actress. I’m a genie.”
She looked at him, her emerald eyes imploring. “Please believe me.”

“Dawn,
you’re a very good actress and an excellent magician, you really are, but you
can’t honestly expect me to believe you’re a genie. Did George offer you some
kind of bonus if you made me believe you? Look, he knows I’d never fall for it,
so if he did offer you extra money--”

She
shook her head. “No, Luke. I don’t even know this George you keep talking
about.” Her hands, lying on the table in front of her, clenched into fists.
“There must be some way to convince you. I almost thought you believed me last
night when I changed your clothes, but then you fainted.”

“I
didn’t faint, I ... passed out,” he said indignantly.

“Yes,
well ... I know you’d had some alcohol, so you thought that your mind was
playing tricks on you. I had hoped that this morning, with a clearer head,
you’d believe me.”

“Dawn,
I want to apologize for the way I behaved last night. I was out of line with
the way I came on to you.”

“Came on to me?” She looked confused, as though she didn’t
understand the expression.

“Yes,
you know. When I kissed you ... It’s just that ... I mean it’s no excuse,
but...” He thumped his fist on the table. “Oh, damn. I broke up with my fiancée
about three months ago, and I’ve been a bit ... lonely. When you showed up in
that gorgeous, sexy costume ... well ... I went a bit overboard.”

She
stared at him, and he couldn’t quite read the intense expression in her eyes.

“Do
you think you’ll go overboard again?” She said the last words stiffly, as
though the expression was unfamiliar to her.

“What
do you mean?”

“I
mean ... now that I belong to you...” She glanced down at her folded hands.

“Belong
to me?”

“Yes,
you know, because I’m--”

“Right,”
he interrupted. “Because you’re my genie, and you must do everything I say. So
that means that you ‘belong to’ me? Does that mean you must do everything I
tell you, even if it doesn’t involve magic?”

“Yes.”
She glanced at him warily, clearly wondering if his mind was following some
devious path.

He
was getting tired of this game. “Dawn, this is getting silly. Clearly you’re
not comfortable with this role. You must need money pretty badly to be doing
it. I’d like to help you out, but I need you to drop this act of yours.”

“It’s
not an act, I--”

“Dawn,
I want you to tell me that you’re not really a genie.”

“I’m
not really a genie.”

“Finally,”
Luke sighed in relief.

“But
I am.”

“What?”

“Luke,
you ordered me to say I’m not a genie, so I said it. But that doesn’t make it
true.”

He
stared at her speculatively. There must be some way to force her to admit
defeat. The only way he could think of would be to wish for something she would
refuse to do. He remembered her indignation at his question about her being a
hooker, and that gave him an idea. She would probably be equally indignant at
the idea of being a stripper.

“All
right, I’m going to force you to admit you aren’t a genie.”

“And
how are you going to do that?” she asked, the delicate line of her eyebrows
lowering in consternation.

“By
telling you to take off your harem outfit.” That should do it. From what little
he know of her, she would definitely refuse his demand, and then she couldn’t
claim to be willing to grant his every wish.

She
sat in silence for a few moments, then asked hesitantly, “And what would you
like me to put on instead?”

“Nothing.”

“What?”
She jumped to her feet, obviously horrified.

His
plan was working. She looked ready to tell him off, but good. He stood up
nonchalantly and pushed in his chair. “You heard me. Either admit you aren’t a
genie, or take it off.” He watched her stare at him with wide, green eyes.
Instead of screaming at him, she held herself very rigid, and a thick silence
settled between them. She had her temper under control, so she must be trying
to think of a way to get out of this gracefully. He was tempted to withdraw the
command, but then they’d be trapped in the genie act again.

Her
lower lip started to tremble and, to his surprise, her fingers moved to the top
button at the front of her bodice. Good Lord, the woman was tenacious.
Obviously, she intended him to back down.

No
way. He’d passed control to her, and it was up to her to decide how far to go
to save her genie act.

She
undid two of the five gold buttons, her face lined in uncertainty. His pulse
skipped to a faster beat as more of the creamy swell of her bosom became
visible. Her fingers fumbled over the velvet opening, her eyes glittering as
though she were close to tears. She threw a quick glance in his direction, then
averted her eyes again when she saw where he was looking. He forced himself to
shift his gaze to her face.

He
couldn’t believe she’d gone this far. Her fingers hovered over the third button
and he felt his breath lock in his lungs. Surely she wouldn’t continue. Another
moment passed, and then she lifted her hands to her head. She seemed to
remember there were other pieces to her costume. He released the pent-up air
from his lungs. Slowly, she tugged off the hat and veil, loosening some
hairpins in the process. Then she slipped off her soft, leather shoes, pushing
them aside with her feet. The small golden slippers lay on the floor, one on
its side and the other upright, reflecting the sunlight streaming in the
window. She fixed her gaze on them as she continued her task.

Her
face turned scarlet as he watched, fascinated. Once she’d finished pulling off
all the peripheral pieces of her costume, she returned to the buttons again.
When she’d finished with those, she continued to hold the small top together
and stare at him pleadingly.

Why
did he feel so guilty? She could stop this charade at any time. All she had to
do was admit she wasn’t a genie. Why was she so persistent? At his continued
silence, she blinked rapidly a couple of times and slowly turned away. To his
complete surprise, her top slipped off her shoulders and dropped to the floor.
She stood motionless for a few moments, her slender, naked back to him, her
tail of black hair hanging down one side, a stark contrast to her creamy skin.

“Dawn?”
He saw tremors shake her delicate frame. Damn it, why was she doing this? All
she had to do was admit her deception. It wasn’t like she had lied to him in
any serious way. This was all supposed to be in fun.

But
suddenly the fun had gone.

He
really had believed she’d give up her role rather than go through with this.
Just how desperate was she for money? He approached her and put his hands on
her shoulders to try and calm her, but as soon as he touched her silky skin he
knew he’d made a mistake. He could feel the silent sobs racking her body.

He
cursed under his breath. “Dawn, don’t cry.” He felt like a heel, having upset
her so much. Her hands moved to her side to pull at the band around her waist.
“And don’t take off any more clothes!” he commanded. She twirled around to face
him, her arms crossed over her breasts.

“Really?”
she asked, tears still swelling in her eyes.

“Oh,
damn.”

She
looked so vulnerable. He felt his protective instincts take over as he pulled
her against him. She slipped her arms around his waist. The thin fabric of his
robe provided no barrier between them. Her naked breasts pushed into his chest,
and he could feel her nipples, hard and firm, teasing his body into an aroused
state. Actually, to be honest, into a more aroused state. Watching her modest
striptease had started his pulse racing and his body preparing for action.

“Dawn,”
he whispered. “I’d like you to put your top back on before I do something we
might both regret.”

“Oh!”
she gasped and backed away from him.

He
tried not to watch, but suddenly his gaze was yanked to her breasts ... and the
dark green velvet that covered them. He backed up a few steps and stumbled onto
the couch.

“I
don’t feel very well,” he mumbled.

“Are
you all right?” Dawn rushed forward, wide eyed, her voice full of concern.

“How
did you...” His hand waved at her vaguely. “I mean, your top .... It’s ... back
on.” As she opened her mouth to answer, he waved his hands back and forth to
stop her, not wanting to hear her say it again. “I know, I know. You’re a
genie, and you used magic.” He sat for a moment, gulping in air, his thoughts
whirling through his head like falling leaves caught in an October breeze.
Could it be true? He had to know. He took a couple more calming breaths.

“Okay,
one more time,” he said, his voice steadier than he felt. “Change me into my
clothes again.” When he found himself fully dressed in the same clothing as
last night, he could no longer convince himself she wasn’t what she claimed.

He
stared at Dawn with the most amazed expression she’d ever seen. She hoped this
meant he was finally convinced, because she didn’t think she could cope with
many more of his ‘tests.’ Her face still felt flushed from the embarrassment
of her nakedness--and from the feelings she’d experienced while pressed against
his strong chest.

When
he had commanded her to take off her clothes, she had been certain he would
prove himself to be worse than any of the men she’d known, that he would abuse
his power and take her to his bed. And do so outside the sanctity of marriage!
At least Amar wanted her as his wife.

As
she’d stood in his embrace, his strong, warm arms around her, however, her
trepidation had transformed to something else. Her breath had caught in her
lungs and her breasts had ached, the pink tips hardening. Her arms had gone
around him of their own accord. She’d felt an emptiness deep in the pit of her
stomach--and a twitching lower down. Overcome by a yearning so strong she’d had
to stop from crying out, she’d realized these newly awakened feelings must be
desire. Sexual desire. Not knowing how to deal with them, she’d begun to
tremble.

She
had never felt anything like it before--an awareness of him as a man and
herself as a woman. An overwhelming need to make him happy had consumed her. In
fact, she’d never wanted to please a man like she had wanted to please him.
Well, she thought practically, at least that made this situation a little more
tolerable, since she was destined to serve him. She just prayed he wouldn’t ask
her to please him in that way.

Luke,
sitting on the couch staring at her, felt lost in his own thoughts. “So, you
really are a genie,” he mumbled.

“That’s
what I’ve been trying to tell you all along,” she replied quietly.

“Yes,
I know.” He noticed her red face. “Dawn,” he started, then fell silent.

“Yes?”
She looked at him, but he avoided her gaze.

“I’m
sorry about ... I shouldn’t have told you to ... Damn!” He got up and paced a
couple of steps back and forth, then turned to face her. “The thing is, I was
out of line. I thought that you’d refuse when I told you to ... to take off
your clothes ... and admit that you aren’t a genie.”

“Apology
accepted.” Her voice was a mere whisper.

Silence
reigned for a few long moments. Dawn walked to the table and picked up her cup
of coffee and sipped it distractedly.

He
swung around and paced the length of the room and back again. “I can’t believe
this ... I just can’t! How can I believe you’re some mythical, magical being?”
The thought sent quakes through the foundation of his whole belief system. He
paced some more. “I’m a sane, logical man. There are rules to the universe.
Without them everything would be chaos.”

“You
know, there’s a book called ‘Chaos’ written by James Gleick.”

He
glared at her.

Undaunted,
she continued. “Really. According to him, it seems that the universe isn’t as
orderly as the scientists of your era might have you believe.”

“You’ve
read Gleick’s book?”

“It
was on your bookshelf. You don’t mind, do you?”

“No,
no.” He shook his head. That’s all he needed, a genie who knew more about
modern science than he did. He hadn’t even read that book himself yet. “Are you
trying to convince me that Gleick’s book explains magic?”

“No,
just that your physicists have been trying to explain the world within a neat
little set of rules. The problem is that the world ... the universe ... is a
pretty complex place. It is difficult to apply your ‘laws of physics’ to
anything beyond very simple situations.”

“The
law of gravity works pretty well.” Forced to defend the rules he’d always
depended on to explain reality, Luke grabbed a magazine from the coffee table
and held it parallel to the floor, then let go to illustrate his point. It
dropped to the floor, oddly reassuring him.

“Yet
I could make that magazine stay in midair if you asked me to.”

He
narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to tell me?”

“I’m
telling you that magic exists--beyond the rules of your current science, but it
does exist.”

“Are
you trying to say that magic isn’t magic at all ... I mean, that it works
within the laws of science?”

“You
and your laws. You think of the world in terms that are too rigid, that’s all.
Look, I don’t understand magic any more than you do. I just know that it’s
real, and I can do it. I can’t explain how I do it, any more than you can
explain how gravity works.” She leaned forward, her hands outstretched. “Luke,
no one knows how the universe came to be, but that doesn’t mean that we doubt
our own existence. Most of us anyway. Nietzsche’s ‘I think therefore I am’
axiom.”

“You’ve
read Nietzsche, too?”

“I
try to keep up.”

“I
have a headache.”

“I
can fix it for you.”

Luke
put one hand to his head and waved her away with the other. “No. Please, don’t
mess with my head.”

He
couldn’t believe he’d just said that, since that was all she’d been doing since
her arrival.












Chapter 3



“Luke,
you don’t like intelligent women, do you?”

Luke’s
eyebrows quirked up. “Of course, I do. Why?”

“You
seemed uncomfortable with our conversation. I just thought maybe you were
unhappy with me.”

Unhappy?
Looking at her, so beautiful and alluring, sitting cross-legged on the couch
watching him with those wide, green eyes, he wondered how anyone could be
unhappy with her. “No, not at all. I was just ... overwhelmed by the whole
situation.” After all, he’d never had a genie before. “To be honest, though, I
guess I expected you to be a bit ... behind the times. After all,” he said in
his own defense, “I assume you’ve been locked up for quite some time.”

“Yes,
several thousand years.”

He
pivoted his gaze to her. “You’re kidding.”

She
shook her head, and he sank down on the couch. Several thousand years!
He couldn’t help thinking she looked remarkably gorgeous for someone who should
be dust by now. But how could she possibly have survived that long alone
without going stir crazy? Surely she hadn’t been conscious the whole time. “How
do you know so much about current times? And how do you know my language?” He
remembered when she’d introduced herself she’d said something about her name,
Dawn, being a translation into his language.

“There
was a Book of Knowledge in the bottle.”

“A
what?”

“The
Book of Knowledge tells all about mankind’s accumulated knowledge. It grows as
new information is discovered, so it is always up-to-date.”

“That’s
amazing. It must be huge.”

“No,
not really. Remember, it is a magic book.” She uncurled her legs and stretched
them out in front of her.

He
watched her graceful movements, trying to ignore the glimpse of her nicely
curved ankle as her skirt shifted.

“As
for knowing your language,” she continued, “part of the magic of the bottle is
to provide me with knowledge of my owner’s language.”

“Owner?”
His stomach tightened at the word. “Is that what I am? Your owner?” he asked
gently. He hated the thought of that. He didn’t want that much power over
anyone.

Dawn
flicked her gaze away from him, concentrating on smoothing her skirt. “Yes. I
must do as you bid. Your every wish is my command.”

She’d
noticed Luke flinch when she’d called him her owner. Could it be that he wasn’t
comfortable with the idea of having ownership over her? She found that hard to
believe. She hadn’t met a man yet who wouldn’t love to have total control over
a woman.

“Dawn?”

He
spoke her name in a soft voice, dragging her attention back to him. His hands
rested on the back of the couch, and he leaned toward her. “I’m sorry about all
this.”

She
turned her gaze to meet his and saw truth in his eyes. But what was he sorry
about? Surely not that he had a magical slave to command? And that she was a
woman? He’d already shown he was attracted to her. Perhaps his regret was
linked to a desire to have a willing bed partner. Maybe he sought to win her
trust by showing compassion.

“It
must be very hard on you.”

She
nodded, trying to stay immune to his words, but the pain of loss tightened around
her chest. The loss of her friends ... of her freedom ... and especially of
Sky.

“Do
you hate me?”

Turmoil
flared within her. She hated this situation--hated having to answer to anyone.
But did she hate Luke?

She
focused on his face and met the intensity of his eyes. He was a man, and that
made him untrustworthy. He was her master, and that made him dangerous. But
worthy of her hate? He’d done nothing to warrant that. Yet.

“No.”
It was all she could manage. One word that said so little. And so much.

He
gazed into her eyes, as though trying to read her feelings. “You look tired.
I’ve got some errands to run this afternoon, so why don’t you relax and settle
in a bit.”

“I
could perform the errands for you,” she said dutifully. “With magic.”

“Thanks,
but I need to get out. Walking will clear my head.”

She
nodded and watched as he went to the closet and started pulling on outerwear.
First, he grabbed a big, bulky, wool sweater in shades of grey and blue from
the top shelf and pulled it on, then wrapped a grey scarf around his neck. He
plucked a navy parka with a big hood off a hanger and pulled it on. Once that
was zipped up, he stepped into a pair of heavy black boots, then pulled on a
grey wool hat and mitts.

“Is
it really that cold outside?” she asked, amused by the final product. He looked
like a big, cuddly teddy bear. He shrugged. At least she thought he did. It was
hard to tell under all those layers.

“It’s
January in Ottawa,” he replied. “See you in a couple of hours.” He opened the
door, then glanced back at her. “You’ll be okay?”

“Of
course.”

“Good.”
He closed the door behind him.

* * * *

Luke
loved the city in winter, despite the cold. The snow crunched beneath his feet
as he made his way along the busy downtown street. When he reached the bridge
over the Rideau Canal, he stopped and watched the people skating. The
mid-winter thaw had ended, and the temperature had dropped to well below
freezing, but the sun shone brightly and the air was crisp. The weather had
changed dramatically overnight.

Just
like my life, Luke thought.

Yesterday
at the ground-breaking ceremony, when the construction foreman had rushed over
and handed Luke the brass bottle as a souvenir, he’d had no idea how much that
bottle would affect him. Now, standing on the bridge watching the skaters, he
sighed, then took a deep breath of cold air.

He
still couldn’t believe he had a real, live genie. And an intelligent, beautiful
genie, at that. The question now was, What was he supposed to do with her?

Was
she supposed to live in his apartment with him? If so, how would he survive?
After all, he was a healthy male with a healthy set of hormones. With Dawn
sleeping in the next room, how would he get any sleep?

He
remembered the dreams he’d had of her last night, the ones where she’d done an
exotic dance and peeled away the layers of her costume--until there was nothing
left but soft, creamy skin and her enchanting smile. Even standing outside in a
frigid Ottawa winter, his body swelled at the memory.

And
what about this morning when Mrs. Stuart had come by. He knew she’d thought
Dawn had spent the night with him. In his bed. Not that he really cared what
she thought, but it was just one example of the inconvenience he’d suffer at
having a woman staying with him. A woman he wasn’t married to, or even
romantically involved with.

He
turned and leaned against the railing. What about when he started going out
again? What would he tell his dates when he invited them over to dinner? Don’t
mind Dawn. She’s just my genie.

He
shook his head. No, it just wouldn’t work. Genie or not, Dawn could not live
with him.

Now,
how did he explain it to her?

* * * *

Dawn
glared defiantly at the man who stalked into her bed chamber with such
arrogance. Who did he think he was? She didn’t love him, and she would never
consider marrying him. A feeling of disgust twisted inside her.

Why
hadn’t her father stood behind her? He couldn’t be pleased at the idea of
losing his only daughter. Where else would he find such a convenient and useful
servant? But then, her father wouldn’t believe her important enough to risk
Amar’s rage.

That’s
why she’d gone to the council. Surely they would set Amar straight. They would
never allow him to force her into a loveless marriage. He might be strong and
powerful, but that was why the council existed--to stop the strongest from
forcing others to their will. Amar, the most powerful of them all, must still
bow to the greater power of the council. Their combined force could not be
ignored, even by him.

Why
did he appear so supremely confident, then? She knew him to be a master of
emotional control, but a nagging doubt threatened the foundations of her
confidence.

“So,
what did the council tell you, Amar? Surely now you recognize the futility of
your ... request.”

His
proposal of marriage had been given as a command. He wanted her and he meant to
have her. Clearly, he had not expected her to refuse and certainly hadn’t
foreseen that she would ask the council to protect her.

She
watched in nervous anticipation as he approached. The council would be behind
her, but this man would not accept their ruling happily. He stepped close, but
she stood before him, spine straight and proud, refusing to pull away. She felt
his chilling presence steal the heat from her flesh. His black eyes, filled
with arrogance, stared down at her, threatening to pierce her composure. For
the barest instant, she saw pure hatred in his eyes--hatred mixed with pure,
evil lust. He meant to have her, she had no doubt about it. Again, doubts shook
her while she struggled to maintain her outward composure. His brief show of
emotion quickly sank behind that commanding stare once again.

He
gazed at his fingernails as though considering every detail of their long,
tapered shapes, telling her she was a minor consideration in his plans.

“Well,
my dear...” he began, in a distant voice, “...the council has agreed that I may
take you as my wife.” His gaze slipped casually to her face, his eyes filled
with a cruel, satisfied gleam.

“What?”
she gasped, her control momentarily fleeing. A dangerous mistake, she silently
scolded herself as she quickly reset her features into an expression of
serenity. “Surely you jest, Amar.”

“Oh,
no, my dear.” His words, like liquid ice, seeped into her soul, threatening to
freeze her very essence.

She
remained stoically silent, watching him, her mask firmly in place. He, in turn,
watched for any hint of the anguish he’d caused her. When he found none, he
went on.

“They
have agreed that I may marry you--with or without your consent--on one
condition...” He paused. She waited bravely. “That no one else falls in love
with you and proposes marriage within a set period of time.”

A
breath of hope stilled within her. “And that time period is?”

“Five
thousand years.”

The
breath she’d been holding left her in a whoosh of relief. Thank heavens, the
council had not forsaken her. Obviously, they had laid down this criterion to
appease Amar. They wouldn’t want to give him an outright no.

Amar
went on to explain the conditions placed on her.

“The
restrictions seem very fair, and I shall abide by them,” she told him when he
had finished. Not that she had any choice in the matter.

“You
are very sure of yourself, aren’t you, my dear?” His eyes had that dangerous
gleam again. What was he planning? “Now, let me tell you what my generous
wedding gift will be.”

She
knew better than to make any comment, letting him prattle on, enduring his
insufferable arrogance.

“My
gift will be Sky.”

Her
heart seemed to skip a beat. “What do you mean?” Her eyes narrowed as her gaze
lanced across his feature, searching for some hint as to his meaning.

He
smiled, and the glint in his eye hardened, sending a frigid stream of terror
through her. She fought to maintain her control.

He
spoke slowly, cruelly. “I have imprisoned him ... in a little brass wine
pitcher about so high.” He indicated a height of six inches with his index
fingers. “That vessel now lies in the caves of Sador.”

Fear
and anger battled within her. “Are you trying to force me into agreeing to
marry you now, despite the council ruling, Amar?” She was surprised at how calm
her voice sounded.

“No.
That would not be allowed, as you know,” he said smoothly. “It is simply a
small price you must pay for having inconvenienced me so.”

“And
if I don’t marry you? When I find a man who loves me ... will you release him,
then?” He could not truly be forcing her to choose between her own freedom and
Sky’s.

“Of
course not. I told you, his release will be your wedding present.”

Outrage
flashed through her. He could not get away with this. She would go to the
council. She would demand that he release Sky.

“But
don’t worry about that, my dear, for it shall never come to pass. You will be
mine.”

Her
fists clenched tightly at her sides. “Do you think I am so unsightly that no
man will deem to love me in all that time? Do you think I am so repulsive?”

He
dragged a taloned finger down her bare arm, slowly, from her shoulder to her
elbow, watching with satisfaction the raised bumps that followed his touch and
the shiver that shook her frame. She forced herself not to flinch. “Quite the
contrary. You are a delicious seductress. But you see, I don’t plan to give you
time to find a man.”

“But
the council decision ... you can’t possibly...”

He
laughed, clearly pleased that he had finally shaken her composure. The sound
shook with pure evil. “Oh, I will not marry you until the end of the term, of
course, but I will not give you the opportunity to allow my defeat.”

Her
calm split wide open, and panic surged though her. From a puff of smoke, a
brass bottle appeared on the ground in front of him, and he stretched his hands
out. He spoke ancient, powerful words, summoning all his awesome capabilities.
Forces stirred, the air shimmered in the currents of his power, wielded as a
weapon against her.

Suddenly,
she knew what he meant to do, but she was powerless to protect herself. The air
around her tightened, quivered, turned opaque. She saw him as though through a
cloud of green smoke. Everything seemed to be growing around her, and rising.
She could feel herself moving, slowly, inexorably, toward the bottle. The brass
stopper hung from his hand. The green smoke she had become swirled toward the
bottle and was sucked inside, as though the vessel simply inhaled her.

“Enjoy
your new home, my dear.” Again, his terrible laughter ravaged her senses. His
hand descended as though plunging a knife into the opening, sealing her in her
prison with the brass stopper.

“No!”
Dawn screamed, a long frustrated sound, of fear and rage and utter
helplessness.

* * * *

Luke
returned to find Dawn asleep on the couch. He picked up the book that had
fallen out of her hand onto her bare stomach, his fingers brushing lightly
across her flawless skin. The silky feel of her was enough to make his body
tighten. Staring at her stretched out, her full lips slightly parted, he had to
force himself not to lean over and kiss her, to pull her into his arms and
awaken her from more than just sleep. She flung her head to one side and shifted
restlessly on the couch, her skin pebbled in goose bumps. He strode over to the
linen closet and pulled a blanket out, then draped it over her.

Leaving
her to rest, he went into his office to read his electronic mail. The computer
in his den had no sooner dialed the number of his office computer and connected
when he heard a piercing scream. He leaped up and raced into the living room.
Dawn still lay on the couch, awake now, shaking and glancing around in
confusion, her face stark white.

“Dawn?
Are you all right?”

Her
gaze swiveled around and met his. The pain he saw in those green depths tore at
his heart. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her, to protect her
from whatever demons haunted her dreams. He knelt beside her, keeping his arms
firmly by his side.

“Dawn,
what is it?”

She
shook her head, her hands flying to her temples. “Nothing. Just a bad dream.”
She pushed herself to a sitting position.

“Do
you want to talk about it?” He noticed she was still shivering, so he pulled
the blanket around her shoulders.

“No.
Not really.”

Her
words came out low and husky and, when she brushed her hands across her face,
Luke noticed the streak of moisture across her cheek. She looked so vulnerable,
he couldn’t stop himself from pulling her into his arms and holding her close.
She stiffened in his arms, but as he stroked her back gently, she slowly melted
against him, resting her head against his chest. Her hair wisped against his
cheek, and he fought the temptation to press his lips against her temple. Soon
her body stopped shuddering, but she stayed in his arms, as though she’d found
an oasis in a desert of confusion. When she finally stirred, he drew his arms
from around her and smiled.

Dawn
gazed up at Luke’s warm, blue eyes. She’d felt so safe within the circle of his
arms. How could that be? He represented her darkest fears. A man who could make
her do anything. A man whose slightest whim she had to satisfy, even if it
meant losing herself in the process. Yet she had felt warm and protected with
him. She could almost believe he cared about her.

“Come
on. I’ll get you a drink,” he said.

She
followed him and sat on a dining room chair, hugging one knee against her
chest. Luke went into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a bottle of
wine, then removed the cork and poured some into a tall, blue-stemmed glass. He
handed it to her, then pulled out a chair and sat across from her.

Dawn
watched Luke as she sipped her wine. During her centuries imprisoned in the
bottle, she had secretly hoped she would be freed from the bottle by someone
other than Amar. She had fantasized that it would be a man who would fall in
love with her and propose, freeing her from marrying Amar. Now, faced with the
reality of her freedom from the eternal loneliness of the bottle, she realized
it had been unrealistic. No matter how attractive Luke was, and how nice he
seemed, she could never get past the fact that he owned her. And why would he
ever marry her? He could have her in his bed if he wanted her there. In this
time of his, most women didn’t make men wait for marriage to satisfy their
lust. What other reason would he have for marrying her?

She
glanced at the dark red liquid in her glass. Just as well. Their backgrounds
were so different that marriage would never have worked anyway. Talk about
being from different worlds! There were tens of centuries between her and Luke.
Could he ever fully understand her? Or she him?

Hope
trickled away as she realized she had no other choices. As his genie, she would
have few opportunities, if any, to meet other men, and certainly none of her
own kind. And if a man did fall in love with her, she could not marry him--she
was bound to Luke now. She sipped her wine, then dropped her head on her knee
and sighed. The future looked very bleak.

“What
is it, Dawn? Still upset about the nightmare?” Luke asked.

“No.
That was the past. I’m worried about the future.”

He
nodded, feeling a bit of the same. Dawn might be beautiful, intelligent and fun
to be with, but he really couldn’t let her live here. The closest he’d ever
come to living with a woman had been when Evelyn, his ex-fiancée, had stayed
over the occasional weekend.

Evelyn.
Despite Dawn’s distracting influence, thoughts of Evelyn still stirred up
painful memories. Was it possible that deep inside he believed she might come
back to him? If she did, Dawn had no place in that scenario.

Luke
slapped his hands on his thighs and pushed himself to his feet.

“Well,
I’m getting hungry. How about dinner?”

Dawn
produced another fabulous meal, but by Luke’s request, less elaborate than the
previous night’s. It consisted of a simple selection of roast chicken,
biscuits, rice and salad. After they finished their dessert of apple pie, they
retired to the living room and sat by the fire.

“Do
you always wear that costume?” Luke asked.

“I’ve
worn it for the last several thousand years.”

She
longed to be in something more modest, but she couldn’t change of her own
accord. Luke had to wish it. If only he would. Unfortunately, she couldn’t even
ask him to let her change. A genie was not allowed to request things for
herself.

She’d
been shocked when she’d found Amar had changed her demure white gown into this
revealing costume when he sealed her in the bottle. It was the type worn by
women in a harem when trying to allure their husband--when the husband came to
choose between his wives, and they would compete for his affections.

The
choice had sent a clear message to her. Amar fully expected her to become his
wife. He had clearly intended to be the one to open the bottle and release her
at the end of the time period. She would not be his only wife, either. She
would be one of many, and she’d be expected to attract his affections. Well,
that might be what he intended, but she wouldn’t do it, no matter how lonely
she became. After all, she’d had millennia of practice coping with loneliness.
She’d do her best to make sure he never touched her. The mere thought repulsed
her.

She
glanced over at Luke, watching the firelight send glittering highlights through
his hair, and remembered the desire she had felt in his arms. What would she
feel if Amar were to touch her like that? The very thought caused her stomach
to lurch. No, it wouldn’t be anything at all like the pleasant fire that burned
through her at Luke’s touch.

“Dawn,
are you all right? You look pale.”

The
note of concern in Luke’s voice stirred something deep within her. She glanced
up at him, unnerved to see him watching her intently. He leaned forward, elbows
on his knees and held her gaze.

“No.
I mean, yes. I’m just ... distracted.”

“How
did you wind up in that bottle, anyway?”

Dawn
took a sip of her wine and settled back on the couch. “I was imprisoned by a
powerful man named Amar.”

“Was
he a genie, too?”

“We’re
called djinn. Only someone who has been enslaved in a vessel and their magic
put under control of another person is a genie.”

“I
see. Why did this Amar imprison you?”

She
stared at the golden gloss of her shoes. “He wanted me to marry him.”

“I
take it you didn’t love him.”

Dawn
glanced at him, surprised at his comment. Most men she’d known wouldn’t even
consider a woman’s feelings in such things.

“Was
this an arranged marriage?”

“Only
by his arrangement.” Bitterness colored her words. “He wanted me, but I didn’t
want him, so he tried to force me.”

“And
when you refused, he stuck you in the bottle? How could he get away with such a
thing?” Luke’s handsome face tightened in anger.

“He’s
very powerful.”

She
longed to tell him about the council, and the fact that she had to marry Amar
at the end of her term as his genie, but he hadn’t asked the right questions.
Another of Amar’s restrictions prevented her from volunteering information
about herself. Would she be able to tell him about the exact terms that would lead
to her freedom even if he asked? Probably not. Amar would not want to allow her
that possibility of escape. And did it really matter? Why would Luke possibly
want to help her be free of him?












Chapter 4



“Dawn,
I’ve been thinking about our situation and...” Luke hesitated and Dawn felt her
stomach tighten with apprehension. “I’d like to set you free.”

“I
.... beg your pardon.”

Free?
He wanted to set her free?

She
couldn’t possibly have heard him right.

He
leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees and watched her, as though
trying to evaluate her expression. “I don’t want you to be my genie anymore.”

“But
.... why?” She couldn’t fathom why he would free a genie. Most mortals would
give anything to own a magical being who could grant their every wish. Clearly,
he didn’t fully understand the potential of her magic. Even so, from what she
knew of men, even if she couldn’t perform magic, the fact that she was a woman
and totally in his power would be attraction enough.

Unless...

Maybe
he didn’t find her attractive. He’d seemed to last night, but then, he’d had a
few drinks. Maybe in the light of day she had lost her appeal. Maybe by the
standards of today’s world, she was considered ugly.

Her
hands flew to her face at the thought. Did he find her repulsive? Her words to
Amar echoed through her mind.

Do
you think I am so unsightly that no man will deem to love me in all that time?
Do you think I am so repulsive?”

You
are a delicious seductress, Amar had answered. But you see, I don’t plan to give you
time to find a man.

Maybe
Amar had taken more from her than time.

“I
thought you’d be happy about my decision,” Luke answered, lines furrowing his
forehead. “I mean ... you can’t really want to be owned by someone.”

“No,
of course not, but...”

“But
what?”

She
stared at him uncertainly, knowing she couldn’t come right out and ask him if
he found her unattractive. So what could she say?

“Dawn,
tell me what’s bothering you.”

She
felt her face flush hotly. She couldn’t ignore his direct command, and she had
to answer truthfully. “I...” She turned her face away. “I’m afraid you don’t
find me attractive.” Good heavens, she sounded so shallow and vain.

The
stark lines on his face softened as he laughed. “Dawn, you have absolutely no
worries there.”

Her
face flushed even more, but she couldn’t help feeling pleased by his words.
“I’m sorry, I...” She couldn’t tell him it wasn’t important, because no matter
how much she wanted that to be true, it did seem to be important to her, and
she couldn’t truthfully deny it. And now he probably thought she wanted to be
attractive to him so he’d make love to her. Maybe if she explained a little
more. “It’s just that I was afraid Amar had made me ugly, and that’s why you
don’t want me.”

She
felt Luke’s finger tuck under her chin and lift her face. She met his clear,
blue gaze reluctantly.

“Dawn,
believe me, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

“Then,
why don’t you want me?”

His
gaze intensified and she realized the double meaning of her words. In his eyes
she could see that he did want her--as a man wants a woman. Seeing the blaze of
desire light his eyes, she wondered how she could have thought otherwise.

But
she didn’t want him to want her that way.

He
cleared his throat as he released her chin, planting his hands firmly on his
knees. “It’s not that I don’t want you, exactly. It’s just that it would be
awkward having you live here with me. People would make certain ...
assumptions.” He leaned back and crossed his long legs. “So, how do I free
you?”

“You
.... can’t.” It didn’t matter what Luke’s true intent was, Amar had cast a
special spell to disallow that wish. He knew if she was free, she might find a
way to break her bond to him.

Luke’s
eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean I can’t? I thought you could grant my
wishes.”

“Yes,
that’s true, but only those within my power. I don’t have the power to break my
bonds to you, so I cannot grant that wish.”

“I
see.” He sat quietly for a few moments. “What if I put you back in the bottle?
I could bury it again and leave it for someone else to find. Someone who might
want a genie.”

Icy
dread collected in the pit of her stomach at the thought of being trapped
inside the bottle again. She grabbed his hands and clung tightly. “No, Luke.
Oh, please don’t do that.” She stopped to pull in a breath of air, trying to
control her tremulous voice. “I’ll do my best to make you happy. I’ll ... I’ll
do anything you want.” She licked her lips as she wondered how far she’d go to
convince him not to imprison her again. “Please, don’t put me back into the
bottle.” Her voice trembled so badly she wanted to turn her face away,
embarrassed at having shown so much emotion, but she held his gaze bravely.

Luke
squeezed her hand, his expression full of concern. “Dawn, I’m sorry, I didn’t
mean to upset you.” He put his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady.
“When you were in the bottle, were you conscious of time passing?” He watched
as she nodded, and his expression clouded. “My God. I assumed you would be
asleep.” His voice softened. “It must have been very difficult for you. So many
years alone.” The warmth of his concern chipped away at the icy fear that had
enveloped her.

“So
you won’t--”

“No,
Dawn. I won’t make you go through that again.”

“Thank
you.” Relief melted the rest of her fear to a cold stream that trickled away.
He wouldn’t put her back in the bottle, but ... if he were to send her away
from him, she’d be in trouble. She tucked her knees under her chin and hugged
her legs close. As much as she hated being owned by a man, the thought of being
alone in this foreign world, essentially powerless, since her magic could only
be directed by Luke, was worse.

She
grabbed her wine glass and took a big sip as she considered her options. She’d
have to make sure he wanted to keep her, and one way to do that was to point
out the advantages of her magic. “Maybe you should think about what wishes you
would like me to grant. Have you thought of any?”

He
leaned back again, stretching his long legs in front of him. “Not really.”

“I
see.” She pushed aside the worries Luke’s discussion had triggered and
concentrated on the topic of wishes. She needed to prove her usefulness, so
suggesting wishes would be a good idea. “Usually, people ask for wealth.”

In
the lonely abyss of her prison, she’d often thought about the horrendous
challenge of making a new master rich. She’d been certain the request was
inevitable. Isn’t that what everyone always wished for? Even the richest people
longed for more.

“Wishing
for money can be tricky in this day and age,” she continued. “With the economy
and government as it is, any bulk of wealth appearing suddenly can cause a lot
of problems. I’ve been thinking about it, though. There are ways. If you own a
company, for instance, I could arrange for some big breakthrough that would
help you produce your product better or faster ... or I could cause a big
client to become interested in your product or increase consumer receptiveness
so people will be more inclined to buy your product over others.”

He
grinned at her, causing her heart to flip flop. “Fascinating. You’ve thought
all this through?”

Ignoring
her erratic heart beat, she continued in a steady, nonchalant voice. “That’s
right. You could wish for a big trunk of gold or precious gems. I could arrange
for it to be dug up on your property, then--”

Luke
cut her off. “Dawn, don’t worry about it. I don’t want more money. The truth
is, I like the fact that I’ve made it on my own and I don’t want magic to help
me further my business or make me richer. Okay?”

“All
right.” She gazed at his laughing eyes. She admired the fact that he took pride
in his own accomplishments, but there must be something she could tempt him
with. What did a man like Luke Jacobs want?

What
do I want? Luke wondered. This beautiful woman--a magical genie--could
grant his every wish. Was he crazy for wanting to set her free?

He
watched her as she sat on the other end of the couch, her legs curled under
her, her hair draped over one shoulder and coiling around her left breast. Her
skin looked so soft, her face so sweet. He remembered how she’d felt in his
arms, how her skin had felt under his hands. There must be hundreds of things
he could wish for, but only one pushed through his mind. He wanted Dawn. He
wanted her in his arms, in his bed--but he wouldn’t wish for that.

He
leaned back and closed his eyes. She would comply--she’d proven that much when
she’d started to remove her clothes at his command. She hadn’t wanted to, but
she’d had no choice. The thought clutched at his stomach with razor sharp
claws. No choice! No one should have that kind of power over another person.
She would do anything he told her to do. He’d make sure he never forgot that.

He
opened his eyes and glanced at her, stirred again by her exotic beauty. No, if
he made love to Dawn, it would be because she wanted to as much as he did.

“What
do you want, Luke?”

“Um...”
Her question surprised him and made him feel as though he’d been caught with
his hand in the cookie jar. “I ... I don’t know. I can’t think of anything to
wish for. I have everything I need.”

“I
see. Well, you know there are other ways to look at wishes.”

“Yeah?
Like how?” What did she have in mind? he wondered.

“Rather
than thinking in terms of wealth, realize that the money itself isn’t what’s
important. It’s just a way to get the things you want.”

“Like
what? I can’t think of anything I want that I don’t already have.” Any material
things, anyway.

“You
have to be a little more imaginative. I notice that you like wine, and you have
quite a selection.”

“Yes,
and I can buy as much as I like.”

“What
about rare vintages?”

“There
are specialty shops that can get almost anything.”

“What
about limited quantities? There may be only one bottle of a particular type in
existence. Once it’s gone, there’s no way to get another, no matter how much
money you have. And what about wines that no longer exist today?”

“You’re
saying I could wish for things that money can’t buy.” He leaned forward,
staring into the fire, elbows resting on his knees. “I could take you up on
that once or twice, but the reality is, if I don’t know about something, I
won’t miss it.”

“You’re
very unusual, Luke.”

Her
lips turned up at the sides, her face aglow in the golden wash of the flames,
those glittering sparks in her eyes alight. For a moment, he forgot to breathe,
wondering how he could keep that smile on her face, so he could savor the
warmth of her womanly radiance.

“Thank
you.” Unable to resist touching her, he took her hand in his own and stroked
her long, slender fingers, enjoying the feel of her soft skin. “So are you.”

She
drew her hand away and dropped her gaze to her lap, seemingly fascinated by the
nervous movements of her fingers. When she glanced up again, he saw that the
brightness had left her eyes, leaving them guarded.

She’d
been alone for such a long time in that bottle, with no human contact of any
kind. What would it be like to be so isolated? To be without the touch of
another human being? He reached out and ran his finger down her arm, from her
shoulder to her elbow. She trembled slightly. He glanced back to her face and
watched her pink tongue skim her lips, causing them to glisten in the
firelight.

He
desperately wanted to taste those rosy lips with his own tongue. The urge
reached inside him with irresistible force and spurred him to act. He slid his
hands around her waist and pulled her body close to his. Her large eyes flared
open as his lips approached hers, but she didn’t pull away.

As
Luke’s lips touched hers in a light, feathery caress, Dawn felt a shiver start
at the top of her spine and quiver down her back and on to her toes. If she’d
been standing, her knees would have buckled. She meant to pull back, to tell
him he oughtn’t do this, but his lips moved so persuasively on hers, she
couldn’t find the strength. His big hand curved around the nape of her neck.
The contrast of his strong, masculine fingers, holding her so tenderly, made
her tremble.

His
mouth trailed sideways across her cheek, and he whispered, “Dawn, I didn’t mean
to frighten you.”

She
felt fear, but not of Luke. No, what she feared burst forth from the depths of
her being, like a dragon vaulting from a torrid whirlpool. Fiery and alarming.
Totally breathtaking. Devastating. Terrifying. Exciting.

“Dawn?”
As Luke breathed, tiny wisps of air teased her ear--a feeling too painfully
sweet to tickle. She inhaled in shallow puffs, finding it impossible to breathe
normally.

“You
didn’t frighten me.”

He
pulled back so he could see her face, and his hot, blue gaze seared her.

“Good.”
He stroked a finger down her cheek. “You’ve been through so much already. It
was thoughtless of me to...” His gaze intensified. “Dawn? The way you’re
looking at me...”

By
the Gods, she knew she must be staring at him like some moonstruck youth. He
stroked a loose wisp of hair from her forehead and she felt her eyelids drift
closed. A soft sigh escaped her lips. His touch felt so good!

“Oh,
God, Dawn. How can I resist you when you look so soft and kissable?”

Her
eyelids fluttered wide and she saw Luke’s handsome face angling toward her.

Close.

Too
close.

Not
close enough.

She
knew she should push him away--if ever there was a time, now was it--but she
was captivated by these strange feelings surging through her. This man could
mesmerize her with a mere touch, and his kiss ... She managed to draw in a
lungful of air before his lips met hers in a second enthralling encounter. A
good thing, because she needed to stock up. Breathing in air placed only a
close second to breathing in Luke. Absorbing Luke. Drawing in his essence and
making him part of her.

His
kiss held her totally entranced. He might not be of the djinn, but he could
work a far more potent magic than she had ever before experienced. A dangerous
magic. Dangerous because it forced her to face a side of herself she’d never
encountered before--that of a sensuous woman who longed for a man’s touch. A
woman who was more than tempted to give in to the tumultuous desire rushing
through her.

His
warm, gentle lips parted from hers and drifted down her neck. He nuzzled the
sensitive flesh in the hollow of her collarbone. She felt a powerful urge to
arch toward him, to shift a few inches upward, to press her breast--which felt
full and ripe--against his mouth.

Shocked
at her own scandalous thoughts, she gasped and pulled away. “No.” The word came
out with her exhaled breath.

Luke
stared at her, seeing her eyes wide with alarm.

“Dawn?”

“Please
don’t.”

Shock
jolted through him. When he’d felt her tremble earlier, he’d thought she was
frightened. She’d denied it, and he had believed her, then ... He’d seen her
soft, love-starved features. Felt her melt against him. Heard her ragged
breathing. Then when he’d tasted her again...

How
had he read her signals so badly? He must have been reading something that
wasn’t there, because now in her eyes he saw fear. Clear and sharp.

“Dawn.
I would never hurt you.”

Dawn
stared into his eyes. Touched by the tenderness there--seeing his strong,
square features, softened by concern--she knew he spoke the truth. He would
never purposely hurt her. She nodded. “I know.”

He
cupped her shoulders, and she felt the warmth of his hands through the velvet
of her top.

“I
like kissing you. In fact, I’d like to again.”

With
the quick resurgence of desire, alarm bolted through her. She jerked back.
“No!”

“Why?
What are you afraid of?”

“It’s
just that ... in my time things were ... different ... women didn’t .... I mean,
I’ve never...” She averted her eyes, looking anywhere but at Luke.

“Oh,
God, I...” His hands jerked from her body as though she’d burned him. “You’re
saying that ... You mean you’re...”

“A
virgin,” she supplied, unnerved by his shock.

She
stood up and hugged her arms around her, then stepped over to the fireplace on
shaky legs. The fire blazed cheerily but she didn’t feel its comforting warmth
through the awful cold that gripped her.

Was
it really so uncommon in these times to find a woman who had never been to a
man’s bed? Fool! she told herself. Of course she knew it to be true. The
Book of Knowledge had been clear about the changing mores. And she’d seen
evidence on the television shows she’d watched before her nap. Some had shocked
her with their crudity and explicitness. One had shown a man and woman doing
what Dawn could only guess was the act. She couldn’t be sure because
she’d clicked the arrow button immediately.

A
dreadful thought loomed over her. In a time where women came to the wedding bed
with full experience of the wondrous act of lovemaking, how would Dawn ever
hope to find a man who would want her? Her very inexperience, so highly valued
in her own time, had become a great hindrance. No man of this time would want
her, knowing she knew nothing of how to please a man. This was emphasized by
Luke’s behavior. Moments ago, he’d kissed her as though she was the most
desirable woman in the world, but as soon as he’d found out about her virginal
status, his burning ardor had frozen in the blink of an eye.

“I
must say, I’m ... surprised.”

She
stiffened. His words stung, sending the poison of self-doubt flooding through
her. Did he really mean to be so callous? How could he say such a thing after
telling her he’d never hurt her?

Moments
ago he’d made her feel alluring. Now he made her feel cheap. Clearly, he
remembered her wanton response to him with a clearer head and must wonder if
she hadn’t been a concubine-in-training, if not in fact.

She
turned to face him, needing to see what was written in his face. His finger
carefully traced the swirling paisley print on the cushion clutched on his lap.
When her gaze caught on him, he glanced up, and his eyes flared wide. The hurt
she felt must have drenched her features, because he leaped to his feet and
stepped toward her, his hands splayed in front of him.

“No,
Dawn, I didn’t mean...” He held out a hand as though to touch her, but quickly
pulled it back again. “I meant you’re so beautiful ... and desirable...”

His
words sent waves of pleasure rippling through her, easing the tension holding
her spine rigid. Warmth suffused her cheeks. He hadn’t meant to insult her
after all.

“And
.... you have lived for several thousand years.”

She
bit her lip. “Yes, well ... it’s not like I’ve had much opportunity,” she said
glancing significantly at the small brass bottle sitting on the mantel. “And
you must remember, I’m from a much different world than yours. Back then, a
woman just ... didn’t ... until after marriage. No kissing ... no touching.
Except ... hookers, as you call them.”

“Dawn,
it’s different now.” Luke didn’t want her believing he thought of her in those
terms.

“Yes,
I know.” She turned away and walked to the couch. Settling into it, she grabbed
a round cushion and laid it neatly on her lap.

He
watched through narrowed eyes as she stroked the satin fabric nervously. Damn,
he should never have kissed her, but he’d been carried away. Her scent, her
softness, her beauty, they all conspired against him. Around her, he simply
lost his head.

How
could he possibly keep her? Having her roaming around in that revealing costume
would play havoc with his hormones. Yet he didn’t seem to have any choice.

He
glanced at the brass bottle sitting on the fireplace and walked toward it, then
leaned against the mantel with one hand. A photo of Evelyn’s smiling face
stared at him, the one he kept meaning to put away but somehow never quite
managed to do. He pressed his other hand against his eyes, then dragged it over
the crown of his head. He’d completely forgotten about his ex-fiancée,
something he hadn’t done since their breakup.

Thoughts
of Evelyn had haunted him. He’d had such wonderful hopes for their future. He’d
believed they would get married eventually, but he’d been cautious, not wanting
to jump into marriage too soon. In fact, he’d been too cautious. Whenever
Evelyn had pressed him for a wedding date, he’d put her off. Now, looking back,
he wasn’t sure why, because marriage and happily-ever-after was what he truly
wanted in life. But then, there were the demands of the business. He’d wanted
to wait until he could take time for a proper honeymoon. Unfortunately, Evelyn
had gotten tired of waiting. Another man had caught her eye, one who seemed far
more willing to give her the time she deserved. He couldn’t really blame her.
He must have neglected her shamelessly.

“Do
you miss her?”

Luke
snapped open his eyes and glanced around at Dawn. She stood a few steps away,
staring at the photo of Evelyn.

He
didn’t want to tell Dawn about his feelings for another woman, not after so
recently holding Dawn in his arms, but she had told him a very intimate secret
about herself. How could he deny her?

“Yes,
I do. Evelyn and I had some wonderful times.”

“Would
you like her back?”

His
heart compressed at the thought of having Evelyn back. In fact, that was all
he’d thought about for the last three months, ever since their breakup. He’d
fallen hard for Evelyn. She was beautiful and witty. Sexy and desirable.

A
wonderful lover.

But
he didn’t want to think about that in his aroused, but frustrated, state. The
desire he felt right now was for Dawn, not Evelyn, and that made him feel
unfaithful. Because the truth was, he hadn’t given up on Evelyn.

“Why
are you asking about Evelyn?” His words came out sharper than he’d intended.

Her
tight-lipped distress made Luke’s insides clench with guilt.

“I
was just looking for other things you could wish for, other ways to please you
by making your life more fulfilled.”

To
please him. His guilt burrowed deeper.

“I
could make her love you again,” Dawn said.

Make
her love me again?

“You
mean, you can make someone fall in love with someone else?”

Dawn
nodded. His heart thrummed at the thought. He could get Evelyn back! A vision
of Evelyn walking down the aisle with him, her arm linked in his own, wavered
through his mind.

Then
black clouds of common sense darkened the scene.

“But,
it wouldn’t be real, would it?”

“What
do you mean by real, Luke? She would behave in every way a woman in love would
behave.”

His
heart sank. “But you could make her love anyone, couldn’t you? She wouldn’t
love me because of who I am.” He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t want that.”

Dawn
had watched the emotions scurry across Luke’s face. He wanted the woman named
Evelyn, but he wouldn’t wish her to love him. She wouldn’t have believed a man
would have qualms about such a thing. With any man she’d known, as long as a
woman gave him what he wanted, he didn’t care why.

But
then, was Luke really all that different? After all, even though he said he wanted
Evelyn, he’d still kissed Dawn.

“You
look tired.” Luke glanced at his watch. “And it’s getting late. Why don’t we go
to bed.”

Dawn
felt her face go pale. Luke may be more sensitive than other men she’d known,
but he was a man. The insides of her stomach twirled around like leaves caught
in a whirlwind. Would he expect her to share his bed tonight?












Chapter 5



“Where...”
Dawn’s voice came out hoarse, so she cleared her throat and tried again. “Where
do you want me to sleep?”

“Follow
me.”

Follow
him? Her stomach tightened. He guided her to a door and led her inside the
bedroom where she’d found the pillow and quilt for him last night. A huge bed
loomed in the middle of the room.

A
bed far too big for one person.

“You
should be comfortable in here.” He patted the boldly striped, navy and red bed
covering. A very masculine-looking cover. One Luke would choose for himself.
This must be his room.

Well,
of course it’s his room, she thought. You knew all along that he’d want
you in his bed.

But
that didn’t mean she couldn’t resist a little. As long as he hadn’t wished for
anything.

Dawn
pointed behind her to the view of the living room through the door. “Luke, I’d
be quite happy sleeping on the couch.”

“Nonsense.
You’ll sleep in here.”

“But--”

“And
that’s final.” He smiled, taking the edge off his words. “You’ve been cramped
in a bottle for thousands of years. The least I can do is provide you a
comfortable place to sleep.”

Is
that all he meant to do? She doubted it.

“There’s
room in the dresser and closet for you to put your things.” He glanced at her
uncertainly. “Do you have any belongings with you?”

“No,
I don’t. All I have is what you see.”

His
gaze skimmed the curves of her body with what looked like hungry intensity. Her
skin heated instantly. She labored at keeping her breathing steady.

“So
you don’t have anything more comfortable to change into?”

Her
breathing stopped entirely. She’d heard the phrase ‘slip into something more
comfortable’ in one of the shows she’d watched this afternoon. From the
behavior of the characters, it had been clear what that phrase really meant.

Did
Luke expect her to don some skimpy bit of lace like the woman on the show had?
As if her costume wasn’t revealing enough!

“No,
but that’s okay.” She flattened a hand across her chest. “I’ll just sleep in
this.”

Unless,
of course, he wished her out of it. Like he had this afternoon. The memory of
being half undressed in his arms, of her naked breasts pressing against his
chest, made her face burn hotly. Quickly, she turned toward the dresser and
picked up a brush lying on its surface. A glance at her face in the mirror
revealed the crimson color of her cheeks, exactly what she’d wanted to hide
from him. Since she had the brush in her hand, she dragged it through her hair,
not wanting him to realize she was hiding from him.

In
the mirror, Dawn could see Luke’s gaze shift to her hair, watching the brush as
it stroked the length of her ponytail.

“Well,
maybe we can go out shopping tomorrow and buy you some things,” he said.

She
watched his reflection as he walked toward her. Involuntarily, her hand stilled
in mid-stroke. Her breath held as his hand approached hers. The first touch of
his fingers sent shimmering sparks bursting through her. The shock stimulated
her ability to breathe once again, but at a highly accelerated rate. She took
in a lot of air, but in breaths too shallow to satisfy. As Luke lifted the
brush from her tingling fingers, she was thankful, because she didn’t think she
could hold it any longer.

“You
have beautiful hair, Dawn.” His voice sounded husky as his hand traveled the
length of her dark tresses. Though he only touched her hair, she felt as though
he stroked her intimately.

Her
eyelids fell shut.

She
felt an easing of tension in her neck and opened her eyes to see Luke had
gathered the mass of her hair into his hands, holding the weight of it. “I’d
love to see it loose sometime.”

It
was a speculation, not a wish. When would he end her torture and state his
intent?

Their
gazes locked in the mirror. He suddenly released her hair and stepped back. The
tug of its weight shifted her gaze and she found herself staring at her own
reflection. Was that really her? Wide eyed and frightened looking?

“If
you’re cold, there are spare blankets in the closet,” Luke said.

Dawn
glanced around to see Luke standing in the doorway.

“If
you need anything, I’ll be in the bedroom next door.” He turned and closed the
door behind him.

Mystified,
she stared after him for a long moment.

He
was gone. Just like that. But why?

She
shook her head, the realization slowly sinking into her muddled brain that he
wouldn’t demand her in his bed after all. At least, not tonight.

Why,
then, did she feel this great swell of discontent?

Probably
just nerves. She leaned back against the dresser and sighed. Safe for another
day.

A
knock sounded at the door.

She
jerked forward. Or was she?

Slowly,
she walked across the room. Had he changed his mind? She pulled open the
door. Luke stood on the other side holding a pair of burgundy pajamas in his
hand.

“Here.”
He dropped the pajamas on the bed. “Sleep in these tonight.”

She
lifted the long-sleeved top and held it in front of her. Was this the
‘something more comfortable’ he’d had in mind? They weren’t exactly sheer, or
skimpy. Still, the cool silk in her hands felt very sensual. She could imagine
it brushing across her breasts. At the thought, her nipples puckered and her
imagination provided her with a vivid tactile image of Luke’s hands skimming
over her silk-clad breasts.

“Do
you like it?”

“What?”
She almost gasped the word as her gaze pivoted to meet his.

“The
fabric?”

Dawn
realized she was cradling the garment against her chest and stroking the
seductive silk. She thrust the top onto the bed. “Yes, it’s very nice.” Her
voice sounded like it might snap.

Luke
stared at her uncertainly and placed his hand on her shoulder. She had to force
herself not to leap sideways.

“Dawn,
are you all right?”

“Yes,
of course.”

She
stood very still, trying to fight the raging flow of adrenaline that surged
through her. As she took slow, calming breaths, she became more aware of Luke’s
touch infusing her skin with warmth. The rest of her cried out for him. Her
breasts, already swollen with need because of her over-stimulated imagination,
ached for his touch.

“Are
you sure? You seem agitated.”

His
hand shifted slightly on her shoulder, and she felt goose bumps quiver down her
spine.

She
sucked in a deep breath. “I’m ... a bit tense. Everything’s still so new to
me.” Which was true. She’d never felt anything like the torrent of desire
rushing through her.

He
placed his other hand on her shoulder. “If there’s anything I can do to make
you more comfortable, let me know.”

His
eyes looked so sincere, but he didn’t really care about her comfort. Men only
said things like that to trick a woman into trusting them. Luke wanted her
agreeable to his advances, that’s all. She averted her eyes. The way her body
reacted to him, it would be more than agreeable.

“Okay,
well ... Goodnight,” he said.

He
withdrew his hands, and she watched in amazement as he left her alone a second
time. Her body seemed to sigh as her shoulders slumped at the loss of his
touch. Once he’d closed the door, she sank onto the bed.

What
was wrong with her? She should be relieved but what she felt was
disappointment. She sprawled full length on the bed. Memories of their kiss and
her answering desire curled around her, overwhelming her with need. Her body
cried out for Luke. She longed to tangle her fingers in his hair, to feel his
firm body pressed against hers, to feel his hands touching the parts of her
that still tingled in response to that kiss.

Could
it be that she wanted him to wish her to make love with him? Yes!
one small part of her cried. If he wished it, she could throw her arms around
him in abandon, she could fling off her clothes and feel his knowing hands
stimulate her flesh to the heights of ecstasy. If he did, she could enjoy the
pleasures of making love with a man and not feel guilty, because without choice
there would be no guilt.

Or
would there? Was that emotion impossible to escape?

She
knew it must be, because deep inside she felt she could never live with herself
if she shared such deep intimacy with a man whom she didn’t love, and who
didn’t love her in return. If she did, for any reason, she knew the shame would
be debilitating.

She
rolled onto her side and felt cool silk against her midriff.

The
pajamas. Finally, she could get out of this stupid harem costume!

She
jumped to her feet and shed her outfit in quick movements, then donned the top.
She ignored the peaking of her breasts as the silk swished over them--a
reminder of her earlier imaginings. Instead, she focused on how luxurious the
fabric felt against her skin. The garment fell to mid-thigh, and she had to
roll up the sleeves to find her hands, but she didn’t mind. She tugged on the
bottoms and found she had to hold them bunched at her waist to keep them up.

She
climbed into bed with a book in her hand, intending to read for a while before
going to sleep, but as soon as she laid her head on the pillow, her heavy
eyelids closed and didn’t open again until daylight streamed in through the
window.

Dawn
stretched her arms over her head, then pushed back the covers and sat up. What
a wonderful night’s sleep she’d had. It had felt so wonderful to stretch out on
a proper bed again.

When
she stood up, the pajama bottoms slipped off. She tugged them back up, but they
kept slipping down as she walked, so she finally gave up on them and kicked
them aside.

She
padded into the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator. She lifted out a jug
of orange juice. Pouring herself a glassful, she glanced around at all the
strange gadgets. She had no idea how to make breakfast using those things, but
she’d like to learn. Later, she’d ask Luke to show her around and explain
things. While she contemplated that idea, the glass of juice in her hand, the
door opened and a screech tore through the kitchen. She jumped, spilling juice
down the front of the lovely pajama top.

Dawn
gasped at the sudden cold. The sticky liquid made the fabric cling wetly to her
skin. She stared at the older woman with wide eyes.

“Mrs.
Stuart?”

“Well,
I never,” the older woman cried, glaring up and down at Dawn with a frown.

Didn’t
we go through this yesterday?

The
sound of the kitchen door swinging open drew her attention to Luke strolling
into the room. “Good morning,” he said, his face cheerful until he glanced
toward her. His gaze settled on her pajama top. “Uh ... uh, I don’t think we’ll
be needing you again this morning, Mrs. Stuart,” he said as he guided the woman
bodily out of the room.

Dawn
stayed in the kitchen, but could hear their conversation. She wiped at the
juice on her top with a damp cloth, hoping it wouldn’t stain.

“I’m
sorry you had to come all this way for nothing, but don’t worry, I’ll pay you
for today and yesterday.”

“Well,
I should think so. And will ye be needin’ me tomorrow, Mr. Jacobs?” she asked.

“No.
Why don’t you take the next week off. With pay, of course.”

“Fine.
I’ll be on my way, then.”

“Goodbye,
Mrs. Stuart.”

A
few seconds later, Luke entered the kitchen.

“I’m
sorry, Luke. I didn’t mean to upset her again. I wasn’t in the harem costume
this time, so I’m not sure why--”

“Um,
Dawn? The harem costume might have been a better choice.”

“Oh?
Why?” Dawn asked, perplexed.

Luke
looked her up and down. She wore only the top of the pajamas he’d given her
last night, leaving her long, sexy legs bare. The wet silk clung to her
breasts, outlining every detail. The tips, hard and pebbly, pushed through the
cloth like erotic hills. Maybe she’d look less enticing if she’d worn nothing
at all. Maybe. He couldn’t be sure. She looked pretty damned enticing right
now.

“Dawn,
put your costume back on.”

“Okay,
Luke.” She sounded confused, but complied with his wish.

Luke
dragged in a sigh of relief when he saw her standing before him in her familiar
green outfit. If she’d stayed like that much longer, he’d have had trouble
keeping his hands off her. He could hardly believe he’d had to wish her into
the skimpy harem costume in order to make her look less sexy.

But
then, as he saw the swell of her breasts revealed by her top, he groaned. This
wasn’t working, either.

“I’m
going to go take a shower.”

He
turned and marched out of the room. A cold shower, he thought, as he hurried to
his bathroom.

Very
long and very cold.

* * * *

As
Luke stepped out of the shower stall, he heard the phone ring. He slung a towel
around his hip and grabbed another to vigorously scrub his dripping wet hair.
He snatched up the receiver.

“Hello.”

“I’m
on my way, buddy. Be there in fifteen minutes.”

“George?”

“Why
do you sound so surprised? Don’t tell me you forgot we’re hittin’ the slopes today.”

“No,
I ... Well, yeah. Look, give me twenty-five minutes and I’ll meet you
downstairs.”

He
hung up and finished drying his hair. Damn. Although he thoroughly enjoyed his
outings with George, Luke had promised to take Dawn shopping today, and if she
was anything like Evelyn, she’d be hurt and probably angry at the change in
plans.

Ten
minutes later, dressed in ski pants and his favorite red wool turtleneck, he
strode into the living room. Dawn sat curled up on the couch reading a book.

“Dawn,
I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone our shopping trip.” He watched her close the
paperback and place it carefully in her lap as she gazed at him expectantly.
“With all the excitement this weekend, I forgot that I promised to go skiing
with George today. I’m sorry I can’t ask you along.” He and George made a point
of getting out together, just the two of them, at least once a month. No women
allowed. That was a rule. It had always annoyed Evelyn, but Luke had insisted,
feeling that she could allow him one day to himself a month.

Dawn
was a different issue, however. He felt bad about leaving her to fend for
herself. It wasn’t like she could go off and do some shopping on her own, or
had friends she could call and chat with on the phone.

Opposite
to what Luke expected, however, Dawn smiled.

“That’s
all right. Don’t worry about me. I’ll do some reading.”

He
stared at her, stopping his mouth from gaping open. This was not exactly the
reaction he’d expected. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t detect any
pouting sarcasm in her words. Evelyn had had that trick down pat. Dawn didn’t
even seem concerned that he was backing out of his offer to take her shopping.

“You’re
sure?” He didn’t know why he asked. He was going, no matter what.

“Yes,
I’ll be fine.” She laughed at his serious look. “You know, I’ve been amusing
myself for thousands of years. I’m really very good at it by now.”

She’d
said it to make him feel better, he knew, but now he felt guilty. How could she
do that? Evelyn had tried every trick her lovely mind could devise to make him
feel guilty, but had never succeeded. Dawn merely smiled and assured him she’d
be fine without him, and he had to clench his teeth and stop himself from
racing to the phone and calling George to cancel.

“I’ll
make it up to you. We’ll go next weekend, okay?”

“I’d
like that,” she said, still smiling.

Luke
glanced at his watch. George would be picking him up in the lobby in ten
minutes. He pulled on his outerwear and hurried out the door.

* * * *

After
a full day of skiing, George and Luke pulled into the apartment parking lot.
Luke knew he’d been distracted most of the day, and questions sparked in
George’s eyes.

“Hey,
why don’t I come up, and we’ll play a game of chess or somethin’?” George
suggested.

He’d
told Luke repeatedly that he was spending far too much time alone since Evelyn
had left. Sometimes George seemed to feel it his duty to fill the empty space.

“No,
I don’t think so.”

“You’re
just afraid I’ll beat you again.”

Luke
smiled. “No. The truth is, I’ve got someone staying with me.”

George’s
eyebrow lifted. “Someone? What kind of someone?”

“A
woman someone,” Luke admitted.

George
leaned back in the seat and crossed his arms. “You haven’t mentioned that
you’re datin’ anyone. You know, a fella could get hurt feelin’s when his best
buddy goes off and finds a woman and doesn’t even mention it.” His eyes
narrowed. “Why’ve you been hidin’ this gal?”

“George,
I haven’t been hiding her, I--”

“When’d
you two meet?”

“Friday
after the--”

“Tarnation,
man! You only met her Friday and she’s already moved in with you? Either that’s
love or pure foolishness. Luke, this isn’t like you.”

Luke
stared at his friend and shook his head, a big grin spreading across his face.
“You know, George, I really can take care of myself.”

“Dang
it, I know that, buddy. It’s just that there are a lot of gold diggers out
there and ... well, movin’ in with a gal after two days ain’t the best step.”

Luke
couldn’t help teasing his friend. “I thought you wanted me to find someone to
take Evelyn’s place.”

“Sure,
but not someone worse than Evelyn.”

Luke’s
amusement instantly dried up. He reached for the door handle and yanked it.

“Wait,
Luke. I didn’t mean--”

“Yes,
you did.” George had never liked Evelyn. Luke had known it, even though George
had done his best to hide the fact.

George’s
hand, big as his home state, Texas, closed around Luke’s arm. “Luke, I didn’t
mean to say anythin’ against Evelyn. I’m just worried about you. You’re a rich
man, and a lot of women’d marry you just to get at your money. And steppin’ in
now while you’re still hurtin’...” He squeezed and released Luke’s arm. “I
don’t want to see you sufferin’ another broken heart, that’s all.”

Luke’s
anger seeped away. “Look, George, I don’t have anyone living with me. Not like
you mean. She’s ... new in town, and I’m letting her stay here for a while,
that’s all. There’s nothing going on between us.”

“But
you only met her on Friday?” His face tightened into the calculating way it did
when he was figuring out a problem in one of his computer programs. “What,
she’s a friend of a friend or somethin’?”

“Yeah,
or something.”

“Ahh,
so she’s somebody’s sister. That means you’re still hittin’ the sheets alone.
Too bad.”

“George...”

“Say,
why don’t you ask me up to meet her?”

“No
way. I don’t want to scare her off by bringing up a six-foot-six cowboy
imported from Dallas.”

“You’re
not foolin’ me. You just want to keep her all to yourself.” Now that the
tension between them had subsided, George’s eyes twinkled with his usual good
humor again. “Come on, let me come up and meet this mystery woman.”

Luke
could imagine what George would think when he saw Dawn sitting in his
apartment, waiting for him in that sexy harem outfit. “Sorry, man, I’m really
tired. I’m going to call it an early night.”

George
accepted defeat gracefully, slapping Luke on the shoulder.

“No
problem, buddy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Luke
strolled through the lobby to an open elevator and pushed the button for his
floor. As the doors closed, he slumped against the back wall and tugged off his
toque, then raked his hair off his face. The day could have been better. Luke
hadn’t taken so many spills since he’d first started to ski--and the reason was
sitting up in his apartment right now, probably with her pert little nose in a
book. He only had to think about Dawn in her revealing costume and his body
tightened with need. Which was hellishly dangerous while skiing Death’s Last
Run on Mount Casper!

But
he couldn’t send her away. What would she do? Where would she go? She didn’t
know anyone in this century, let alone in this city. And what qualifications
did she have to find a job?

Damn,
he’d have to find some way to cope with this situation.

* * * *

Dawn
heard the key in the lock and glanced around to see Luke at the door. He leaned
his skis against the wall and tugged off his outerwear.

This
morning, she’d been so confident she could fill the day with reading, and it
had worked for several hours. Then she’d switched to watching television,
wanting to see more of the current culture, but soon found herself restless and
unable to concentrate.

The
memory of the kiss she and Luke had shared, the way her body had surged to life
while in his arms, had trembled through her system relentlessly. Why did she
feel this way about him?

She
watched him walk into the living room and sit in the easy chair by the
fireplace.

“Were
there any calls today?” he asked.

“The
phone rang a couple of times.”

His
eyebrows shot up. “Did you pick it up?”

“No.
No one would be calling me, and you weren’t here.”

“I
guess that makes sense.” He stood up and strolled to the phone on the high
table behind the couch. He picked up the receiver and pressed some buttons,
then listened. He pressed a few more buttons, listened some more. The
expression on his face grew more intense.

He
started a fire and asked Dawn to whip up some hot chocolate. She sat on the
couch, sipping her steaming drink, and he sat down across from her.

“Did
I tell you I’m having a party next week?”

“A
party?” She peered at him over her mug of hot chocolate. “Is that the one you
told Mrs. Stuart about?”

“That’s
right. I have one every year, and this year it’s a costume party, so you’ll fit
right in with your harem outfit.”

A
party would be both a blessing and a curse, Dawn thought. She had only spoken
with two people since she’d been released from the bottle--Luke and Mrs.
Stuart--and Mrs. Stuart’s conversation had been less than inspiring. Meeting
new and stimulating people would be wonderful, but holding up her end of a
conversation and trying to fit in would be difficult.

“And
Evelyn will be coming.”

Dawn’s
gaze darted to Luke. “How do you know?”

“She
was one of the calls this afternoon. She left a voice message.”

So,
she was going to meet the woman named Evelyn. The woman who had broken Luke’s
heart. Somehow, Dawn was sure she wouldn’t like her.

What
possible reason could Evelyn have had for leaving Luke? Dawn wondered. She
couldn’t imagine Luke doing anything that would push away the woman he loved.

She
tucked her knees up close to her body and traced the rim of her mug with her
fingertip. “Do you mind if I ask why you two broke up?”

“No,
I guess not.” He pushed himself up and strolled to the fireplace. Gripping the
edge of the mantel with one hand, he stared into the flames, his other hand
hanging loosely at his side. “She ... found someone else.”

His
words, spoken in a steady voice, gave away nothing of his emotions, but Dawn
noticed how his fingers clenched into a tight fist. Dawn wondered if this
Evelyn was insane. How could any rational woman prefer another man over Luke?

Dawn
nodded. “I know you don’t want to wish for Evelyn to love you again, but ... I
could knock off the other guy. That way, the field would be open for you to try
again.”

Luke’s
face darkened to a searing intensity, and the words he spoke were as sharp and
cold as shards of ice. “What do you mean ‘knock off’ the other guy?”

Oops.
Had she used the expression incorrectly? She was trying to pick up current
phrases from movies and television and assimilate them into her speech, but
there were so many to learn.

“You
know, get rid of him. Have him lose interest in her,” she explained.

His
harsh expression eased only a little. “I see. So tell me, if I asked you to
kill someone ... would you do it?”

Shock
tore through her. Her eyes widened and her breath caught. By the Gods, no! Why
did he want to know that?

She
took a deep breath. “If you ... ‘asked’ me?”

He
leaned forward, studying her intently. “No, I guess I mean if I ordered it ...
wished it.”

She
shook her head as she turned away from him, pain clutching at her chest.
“Please ... don’t ask me that question.”

“I
am asking it. If I commanded you to kill someone, would you do it?”

She
felt her lungs draw in a breath of air, then expel it in a short exhalation.
Then the process started again.

His
fingers slid over her shoulders and he turned her to face him. “Answer me,
Dawn.” His voice, thick with emotion, barely penetrated the odd haze that
surrounded her senses.

“Yes.”
The word came out as a croak, then she cleared her throat and tried again.
“Yes, I would. I’d ... have no choice.”

The
turn in the conversation disturbed her on a very deep level. Being under
someone else’s control, subject to their sense of ethics, or lack of them,
became a more frightening prospect all the time.

Luke
released her as though she disgusted him. The look in his eyes matched that
assessment. “There are always choices.”

“No,
you truly do not understand. You are my master. I am totally under your
control. You can force me to do anything you want.”

Luke
stared at her in shock. She had referred to him as master. She had never done
that before. And her shocking admission had made it clear that she was
essentially his slave, that she would respond to his slightest whim no matter
how serious the outcome. He shuddered. That much power was frightening.

Before
this discussion, he hadn’t fully realized the extent of his power over her.
Well, hell, he wasn’t used to genies or magic or any of this fairy tale stuff.
In real life, people could make their own choices.

He’d
been staring at her, but suddenly he actually saw her--saw what his questions
had done to her. She huddled against the side of the couch, her knees drawn
tightly against her chest, trembling. Oh, God, what had be been thinking? Of
course she’d never kill anyone if she had a choice. Clearly, the mere thought
devastated her.

He
reached for her and gently pulled her into his arms. “Don’t worry, Dawn,” he
whispered into her temple. “I would never ask you to do something like that.”

Her
fingers clutched at the fabric of his sweater and she rested her head against
his chest. The need to protect her, to keep her safe from anyone or anything
that could harm her, overwhelmed him, even as the awareness threaded through
him that he’d been the one responsible for her current agitation. He felt her
shivering ease, felt her relax against him, and suddenly, he became very aware
of the silkiness of her bare back under his hands. Her spicy, exotic scent
tickled his senses into alertness.

I
am totally under your control.

Her
words bounced around inside his head, and they must have knocked loose a few
connections because he found himself wishing he was the kind of man who’d take
advantage of a situation like this. He hazarded a glance down at the lovely
woman pressed against him. Every hill and valley of her proportions registered
in his mind.

I
am totally under your control.

The
thought bothered him, but it also excited him. The memory of those lovely, lush
lips pressed against his sent his mind reeling. Dawn was so powerful, yet so
vulnerable. She could do almost anything, and yet she would do only what he
told her to do.

God,
what he wanted her to do right now was make love to him. The thought of her
bending to his will, giving herself to him in proud submission, left him
melting inside. But he would never ... could never...

She
must have sensed his intense scrutiny because she tipped her head back and
their gazes locked. The effect of those large, green eyes staring up at him was
like being struck by lightning--leaving him dazed and blinded by desire.

He
cupped her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers. He savored the sweet
nectar of her kiss, filling him with a compelling thirst for more. One taste
was simply not enough. He tickled her mouth with his tongue. Startled, she
parted her lips, and he slid his tongue into the gentle recesses of her warm,
moist mouth. She sighed, sending warm breath into his mouth, exciting him even
more.

A
torrent of need flooded through him, urging him to stroke her silken skin, to
unfasten the little gold buttons of her top and watch it fall away to reveal
the breasts that tantalized him every time he saw the creamy swell exposed by
her scanty costume.

He
wanted her.

He
deepened the kiss, wanting to draw from her a response as compelling as his
own. To leave her weak and shaking with need.

To
make her want him as much as he wanted her.

She
moaned and slid her hands around his neck. Her mouth moved with his, following
his movements. When he drew his tongue back into his own mouth, her tongue
followed.

Oh,
God. She did want him. The knowledge filled him with a sudden caution.

Dawn
was inexperienced. These feelings that almost bowled him over would overwhelm
Dawn. And confuse her. He’d just been telling himself he wouldn’t take
advantage of the fact that he was her ... master. The word repelled him. And
yet, wasn’t this just as bad? Overwhelming her with feelings she might be
unable to cope with. He had to stop this--but he had to be gentle. He didn’t
want to embarrass her for her response to him. Her deliciously wonderful
response.

He
cupped her head and stroked the soft flesh behind her ear. Slowly, gently, he
drew his lips from hers.

“Dawn?”

She
pulled back and stared at him, her eyes dazed, uncertain.

He
released her reluctantly and shook his head in wonder. Dawn intoxicated him so
thoroughly ... When he was around her he had trouble thinking of anything but
taking her into his arms. He could almost believe she had put a spell on him.

“Dawn,
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you with my questions.” He took her hand and
stroked it gently. “I find it difficult to think straight when I’m around you.”
He couldn’t think of anything else to say and she merely blinked at him
expectantly. “Look, let’s call it a night.”

He
felt her hand tense in his as he pulled her to her feet. She walked stiffly by his
side as he accompanied her to her room. He opened the door for her, and she
stepped inside, then glanced back at him nervously.

Well,
of course she’s nervous, you dolt. She probably thinks you’re going to attack
her after that session on the couch.

As
he watched her pink tongue trace the edges of her lips, he wondered if she
actually wanted him to carry on where they’d left off. The memory of her tongue
slipping between his lips caused a tightening in his groin.

He
bade her goodnight and closed the door firmly between them, then hurried to his
own room. Damn it, how could he go on like this? Having Dawn in his apartment,
and in such revealing attire, was driving him crazy.

Hell,
he’d been without a woman too long and his urges were getting the better of
him. If he didn’t keep rigid control of himself, he’d wind up obeying his
libido and dragging her off to bed with him.

But
he couldn’t allow that to happen. Dawn, for all the thousands of years she’d
been around, was an innocent. When he gazed in her wide, green eyes, he saw the
same desire he felt reflected back, and it confused her. He was sure of it.
Making love would be a major commitment for her--and too much of a commitment
for him. After all, where could a relationship between them lead? She was a
genie, for God’s sake.

So,
acting on his desire would be taking advantage of her, which he would not
allow. Yet he found it near impossible to resist her. What the hell was he
supposed to do?

He’d
just have to keep his mind off her exotic curves and on something else.












Chapter 6



Dawn
watched the bartender put the last batch of soft drinks in the large cooler
beside the bar, then disappear into the kitchen.

The
days to the party had rushed past. Dawn had spent most of her time alone
reading books from Luke’s collection and watching movies--and she had had a lot
of time alone. Luke had worked late every night. He’d shown her how to nuke
something in the microwave, as he put it, so she didn’t have to wait for him
for dinner. By the time he’d gotten home at night, she was usually asleep. She
had the definite feeling he’d been avoiding her.

Luke
snapped open a can of cola, making Dawn’s tautly drawn nerves clench. One side
of Luke’s mouth turned up in a half-grin. “Calm down. This is a party. You’re
going to have fun.”

He
poured the contents of the red can of cola into a tall glass, then handed it to
her. She stared at it, hearing the fizz of the bubbles rioting inside the
glass. That chaos mirrored her own insides. She felt like a can of
cola--shaken, not stirred. If someone pulled her tab, she’d explode in a
spectacular burst of anxiety.

“I
know, I just want to make sure everything is perfect.” She took a sip from her
glass, then set it down on the bar.

Mrs.
Stuart had left an hour ago, after using various electric appliances and
gadgets to clean Luke’s apartment. Four people in black uniforms with aprons
had been scurrying about for the last half hour, laying bowls of snacks around
the room and preparing food in the kitchen.

Dawn
glanced around, searching for anything useful to do. When she couldn’t find
anything, she strolled to the fireplace and started fidgeting with the
ornaments on the mantel--one of which was her brass bottle--rearranging them,
shifting them around to see the different effects that could be achieved by
sorting them by height or color or type.

She
felt something touch her and she jumped. It was Luke resting his hands gently
on her shoulders. He chuckled as she turned to face him.

“Hmm,
maybe I should have given you a caffeine-free cola. You’re practically bouncing
off the walls now.”

She
forced her fists to unclench, stretching her fingers out slowly, then wiggling
them.

“I’m
sorry. I’m just nervous about tonight.”

He
gave her a smile of reassurance, and squeezed her arm. “There’s no reason to be
nervous. You’ll do fine.”

“That’s
easy for you to say,” she snapped. “You know everybody.” Pacing back and forth,
she fretted with the tail end of her veil.

He
leaned against the back of the couch, watching her, his eyes swiveling back and
forth like a spectator at a tennis match. Now there was a sport she’d like to
try sometime. She’d watched a match on television yesterday, and it looked like
a fun way to keep in shape.

Tennis?
Why am I thinking about tennis when fifty or more of Luke’s friends are about
to crowd in here? But she knew the answer. Her frazzled brain would grasp
at anything right now to keep her mind off that very thought.

She
put her hands to her face as she realized she’d snapped at Luke a moment ago.
Good heavens.

“I
didn’t think you’d be so worried about meeting new people,” Luke said.

“Not
ordinarily, but you must admit, there is nothing about our situation that is
ordinary. I have nothing in common with these people, not even the century I’m
from!”

He
grabbed her shoulders again, stopping her restless motion. He faced her square
on and held her gaze with his own. “Dawn, you’ll do fine. Really. You’ve read
half my library, and you’ve been watching all the latest movies and television
shows. You’ll have lots to talk about.” He smiled and nudged her chin. “And if
you get into trouble just flutter those long eyelashes of yours, or swing your
hips, and nobody’ll care what you’re saying.”

The
side of her mouth twitched up despite herself. “I think that would be
considered a sexist statement. That is the right term, isn’t it?”

“See,
you’re a thoroughly modern woman already.” He laughed at her puckered
expression. “Don’t worry. You’ll have fun. I promise.” He winked at her. “And
if you get into trouble, just signal me, and I’ll come rescue you.”

“Hmm.
Wouldn’t kidnapping be more in keeping with your swashbuckling attire?”

He
stepped back and struck a dramatic pose, legs slightly apart, hands planted
firmly on his hips.

“Well,
if that will be your pleasure, my lady, then merely say the word.”

Dawn’s
gaze fastened on Luke, dressed in his pirate outfit, and felt her nervousness
sink under the flood of wanton thoughts that surged through her. The tight,
black pants hugged his muscular thighs lovingly, and the white shirt, open to
mid-chest, revealed a softly furred, muscular expanse of flesh. The sleeves of
his shirt billowed around his wrists and tall, leather boots rose to just below
his knees.

She
glanced at the scarlet scarf wrapped around his head, then shifted her gaze to
the strong, muscular features of his face, tempered by warmth--and a very sexy
smile--and she wondered how any woman could resist him. When Evelyn arrived and
saw him in that outfit, she’d be crazy not to throw herself into his arms. And
that thought made Dawn’s stomach clench.

She
noticed Luke’s eyes darkening under her scrutiny. Mesmerized by the call of
something as old and irresistible as time itself, she felt herself leaning
towards him, as drawn to him as the tide is by the pull of the moon. He felt
it, too, she could tell. They were like two bodies floating in space, drawn
together by their own gravity. Nothing existed around them. Only she and
Luke--and this irresistible attraction. His hand rose to her cheek, and their
eyes met. Dawn’s breath caught as his mouth lowered to hers.

Just
before their lips met, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll
get that,” Dawn managed to mutter as she escaped his touch and bolted for the
door.

Luke
followed her and greeted his first guests of the evening. Within an hour, his
large apartment had filled to brimming with unusually dressed people. In one
corner, a big white rabbit leaned against a wall, chatting with a fairy and a
vampire. Cleopatra sat on the couch having a heated argument with a frog, and
Marilyn Monroe danced across the room with Napoleon.

Luke
remembered parties from his youth where he and his friends had worn felt and
canvas costumes thrown together over a weekend. The contrast between then and
now was staggering. Most of his guests had money, so the costumes were elegant
and well detailed. In fact, Dawn’s authentic costume fit right in. A few other
women had arrived in harem outfits, too, but none looked as seductive as
Dawn’s. Then again, the woman in it made all the difference.

As
he watched her from across the room, her figure gloriously displayed, her face
aglow with color, her hair shining brilliantly, he realized how truly exquisite
she was. He had to curb his intense desire to walk over and touch her, just to
convince himself she was real--and to assuage the intense desire that gripped
him any time he saw her. He had to keep that thought firmly in his mind.

He
felt an arm come around his shoulders and glanced around to see George smiling
at him.

“Hey,
buddy, when are you goin’ to introduce me to that gal who’s been stayin’ with
you?”

Predictably,
George had dressed in a cowboy outfit. It was hardly a costume, since he wore
the beautifully detailed, brown cowboy boots every day. He wore the large,
brown Stetson fairly regularly, too, but he’d added a holster and guns to his
denim clad hips to complete the effect.

“You
mean Dawn? She’s right over there.” Luke inclined his head toward his beautiful
genie. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.” Luke started to thread through the crowd.

“You
mean the one in the cat costume?” George squinted at a group of four people
chatting, three men and a woman.

“No,
to the right.”

George
stopped in his tracks. “You mean that gorgeous creature in the green? You’re
kiddin’ me, right? Hell, she’s ... she’s...”

“Gorgeous?”
Luke raised an eyebrow, not sure he liked the gleam in his friend’s eyes.

“Yeah,
that’s right. Listen, were you bein’ straight with me when you told me there
was nothin’ between you two?”

“Yes.”
Luke pushed aside a twinge of guilt. He hadn’t lied. Sure he’d kissed Dawn, but
there really wasn’t anything between them--except this she was his genie. He
wouldn’t be foolish enough to fall in love with someone who had the power to
turn him into a frog.

“That’s
good.”

Luke
glanced back at his friend. “Why?”

George
pushed up the brim of his hat, shifting it to a rakish tilt.

“‘Cause
heck, I’d like to go after that gal myself, if she’s free.”

A
disturbing sensation skittled through Luke’s chest. One he refused to identify.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”

George
glanced at Luke, eyebrows raised. “Why?”

“I
just ... don’t think she’s your type, that’s all.” Luke tried to quell the
feeling of resentment that came over him at the glint in George’s eyes as he
gazed appreciatively at Dawn. She might be his genie, but she wasn’t his woman,
and even though he felt a desperate attraction to her, he had to keep those
feelings under tight control.

He
didn’t want to fall in love with a mythical being. Why, then, did he feel so
angry at George’s interest in Dawn? For that matter, of every male’s in the
room? They all seemed to stare at her like predators eyeing dinner. She had a
steady stream of guys entertaining her.

George
laughed and started forward again. “Let me decide that, okay, old buddy?” He
stopped and threw Luke a speculative glance. “As long as you’re sure you’re not
plannin’ on stakin’ a claim?”

“No,
of course not. Did I tell you Evelyn’s coming tonight?” Luke wasn’t sure why
he’d asked that question. Probably as much to get his own thoughts off Dawn as
to distract George.

“Why
in tarnation would you invite that ... that...?”

“I
invite her every year. I’m not going to stop just because--”

“She
dumped you.”

“Look,
George, I know you’ve never cared for Evelyn--I’m not sure why--but I still
consider her a friend.”

George
put his hand on Luke’s arm, his face grim. “Just be careful, Luke. I’d hate to
see you hurt again.”

“All
I’ve done is invited her to my party. What harm can that do?”

George’s
mouth pulled into a tight line. It looked as though he wanted to say something
more, but instead he slapped Luke on the shoulder, then continued across the
room. “Come on, introduce me to that beauty before some other lucky stiff
sweeps her off her feet.”

Luke
introduced the two of them, and Dawn seemed delighted by his colorful,
exuberant friend. Luke left them to it, hearing them laugh and chat together as
he moved on to greet other guests. If someone was going to entertain Dawn, he’d
rather it be George than the other guys hanging around her. He could trust
George.

Luke
kept eyeing the door, watching for Evelyn. The party had been going on for a
good two hours, but then, Evelyn always arrived late. That was part of her
style.

Finally,
she arrived, and to Luke’s surprise, she was alone. Of course, Trevor was
probably parking the car. She slipped off her coat and handed it to one of the
caterers who’d been passing by. Resplendent in a red Scarlet O’Hara costume,
trimmed with gold and feathers, she made a leisurely scan of the room. She
looked as beautiful as ever.

When
she spotted Luke a slow, languorous smile spread across her sophisticated
features. She seemed pleased that Luke had been watching for her.

She
stepped into the room and stopped to chat with a couple she and Luke had known
for several years. Her eyes raised every now and again to be sure Luke was
still watching her, obviously waiting for him to come over. He headed across
the room, stopping at the bar to order her favorite drink from the bartender.

* * * *

From
across the room, Dawn saw Luke’s face light up and swiveled her gaze in the
direction of his stare. A lovely woman in a red velvet gown stood across the
room, her chestnut-brown hair caressing her shoulders.

George,
who’d been entertaining her with his witty stories, saw where her attention had
drifted.

“That’s
Evelyn. She and Luke used to be an item.”

“Yes,
I know. He told me.”

So
this was Evelyn, Dawn mused. Dawn took a sip from her glass of
cola--caffeine-free--and watched the woman over the rim of her glass. She was
truly beautiful.

George
stared at Evelyn with a look of contempt, and grunted. “I just hope he doesn’t
try to get together with her again. It would be a big mistake.”

“Why?”
Concern arced through her. She knew how close George and Luke were. George
would want Luke to be happy, and the fact that he disapproved of Evelyn made
Dawn worry.

“If
you ask me, she’s trouble with a capital ‘T.’ I always did think so. I’m sure
she’s just out for his money.”

She
turned her astonished gaze on him. “But then, why did she break up with him?”

“I’m
not quite sure about that, little lady. Probably that Trevor guy had enough
dough to tempt her away. He doesn’t have as much as Luke does, but if he showed
her some interest, she might have figured he’d actually marry her.” George
shook his head sadly. “Luke showed the most sense he ever had with that gal
when he dug in his heels about settin’ a wedding date. It seemed the harder she
pushed, the less willing he was to decide when.”

“But
I thought they were engaged. Doesn’t that mean he intended to marry her?”

“Sure,
but no man likes to be pushed into it, and that gal would have dragged him
kickin’ and screamin’ to the altar, if she could have.”

She
stared at Evelyn and Luke as she considered his words. She shook her head,
confused. “I don’t understand. He said he loved her.”

George
laughed. “Yeah, I know. And he believes he does, but I think deep down inside
he knows they’re not right together.”

“But
he seems to know his own mind.” She saw Luke as very decisive, but George knew
him better than she did.

“Sure
he does. In most things. Love is a different matter, though. I don’t think it’s
so much that he wants Evelyn as that he wants someone to love. He’s just used
to Evelyn, is all. And she always could play him like a well-tuned instrument.”
He took a swig of his drink and stared at the lovely woman in question. “One
thing for sure, though, she’s out to get him back.”

Alarm
jolted through her like an electric current. By the Gods, Luke had said he
missed Evelyn. If what he felt for her was anything like her longing for Sky,
he would definitely want her back. What would happen if Evelyn was successful?
How would Dawn fit in Luke’s life, then? Would he cast her aside? He’d already
discussed the possibility of sending her away once, and Evelyn certainly
wouldn’t want Dawn hanging around.

The
thought of being cut out of Luke’s life disturbed her--and not just because
she’d be left alone in this strange world.

“A
couple weeks back,” George continued, “she made a big point of tellin’ me that
she and that Trevor character had broken up. She and I, well, we never got on
together so it sure was odd that she’d make a point of tellin’ me anythin’.”

“You
think she did it so you’d tell Luke?”

“That’s
exactly what I think. She was hopin’ he’d come after her.”

“You
didn’t tell Luke, though, did you?”

“Hell,
no.”

“Why
not? I thought you were Luke’s best friend.”

He
tipped his hat back. “That’s right, ma’am, and that’s exactly why I didn’t tell
‘im.”

* * * *

“Luke,
darling, how wonderful to see you again.” Evelyn held out her hand to him as he
approached. He put the drinks down on the mantel beside them, then took her
hand and raised it to his lips.

“You
look stunning, Evelyn.” He smiled at her, taking in her elaborately coifed
hair, with the ringlets that draped down the side of her neck drawing attention
to the deep cut of her gown. The bodice fit snugly, showing off her tiny waist,
and the skirt draped nicely over her hips. Now that he was close to her, he
thought her makeup looked overdone, giving her the appearance of an actress
playing a part. Dawn’s natural beauty appealed to him more. He found himself
wondering how Evelyn would look in a harem outfit.

“Here,
this is for you,” he said, as he picked up the white wine spritzer and placed
it in her hand.

“You’re
so sweet, Luke.”

She
smiled at him, and he felt his throat tighten. He had missed her these past
months.

“I
was so glad you invited me to this party, darling. Since Trevor and I broke up,
I’ve been quite lonely.”

Luke
felt as though his heart missed a beat. “You and Trevor aren’t together
anymore?” Hope flared brightly within him. Would it be possible to start a
relationship with Evelyn again?

She
stared at the wine glass in her hand, a pout shaping her lips. “No. Didn’t
George tell you?” She flicked her eyes at him coquettishly, gazing at him from
under the fan of her long, dark eyelashes. “Well, no wonder you never called. I
thought maybe you didn’t consider us friends anymore.” Her elegantly shaped
eyebrows arched up. “We are, aren’t we? Friends, I mean.”

Luke
couldn’t believe Evelyn had been lonely, could ever be lonely. She drew men as
easily as a magnet drew paper clips. “Of course we are. Hopefully, more than
friends,” he murmured.

She
smiled brilliantly and curled her hand around his elbow, pressing her body
close to his side. Luke felt wonderful. Evelyn was here beside him, she was
available, and she seemed interested. Luke couldn’t believe his luck.

Or
was it luck? A dark thought cast a shadow over his happiness as he remembered
Dawn asking him if he wanted her to get rid of Trevor. He glanced towards her,
wondering if she’d done so despite their conversation.

“How
long ago did you break up with Trevor?”

“It’s
been two weeks now.”

Two
weeks. Well before he’d released Dawn from her bottle. He shouldn’t have
doubted her.

“So,
who’s the ... exotic dancer?” Evelyn asked.

“What?”
He glanced back to Evelyn and saw her narrowed eyes as she watched where Luke’s
attention had been directed. He hadn’t realized he’d been staring at Dawn,
admiring her beauty. What was wrong with him? Here he was standing beside the
woman he loved and he was staring at Dawn like a love-struck teenager.

He
felt Evelyn’s fingers tighten on his arm.

“Is
that George’s new playmate?”

“No,
she didn’t come with George.”

“Who
is she, then?”

Her
cutting tone yanked his gaze back to her. Evelyn’s face was set in cold, hard
lines, but when she realized Luke was staring at her, she smiled.

“Well,
darling, you do seem quite taken with her.”

“No,
Evelyn.” He squeezed her hand, gazing at Dawn again distractedly. “She’s just a
friend. She’ll only be staying here for a little while.”

“She’s
staying with you?” Evelyn demanded sharply, yanking her hand free of his.

Damn.
How could he have let that slip? How would he explain to Evelyn that he had a
woman staying with him? She was not the understanding type when it came to this
kind of thing.

Luke
cursed himself again as he saw the anger harden her face. He believed in
honesty in a relationship, but that didn’t mean he had to sabotage this
reconciliation by telling Evelyn everything. For instance, he couldn’t tell her
about Dawn being a genie. She’d never believe it. So he shouldn’t have told her
that Dawn was staying here, either. Unfortunately, it was too late to worry
about that now. All he could do was minimize the damage.

“It’s
all perfectly innocent. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

He
placed his hand over the one Evelyn had wrapped around his arm and led her
across the room to where Dawn and George were talking.

“Dawn.
George. There you are.”

George
saw Dawn turn at the sound of Luke’s voice and her cheeks go pale when she came
face to face with Evelyn. He put his arm around her shoulder for moral support.
He wasn’t sure why the little gal was so bothered by Evelyn’s presence, but he
suspected that Luke’s idea that there was nothing between him and Dawn was one-sided.

Too
bad, he thought, as he scanned the woman’s lovely figure and the black gloss of
her hair. On the one hand, he was disappointed for himself. He really liked
this sweet, young thing and had hoped to get to know her better. For himself.
Not as a friend of her and Luke. On the other hand, if she could distract Luke
from Evelyn, it’d be worth losing a chance with her. He’d hate to see Luke get
tangled up with that gold digger again.

Dawn
watched Evelyn acknowledge George coolly, then turn frigid cat-eyes on her.

“So,
I understand you’ve been staying here with Luke.” Her voice was like smooth
vellum paper: rich and elegant, with an edge that cut.

“Evelyn,
I told you not to worry about that. Dawn and I are just friends. Nothing more.
Right, Dawn?”

Dawn
stared at him with nervous eyes and then glanced away. By the Gods, what could
she do? She had to answer the truth.

“Dawn?”
Clearly, he was uncertain at her reluctance to speak.

“Well,
it looks like a slight difference in opinion, darling,” Evelyn simpered.

“Dawn,
tell her!”

His
voice, insistent now, shredded her composure. Dawn could no more refuse his
command than she could stop breathing, though that choice would be easier right
now. When he’d commanded her to tell him she wasn’t a genie, she’d been able to
comply because he had wished a specific statement. In this case, he demanded
she answer a question and she had to make an honest statement.

“I
can’t tell her what you want me to say. We are more than friends.” Seeing the
anger flare in his eyes, Dawn fled into the crowd, fearing more questions and
more answers to be dragged from her.

Luke
saw George’s furious glance before he turned to go after Dawn.

“Excuse
me, Evelyn. I’ve got to sort this out.” He grasped her shoulders. “You will
stay, won’t you? I need to talk with you.”

“Of
course, darling. I’ll be here.” She smiled, dazzling him.

“I’ll
be right back, I promise.”

Luke
caught up with them in the study. Annoyance raged through him when he saw
George’s arm around Dawn’s waist. Dawn’s face surged with color, and George was
speaking to her in a hushed, reassuring tone.

“George,
if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to Dawn alone.”

George
glared at Luke long and hard, then turned a quizzical gaze on Dawn.

“It’s
okay, George. Thanks,” she said, her voice a little too breathy for Luke’s
piece of mind.

George
turned back to Luke and waved a threatening finger at him. “Look, you may be my
friend, but I warn you. Don’t go upsettin’ this little lady any more tonight.”

Luke
said nothing as George strode to the door. With one final glance at Dawn, he
closed the door behind him.

“What
the hell was that all about out there? What’s gotten into you?”

She
avoided his gaze, glancing uncertainly around the room, fiddling with the tape
dispenser on his desk.

“Dawn,
answer me!” he said as he swiveled her around to face him.

“You
.... you haven’t asked a question I can answer yet.” She looked so small and
fragile in his grip. He released her shoulders and stepped back. He took a deep
breath and spoke again, this time forcing the sharp edge off his voice.

“Why
did you tell her we were more than friends?”

“Because
we are.” She swung away from him again, gripping the edge of the desk. “You’re
my master. I’m you’re genie. I can’t claim less.”

He
sucked in a deep breath. So that’s what she’d meant. “Even so, why did you have
to tell her that? Now she believes we’re lovers.”

“I’m
sorry, it’s just that ... I can’t lie.”

“You
could try. After all, it’s for a good cause.”

“No,
I mean it.” She turned at stared at him imploringly. “I cannot lie, even if I
want to. I can choose not to speak, but I cannot lie. Out there you ... you
forced me to answer. I had no choice.”

The
door behind them opened, and Evelyn came in.

“Oh,
there you are, darling. Would you mind if I had a little chat with Dawn? Alone?
You know, girl talk.”

“Evelyn,
there’s nothing going on between Dawn and me so you don’t have to worry.”

“Of
course, darling. If you say so, I believe you. Go on, now. I’ll find you in a
few minutes.”

He
glanced uncertainly from Dawn to Evelyn and back again. He gave Dawn a sharp
warning stare and muttered under his breath so Evelyn, who stood several feet
away, couldn’t hear. “Dawn, don’t say or do anything to stop me from winning
Evelyn back.”

Her
eyes flared wide, but he didn’t stop to consider why.

Dawn
watched Luke step behind the desk and fiddle with the telephone. Distractedly,
she noticed a red light flashing.

“If
you ladies will excuse me, I have some messages to attend to.”

Once
the door closed behind Luke, Evelyn dropped her sugary smile and sauntered over
to face Dawn, pure venom in her eyes.

“Look
.... dear ... maybe you’ve got your hooks into Luke right now, but I assure you,
I want him back ... and I intend to get him.” She jabbed an arrogant finger at
Dawn. “And I will, make no mistake about it.”

Dawn
felt her stomach clench in reaction to Evelyn’s words. “Evelyn, if you want him
so badly, why did you leave him in the first place?”

She
picked up a crystal sculpture from Luke’s desk and examined it as though
assessing the value. “He was being such a bore. I’d tried everything to get him
to marry me, dropping every hint I could think of, pressuring him, trying to
make him jealous. Finally, when Trevor came along, I thought I could cut my
losses. He’s rich, too, and seemed more interested in a commitment.” She rolled
her eyes. “Or so I thought. When Trevor left, I made sure George knew, but he
obviously didn’t pass on that tidbit of information. George never liked me, you
know.”

Dawn
had no doubt why.

This
woman must be an excellent actress to fool Luke so thoroughly. He believed she
actually cared about him, when clearly she didn’t have the capacity to care
about anyone but herself. Dawn loathed the thought of Evelyn marrying Luke.

Evelyn
threw her gaze on Dawn, narrowing her eyes. “So listen, dear, take this as fair
warning. You’d better start searching for somewhere else to stay, because I
won’t put up with you staying here. I’ll tell Luke tonight so expect to be
thrown out on your ear by morning. Believe me, I’ll get my way.”

“I
do believe you,” Dawn said. She turned to go, unable to face this horrible
woman a moment longer.

“By
the way, where did you get that perfectly slutty costume? I’m surprised you’d
go out in public in it.”

Dawn
continued to walk out of the room and closed the door on Evelyn’s insulting
laughter. Numb and aching inside, she made her way to the balcony, searching
for a place to be alone. She peered out the window and saw that it was crowded
with people smoking cigarettes. Desperately needing to escape the people, the
noise, and more importantly, her own sharp feelings, she went to the closet,
pulled out one of Luke’s suit coats and threw it over her shoulders.

She
took the stairs up to the roof. As she pushed open the door, the crisp February
air hit her full force. She buttoned the coat and snuggled into it as she sat
on the ledge watching the skyline.

A
few scattered snowflakes drifted around her, clinging to her dark hair,
glistening in the moonlight. The night, quiet and still, offered a serenity she
did not feel, but she drew on it, hoping it would quiet her inner turmoil.

She
couldn’t believe Luke loved that woman, that horrible, heartless woman. Dawn
would do anything to be able to warn him about Evelyn, but if she told him what
Evelyn had said and how she was using him, he probably wouldn’t believe her. He
wanted Evelyn too much to believe such an awful truth.

She
felt so helpless. The fact was, she couldn’t tell Luke anything about Evelyn’s
revelation anyway. Before Luke left her alone with Evelyn, he’d told her she
couldn’t do anything to interfere with his winning Evelyn back. It hadn’t been
specific enough to trigger magic, but it meant she couldn’t do anything
contrary to that end. Which meant she couldn’t tell Luke that Evelyn was bad
for him. Telling someone they didn’t really want the result of their wish was
counter to fulfilling it. Once the wish was made, she could no longer offer
advice.

All
she could do was watch as Evelyn took over his life and squeezed it dry. Tears
sprang to her eyes as she realized how much it would hurt to see Evelyn tear
away Luke’s happiness, shatter his dreams with her greed. As she wracked her
brain for some acceptable answer to her dilemma, it struck her that what she
felt was not simple compassion for another person, but something much, much
more. Surely, she couldn’t be ... wouldn’t be ... falling in love with the
handsome man who had freed her from the bottle?

Her
chest tightened as though frozen by the cold night air. How could she fall in
love with someone who controlled the pattern of her life? To her, love meant
sharing, an equal partnership--not one person totally dominated by the other.

And
Luke could never love her. She was far from suitable. He would want a woman
from his own time and culture. A woman experienced in the art of lovemaking. A
woman who was more than a mere slave.

Her
face fell into her hands as the full implication hit her. The condition imposed
by the council to free her from marrying Amar could never be met. Because she
knew, as surely as she knew the sun would rise tomorrow, that she could never
fall in love with another man. Not now that she loved Luke.

Trying
to empty her soul of the overwhelming agony of that thought, she sucked in a
ragged breath, felt the sting of cold air burning her lungs. Maybe she could
find solace in the cold brilliance of the night. She stared up at the heavens.
The stars hung above her, suspended in the depths of the black sky. She gazed
at them, tried to lose herself in the beauty of the twinkling lights, but shock
skittered along her nerve endings as she faced a disturbing sight. The stars
blazed brightly in unfamiliar patterns, the constellations skewed from what she
had known tens of centuries ago when she had been a free woman.

Free.

She
would never be free again.

Finally,
she gave herself up to the night, letting tears stream down her face, unheeded.

* * * *

The
night dragged on, dark and cold, but Dawn couldn’t force herself to return to
the apartment. She couldn’t face laughing music and gay people. But mostly, she
couldn’t face Luke, couldn’t watch Evelyn working her wicked spell on him,
winning his heart more securely than ever.

Dawn
wished the night would never end, that she could stay up here and hide from the
pain, but as always the first faint glimmer of day tickled the sky into morning
with soft pink fingers of light. The darkness, humbled before the vivid rays of
mother sun, faded away in grace and style, giving way to a brilliant sunrise
that lit the sky with warmth.

If
only that light could penetrate her heart and melt away the darkness within.
How maddening, to be named for such a blissful time of day, yet not be able to
harness the same joy within herself.

Sitting
in silence and despair, her well of tears long since dried up and her heart
empty and bereft, she watched nature’s painting take shape before her. With no
feelings to hold her bound to Earth, she imagined floating along with the
swirling clouds, taking flight with the birds, and fluttering with the leaves
in the breeze. Be anywhere but here, her heart cried. Here there is
only pain. Here there is only loss. Better to be one with the sky with no
identity and no self, and no feelings to fear.

Luke
pushed open the door to the roof and peered out. When he saw Dawn his heart
twisted painfully. He nodded to George, who stood behind him, and his friend
patted him on the back and silently turned and descended into the depths of the
stairwell. Luke took a deep breath and stepped outside.

Lost
in the glorious sunrise, Dawn did not appear to hear the roof door close or his
quiet footsteps approach her from behind. He watched her for several minutes,
trying to gauge her mood, not wanting to jar her from her apparent peace, but
finally he spoke.

“Dawn.”

She
turned at the soft sound. “Are you calling me or commenting on the time of
day?”

Was
she trying to keep the mood light between them? He couldn’t answer in kind,
because what he had to tell her laid heavily on his heart.

“We
have to talk.”

She
rose from her perch at the roof’s edge. “Yes, Luke, I guess we do.”

She
looked so lost and lonely. He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms,
to comfort her. But that wouldn’t be appropriate.

Dawn
watched Luke’s back, stiff with tension, as she followed him to the apartment
without another word. The time had come, she knew.

He
was going to send her away.












Chapter 7



Once
inside the privacy of his penthouse, Luke watched Dawn walk to the couch and
run her hand along the back. Her beauty settled over him like a soft cloud,
calming him, filling him with serenity.

When
she’d disappeared last night he’d been frantic. He’d searched everywhere,
checking every room in the place, every corner. When she hadn’t turned up, a
crazy thought had hit him. Maybe she’d gone home with someone. Luke knew she’d
been upset and ... his heart clenched when he realized how alone she must have
felt. Luke had been angry with her, Evelyn had confronted her. In a situation
like that, a person could do crazy things. Sometimes, in the depths of
loneliness, a woman might reach out to a stranger. And there’d been many
strangers here last night who would have been only too willing to fill that
need.

Remembering
how taken George had been with her, he would have been Luke’s prime suspect,
but he’d still been at the party when Luke realized Dawn was missing. Good
friend that he was, he’d stayed long past the other guests, helping Luke search
for her. When she still hadn’t turned up by four o’clock, they started phoning
guests, and finally one friend mentioned that he’d seen her put on a coat and
head for the stairs. Luke had immediately raced to the roof, George on his
heels.

Luke
sighed. The events of last night had unsettled him. In fact, they had disturbed
the very foundations of his life.

“I
was worried about you. I didn’t know where you were.”

His
softly spoken words drew her gaze toward him. It drifted like a demure
butterfly, lighting briefly on his face, then fluttered on again to rest on her
hands.

“I’m
sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

“Did
you stay up there all night?”

She
nodded. “I needed some time alone.”

“Dawn,
I’m sorry I got angry with you last night. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She
threaded her hands together. Her head tipped down as she stared at them
intently, her hair swinging forward to obscure her face. “I understand why you
got upset. What I said couldn’t have helped with Evelyn, I...” She swung away
from the couch, her back to him. “I’m sorry, Luke.” Her voice had started to
crack and Luke stepped toward her. “I know how much you want her.”

Luke
placed a hand on her shoulder, silently willing her to turn around.

“Dawn,
it’s all right.”

She
turned to face him with a shaky smile, but he saw the gleam of unshed tears in
her eyes. When she saw his intense expression, her smile disappeared.

“Dawn...”
He needed to touch her, to ease her disquiet. But even more, to convince
himself she was real. He raised his hand to stroke a loose strand of hair
behind her ear, but she backed away. He dropped his hand to his side.

She
pivoted and started a rapid pacing across the carpet, as though her pent up
anxiety had burst out in a charge of energy. Her words came in a rush. “Look,
Luke, I know you’ll want me to find somewhere else to live. I don’t have an
identity or any work history, so it’ll be difficult to find a job, but--”

Luke
sliced his hand through the air. “Dawn, stop it.” Is that what she thought?
That he’d send her away? Poor Dawn. Alone and lonely in an alien time, thinking
she’d be thrown out of the only place she felt safe. She had been living
through that all night long.

She’d
stopped pacing and now stared at him uncertainly. One tear managed to escape
each eye before she blinked them back. Her hand dashed away the evidence of her
shaky emotions.

He
cupped her shoulders gently and turned her to face him. “Dawn, listen to me. I
don’t want you to go anywhere.”

“But
.... I thought...” Her gaze met his, then skittered away. He’d seen a flickering
of hope in the moss-green depths of her eyes. “Evelyn won’t like--”

“I
don’t care what Evelyn will or won’t like,” he exclaimed, anger coloring his
words. Dawn’s eyes widened and she turned her head away, as though alarmed by
the fire in his eyes. He realized he’d tightened his fingers on her soft skin.
Instantly, his tone softened, along with his grip. “Dawn, I’m sorry. I’m not
angry with you. I...” He released her and raked his hand through his hair.
“This is hard for me. I really thought Evelyn loved me.”

Pain
lanced through him at the thought of how she’d played on his longings for a
family, how she’d manipulated him, how she’d almost tricked him into marriage.
He switched his focus to the woman staring at him with wide, vulnerable eyes.

“Dawn,
I don’t want Evelyn.”

“I
.... don’t understand.”

“I
heard the conversation Evelyn had with you in the den, when she asked to speak
with you alone. I ... I listened in.”

“You
did?”

“I’m
sorry, but I was worried about what you might say and I ... wanted to be able
to fix any damage that might be done if you said something wrong.” He felt like
a rat but he’d been worried Dawn might say something that would ruin his
chances with Evelyn.

“How?”

“I
have an intercom system throughout the place,” he explained. “I love gadgets
and it comes in handy sometimes. It’s hooked up through the phone in that room.
I turned it on before I left you two alone, then I went to my bedroom to listen
in.”

The
import of his words seemed to settle into her. Her eyes clouded.

“Oh,
Luke. You heard what she said. She was...” Dawn shook her head.

“Yes,
I heard. I know that she doesn’t love me ... that she never has.” He turned
away from her and walked over to the patio doors, staring out at the city. Pain
clouded his vision and his gaze drifted over the snowy cityscape below. “Our
relationship ... my dreams of a bright future ... were just that. Dreams.”

He
felt Dawn’s delicate presence behind him, felt her hand gently settle on his
shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Luke. I know how much you loved her.” Her soft,
compassionate voice crept into him, settling around the pain and lessening it,
like ointment on a wound.

He
shook his head. “No. I realize now that what I really loved was an idea. I
wanted someone to love me and care for me, someone to have a family with, and
Evelyn stepped into my life and made me believe she was that person.”

He
vowed he’d be more careful in the future. The problem was, how would he know
for sure if he loved someone? He’d really believed he’d loved Evelyn. How could
he possibly trust his heart again?

“She
must have a heart of ice. I don’t understand how a woman could have your love
and not return it. You’re a wonderful man, and Evelyn was a fool not to see it.
I’m so sorry she hurt you.”

How
could he ever have believed Evelyn cared for him? This woman before him, who
had known him for only one week, showed more concern for him than his
ex-fiancée ever had. Dawn was such a caring person. She was special, and not
just because she could work magic. Her magic went beyond the usual hocus pocus.
There was magic in the way she made him feel. With her, he always felt caught
up in a tingling web of excitement. She thrilled him. She drew him like no
other woman ever had. Even Evelyn. And more, with her around, he felt happy.
And happiness was something he’d been missing in his life for far too long.

Over
the past few hours he’d been so caught up with trying to find Dawn that he’d
thought of nothing else. Now, being so close to her, his senses thrummed to
life. Remembering how much he’d worried about her, his protective instincts
surged to life again. Thinking about her caring personality, her fascination
with the world around her--reflected in the books she read and the questions
she asked--he realized she was exactly the kind of woman he would want in his
life.

If
she wasn’t a genie.

If
she wasn’t from another century.

But
did that really matter? He liked Dawn, and the attraction between them sizzled.
Maybe he couldn’t tell her he loved her, which left marriage out, but that
didn’t mean they couldn’t have a successful relationship. She had already
proven herself adaptable, and she was here to stay.

They
needed time to get to know each other, and he would use that time to the best
advantage. He wanted to get to know her, to learn all about her. He could already
tell she was beautiful, both inside and out, but he wanted to understand her
intimately, and that would take time--and the time spent learning would be a
delight. Every moment of it.

Dawn
had watched his changing expressions in wonder, unable to fathom his thoughts,
and totally unprepared for his next move. He swept her into his arms, drawing
her close. His lips swooped down to meet hers, catching her in a sweet release
of feelings. The fervor of his kiss called to her inner passions, dragging them
from the depths of her being, freeing them like the evil spirits from Pandora’s
box.

She
wanted him, oh dear heaven, she couldn’t deny it. But wanting him and acting on
that desire were two different things. His hands slid across her back, and she
quivered with need. His body enveloped her in a reassuring warmth that seeped
into the cold that had invaded her very bones. His lips, gentle and persuasive,
coaxed a response from her. He groaned as her lips answered his movements. The
tip of his tongue teased her lips and she stiffened.

She
wanted to part her lips, to invite him in--but if she did that, she wouldn’t be
able to stop at just a kiss. She would beg him to make love to her. But
everything that she was, that she had been raised to believe, told her she could
not answer the lustful demands of her body. If she did, she’d be lost.

She
drew her lips from his. He didn’t stop her. For one, brief moment, their gazes
met, and she saw a need as great as hers in the depths of his warm, brown eyes.
She tilted her head and pressed it against his chest, wanting his closeness for
a few moments more, wanting his arms around her, his breath tickling the hair
behind her ears.

Luke
was in a fragile state, having just lost the woman he’d thought he loved, and
he was reaching out to her. If Dawn pulled away from him now, what would that
do to him? How could she deny him without hurting him? Still, even if she could
accept the idea of making love without marriage, she could not accept having
sex without love. She loved Luke, but he didn’t love her.

Loathe
to hurt him, she knew she had to pull away before the incendiary passion flared
between them again. She was already weak from wanting him.

“Luke,
I don’t want to hurt you, you’ve been through so much ... I--”

Luke
put a finger to her lips. “Dawn, forgive me. I didn’t mean to push.” He slid
his hands to her shoulders and eased her away from him. “Neither of us have
slept, and we both need it. Let’s turn in, and we’ll talk later.”

Dawn
felt Luke’s arm slide around her waist and ease her against his side, then
walked her to her bedroom. She was relieved when he gave her a tender,
undemanding kiss at the door and went to his own room. She had been afraid--or
had she been hoping?--that he would stay with her, starting a fire of passion
to drive away the cold, then enfolding her in the warmth of his arms while they
slept. She fell asleep wondering what the future held for her and Luke.

* * * *

Dawn
awoke to the sound of clattering dishes. Luke must be cleaning up the party
mess, she thought sleepily. Sunlight streamed in the window, prickling at her
eyes. She opened them halfway, allowing her pupils to adjust to the glare.
Slowly, her eyelids drifted up the rest of the way as she shifted her head on
the pillow to glance at the clock. One twenty-three blared at her in large red
letters. Time to get up.

Stretching
her arms wide and yawning, she pushed the blankets aside with her feet and sat
up. She slid out of bed and padded toward the noise with hazy thoughts of
helping Luke straighten things up. The living room had been tidied up. No dirty
glasses were in sight, the tables gleamed with a soft luster, and the carpet
had been cleaned.

Hmm.
How had she slept through the noise of that little blue vacuum? Another yawn
solved the mystery. After the stress leading up to the party and the resulting
emotional turmoil caused by Evelyn, Dawn had been exhausted. No wonder she
hadn’t heard anything.

She
swung open the door to the kitchen and stepped inside.

A
piercing shriek jolted her wide awake. The uncomfortable--but all too
familiar--assault on her senses made her jump, and her gaze flew to Mrs.
Stuart. The woman’s well-practiced glare of disapproval stared back at her.

Luke
heard the screech and lurched blearily from his bed. A moment later, he pushed
open the door to the kitchen and saw Mrs. Stuart glaring at Dawn. He stepped
forward to stand behind Dawn and rested his hand lightly on her shoulder. She
glanced at him, and her eyes signaled a thank you.

Luke
sighed deeply. “Mrs. Stuart, Dawn lives here now. Get used to it. If you can’t,
then maybe it would be best if you found somewhere less ... stimulating to
work.” His gaze trailed over Dawn’s costume--her sexy, delightful
costume--knowing that was the reason for Mrs. Stuart’s outburst.

“Harrumph.
Well, if that’s the way you want it. I’ll stay until the end of the week.”

“Never
mind about the rest of the week. I’ll send you a check for two week’s severance
and a letter of recommendation. Why don’t you leave right now? Dawn and I can
manage the rest of the cleanup.”

“Very
well. If that’s what ye want.” She pushed in the rack of the dishwasher and
closed the door. Turning back to him, she blustered a bit, her hard expression
softening. “I’m sorry if I made the young lady feel uncomfortable, Mr. Jacobs.
I didn’t realize she was ... I mean, I didn’t know you two were...”

“It’s
all right.” Damn, he shouldn’t have fired her like that. Now that he’d accepted
Dawn would be staying here, he couldn’t have Mrs. Stuart making a fuss every
time she came, but the woman had been cleaning for him for five years. Since
she seemed willing to try, he could give her another chance. “Mrs. Stuart,
maybe I was a bit hasty. If you think you can get along with Dawn--”

She
held up a hand to stop him. “No, thank ye, Mr. Jacobs. I get the impression
ye’ll not be needin’ me with this young lass around. I’ve enjoyed workin’ for
ye, and I dinna want any bad feelin’s between us. The truth be told, I’ve had
another offer, but I dinna want to leave ye in the lurch, bein’ alone and all
after that bit o’ fluff dropped out o’ the picture.”

For
a moment, he just stared at her, dumbfounded. “Thank you, I appreciate your concern.”
The crusty woman had never said more than a few words to him, and yet he now
recognized her sincere concern.

He
accompanied her to the door, Dawn trailing behind. Mrs. Stuart glanced from
Dawn to Luke and lowered her voice to him, saying, “You know, she really is a
lovely lass, but maybe you could convince her to wear a wee bit more in the way
o’ clothes.”

He
studied the subject of their conversation, letting his gaze glide along the
contours of her body, following the outline of her costume, and winked at his
ex-housekeeper. “Actually, I quite like the way she dresses.”

“Men!
You’re all the same!” Exasperation emphasized her words, but he saw the glint
of amusement in the depths of her steely grey eyes. It was a shame he’d never
gotten to know her better, because it seemed that he quite liked her.

After
closing the door behind her, he turned back to Dawn.

My
God, she’s beautiful. And she’s all mine. In one sense of the word, anyway.
But he’d convince her that part of their relationship didn’t matter.
He’d prove to her that he didn’t intend to control her, that they could be just
friends. Except that as his gaze lingered on her gentle curves, he knew he
wanted to be much more than just friends. He longed to pull her into his arms,
to kiss her until she begged him to make love her. From her previous responses,
he knew she wanted him. If she grew to trust him enough, he hoped they would
become lovers.

Rubbing
his hands together, he said, “Well, let’s make short order of cleanup and
breakfast, then I’ve got a big weekend planned.”

“But,
Luke, it’s Sunday afternoon. There isn’t much of the weekend left.”

“Nonsense.
What’s the good of being the boss if you can’t take advantage of the fact and
declare a long weekend every now and again?”

With
a few well chosen words by Luke, Dawn had the place cleaned up and breakfast on
the table in the blink of an eye.

“Dawn,
what do you think of going out skating?”

“Skating?
You mean putting on those special boots and sliding around over the ice?”

“Uh,
yeah. It’s great fun. Winterlude is on. That’s a big thing in Ottawa this time
of year. You know, the longest skating rink in the world runs right through
downtown Ottawa. It’s called the Rideau Canal.”

“I
don’t know, Luke. I’m not sure how people stand up on those thin blades, let
alone move so fast over the ice.”

He
hadn’t thought about the fact that she wouldn’t know how to skate. “Can I wish
you to have the ability to skate?”

“Sure,
but...” She started twisting her napkin tightly between her hands. “Don’t even
experienced skaters fall sometimes?”

He
laughed. “Chicken. I’ll wish that you don’t hurt yourself, too.” He grinned
over his coffee as he saw the tension in her shoulders ease. She’d been worried
about falling on the hard ice. Suddenly, he wished he could make sure she’d
never be hurt, by anyone or anything.

“So,
we’ll go out and slide around on the ice--I mean skate--after breakfast? Isn’t
it pretty cold out there?”

“Why
do you sound so reluctant? It looks like I have my work cut out for me.
Transforming you into a hardy Ottawa girl might take a bit of work.”

She
laughed and plunked her chin in her hand. “Well, if it’s so important to you, I
guess I can learn to put up with the cold. If you dress me well.”

He’d
love to dress her. Or rather, undress her. But he wouldn’t think about that
right now.

“Okay.
Talking about clothes...” He glanced critically at her costume. He loved every
scanty inch of it, but it wouldn’t do out in the winter weather. “The idea of
you wearing that costume all the time is appealing but impractical. Let’s find
something more practical.”

He
dug through the magazine rack for one on skiing and handed it to her, telling
her to pick out an outfit she liked. She flipped through the pages and
exclaimed over a jade jacket with a panel of navy along the body and sleeves,
with matching snow pants. He wished it up, along with accessories and a pair of
skates, then showed her a sweater and pant set and told her to produce one in
colors to match.

As
he watched her pick up the new clothes and stare at them with glowing eyes, he
wondered why he hadn’t done this sooner. He might like seeing her in the sexy
green costume, but even more he loved to see those golden sparks of delight
glitter in her eyes.

He
went to change, and when he returned, she’d donned the new clothes. His breath
caught at the sight of her in the tight-fitting pants and soft angora sweater.
Her legs were spectacular, and the soft sweater lovingly clung to her
well-rounded breasts. He longed to reach out and stroke the soft fabric and
feel her deliciously feminine curves. It wasn’t just the harem costume that
made her arousing.

He
reigned in his hormones and made another couple of wishes to give her the
ability to skate and to protect her against injury, then they pulled on their
outerwear. They draped their skates over their shoulders and headed for the
elevator, soon stepping into the luxurious lobby.

The
day outside sparkled. Sunlight glittered off the icicles hanging from the edge
of the roof over the lobby. The crystal blue sky was totally cloudless, and the
sun shone brightly. From inside it looked like a beautiful summer day, but a
blast of frigid air assailed them as they pushed open the outer door.

“Is
it too cold for you?” Luke asked, concerned despite his earlier teasing.

“No,
I’m fine. These clothes are quite warm.”

His
gaze followed the line of her pants and matching jacket. The bulky clothing did
little to hide the lithe lines of her enticing body. She fairly emanated
sensuality no matter what she wore. His gaze came to rest on her eyes,
brilliant green in the dazzling sunlight. Her face was framed in fuchsia in the
form of a fluffy, wool tam and scarf, giving a soft, kitteny look to her face.

Dawn’s
eyes widened as she saw his fingers travel toward her face. He slid a loose
strand of hair under her hat, brushing her cheek ever so lightly, sending
tingling pleasure through her. She watched him, fascinated, as he adjusted her
scarf around her face and neck, his strong, gentle fingers tucking it in for
maximum warmth. The heat she felt now had nothing to do with the warm garments.

Luke
had suggested they walk to the canal, which was only a few blocks away. Dawn
was thankful for that decision now, hoping a walk in the chilly air would help
cool her boiling blood.

* * * *

Dawn
stood mesmerized by the huge dragon looming over her, its glinting crystal
teeth mere inches from her face.

“These
beautiful sculptures are carved from ice?” Dawn asked Luke.

“That’s
right. They are incredible, aren’t they?”

Definitely
an understatement, she thought. Sunlight glittered from the crystal figures,
sending rainbows scattering across the snow. They continued skating along the
canal at a leisurely pace, appreciating the frigid works of art as they went.
Stunned by the painstaking detail rendered by the artists, Dawn stared at each
statue in awe.

“How
can people spend so much time and devotion on something they know will
disintegrate in a very short time? It must be awful to see their labors of love
melt away,” Dawn asked, gazing in wonder at a depiction of a winged horse, each
feather painstakingly detailed.

“I’ve
wondered that myself,” Luke responded. “They must feel that the joy derived
from creating such a thing of beauty, no matter how transitory, is worth the
effort.”

Like
what she could enjoy with Luke? She would have only a short time with him
before she would have to marry Amar, but that time together could be so
beautiful.

Luke
tugged on her sleeve. “Come on, I’ll race you to that building over there.”

“All
right.” She shot forward with Luke on her heels. She felt exhilarated as she
sped along, gliding over the gleaming ice, the breeze whipping against her
face. She beat Luke by mere seconds, and they both broke out laughing, their
breaths pluming out in billowing white ice clouds. Suddenly, Luke tugged her
close and joined his lips to hers. The meeting of their cold, moist flesh,
warming with the heat of passion, sent thrills through her.

“Come
on. I’ll buy you dinner,” he said, taking her hand and leading her inside. They
shed their skates, then went upstairs to one of the restaurants and found a
table overlooking the sculptures. The sun set over the glittering landscape. As
darkness descended and colored lights came on over the scene below, Dawn’s breath
caught. This was truly a winter wonderland, she thought. She had never realized
how beautiful snow and ice could be.

She
stared at Luke over the flickering candle. “Luke, thank you for sharing this
with me. It’s been a wonderful day.”

He
took her hand in his as he answered.

“It’s
been my pleasure, Dawn. You deserve to be happy.”

Dawn
hid the pain that stabbed at her heart. She would never really know happiness.
How could she? She would have to marry Amar all too soon.

Seeing
Luke’s tender expression, the flecks of color reflected in his eyes from the
lights outside, she forced herself to think only of the present, to think of
the time she had to spend with Luke. Enjoy it now, she told herself. Grab onto
this happiness, even if only for a brief time. What Luke had said about the
artists and their ice sculptures made sense. Beauty--or happiness-- was worth
having, even for a short time. She must make memories to last forever.

Because
that’s how long it would be ... and thinking about eternity without Luke was
almost too much to bear.

* * * *

The
next morning, Dawn awoke to Luke knocking on her door.

“Wake
up, sleepy head. I’ve got breakfast all ready.”

Dawn
stared groggily at the clock. Seven a.m. When she walked into the kitchen
wearing the new nightgown and robe Luke had wished for her last night, Luke was
already dressed and had breakfast on the table. He handed her a cup and guided
her to a chair.

“I
promised to take you shopping this weekend, so we’re going to Montreal today,”
he announced. “There’s a much better selection there than in Ottawa.” He sipped
his coffee and smiled. “It’s a two-hour drive, and I’d like to get there by ten
when the stores open. Do you think you can be ready by eight?”

“Sure.”

She
couldn’t help wondering why Luke was being so attentive. Maybe he needed a
change of pace to keep his mind off Evelyn’s betrayal. She knew he would soon
put the painful episode behind him, and Dawn would take a secondary role in his
life again. But for now, she’d enjoy every wonderful minute with him.

They
arrived in the huge metropolis right on time. Luke took her to Place Ville
Marie, a huge shopping mall below the city streets. Dawn was fascinated by the
underground complex. At noon, Luke insisted she try a smoked meat sandwich at a
little delicatessen he knew, proclaiming them the best in the world.

After
lunch, he insisted on buying her a very fancy, very extravagant dress. Emerald
green, like her eyes, it hugged her curves in a very flattering silhouette. The
rich, silky fabric slid over her skin, swishing around her thighs as she
walked. It made her feel pampered. The bodice had a sweetheart neckline and
fitted snugly to her body, with short sleeves that draped just over her
shoulders. The dress flared to a very full skirt, emphasizing her small waist.

“It’s
lovely, really, Luke, but where will I ever wear it?” she asked, clutching the
package to her body as they left the store. Even the designer bag the clerk had
put it in was elegant, made of gold and black foil paper with the store logo
discreetly displayed in the corner and black tissue fluffing out the top.

“I
have just the place. I’ve made reservations at a chic little restaurant where
we’ll dine and dance tonight. I thought we would stay overnight so we can relax
and enjoy the evening without a two-hour drive looming ahead of us.”

After
they checked into an elegant hotel, Luke walked her to her room and dropped her
parcels on the bed.

“Why
don’t you rest your feet for a bit?” He opened the connecting door to his own
room. “We’ll go to dinner in about an hour and a half. Just knock on the door
when you’re ready.”

Once
Luke had gone, Dawn pulled the dress out of the bag and hung it in the closet,
then kicked off her shoes. The soft carpet cushioned her feet, and she sighed at
the feel of it. She padded to the bathroom and filled the tub with nice, hot
water, tossing in some of the bubble bath Luke had bought for her. She eased
herself into the tub and, when she felt the bubbles tickle her nose, she
laughed.

It
had been a day full of wonders! She had enjoyed exploring this delightful city
with Luke, and she knew that joy stemmed more from having Luke by her side than
the city itself. And it wasn’t over yet.

After
a half hour, the water had cooled, and she stepped out of the tub. Once she’d
dried off, with a towel wrapped around her, she started opening boxes and bags,
pulling out the green satin and lace bra and panties, the panty hose with the
tiny rose embroidered at the ankles, and the sexy, strappy black high heels.
She pulled on each item of clothing, luxuriating in the feel of the rich
fabrics against her skin. She examined herself in the mirror, quite taken by
her transformation into an elegant lady.

Except
for her hair! She would have to do something with it. Since she had stopped
wearing the harem costume, she’d started wearing her hair in a braid, but she
decided to sweep it up into a sophisticated chignon to match her elegant
clothing. When she was finally satisfied with her efforts, she tapped on the
door to Luke’s room, wondering nervously what Luke would think of her new
appearance. Within moments, he pulled open the door and whistled
appreciatively.

“Dawn,
you’re absolutely stunning.” His gaze took in every detail of her appearance.
“One thing, though.” He took her hand and guided her to the dresser, then
turned her to face the mirror. “There’s definitely something missing.” He
pulled a blue velvet box out of his pocket and snapped it open, then fastened
an exquisite necklace around her neck. Diamonds and emeralds glittered in the
soft light of the room lamps, and she could see her own eyes glitter in awe.

She
slid her fingers over the stones, feeling the smooth facets under her
fingertips. No man had ever given her anything like this.

“Oh,
Luke, you didn’t have to--”

“I
wanted to. You’ve given me so much. I wanted to give you something in return.”

She
didn’t know what he meant. She hadn’t given him anything, because there wasn’t
anything he had wanted. Even though she could grant his every wish, he only
asked for small things like meals. The one thing he had desperately wanted--an
honest, loving relationship with Evelyn--she couldn’t give him.

Luke
finished fastening the necklace around Dawn’s lovely neck and thought about how
being with her had taught him how to be happy again. This necklace was a small
token for something so valuable.

As
Luke escorted Dawn into the restaurant, he noticed how every male eye watched
her appreciatively. When Dawn looked at the menu in obvious confusion, he
suggested she try the Rock lobster tail. She said she’d never tried it before,
and he loved watching her experience new things--and watching her eat lobster
was an arresting experience, especially when she licked the clarified butter
and lemon juice that ran down her fingers. He imagined continuing from where
she left off to kiss along her arm to her shoulders, then down ... As her
tongue traced her butter-glistened lips, he longed to pull her into his arms and
stroke her delicate pink lips with his own tongue, to savor the butter blended
with her own feminine taste.

Below
the tablecloth, his body swelled at his wayward thoughts. As she drew one
buttery finger into her mouth, his breathing stopped for a moment. He couldn’t
stop thinking of how it would feel to have her do that to one very insistent,
swelling part of his body. He felt almost relieved when the waiter took away
her plate and brought her a chocolate cheesecake. Until he watched her eat the
whipped cream...

After
dinner, they lingered over coffee and, once he got his body under control, he
asked her to dance to the sultry music of a live band. Luke reveled in the
feeling of holding her in his arms and, with her natural grace and style, it
was easy to guide her through the steps. Unfortunately, holding her so close,
his body didn’t stay under control for very long.

He
wanted her. Desperately. The question was, did she want him? And if she did,
would she act on those feelings?

When
he guided her out of the restaurant, rather than take a cab, he flagged down a
horse-drawn carriage to take them back to the hotel. As they rode along, he
pointed out the giant cross standing proudly outlined in white lights on Mount
Royal, for which the city was named. The night was clear and crisp, but cold.
He slid his arm around her, pulling her close to his body, and she snuggled
into his warmth. She felt so small and feminine against him, making him aware
of his own masculinity by contrast. He could almost forget she was a powerful
genie and he only a mortal man.

All
too soon, he stood beside Dawn at the door to her room. He took the key from
her fingers and slid it into the lock, then opened the door and followed her
in.

“Would
you like something to drink? There’s a bar fridge in the room--or we could call
room service for a hot drink.”

Dawn
didn’t want Luke to leave yet. The time they’d spent together these last two
days had been wonderful, and when they returned home tomorrow she feared it
would all come to an end. She wanted to savor this time with him a little
longer.

She
agreed to a soft drink. He pulled two out of the small fridge and poured the
contents into glasses. She sipped hers shyly while she leaned back against the
dresser watching Luke, so handsome in his charcoal suit, crisp white shirt and
emerald tie, chosen to match her dress. He caught her watching him and stepped
toward her, placing his hands on her arms.

“Dawn,
it’s been a lovely evening. You’re a very special lady.”

Her
gaze locked with his, and she watched, tremulous, as his face came closer and
his lips found hers. Her heartbeat quickened, her breathing became erratic, she
leaned into his body savoring the feel of him, his hard, lean, masculine lines,
his aura enveloping her in delicious warmth. She wanted him ... she needed him
.... but for so many reasons she couldn’t have him. But surely it wouldn’t hurt
to enjoy his kiss, his embrace. Surely a little while in his arms wasn’t too
much to ask.

His
lips traced down the line of her throat, leaving fire in their wake, and he
proceeded to nibble around her collarbone, sending tendrils of pleasure
threading their way through her body. She didn’t even notice that he’d unzipped
her dress, until the slinky fabric slid down her body of its own accord,
hanging at her waist, held only by the small sleeves which now draped at her
elbows.

As
she felt goose bumps rise on her uncovered flesh, she gasped and clung to her
dress, trying to pull it back up. The slippery fabric, with a life of its own,
kept sliding through her fingers, made all the more difficult to hold because
Luke’s lips now moved down the curve of her bosom, then over her bra, finding
her hardened nipple through the green satin fabric. The tremors of delight that
took her were almost too much to bear. She forgot about the dress as she clung
to Luke’s head, running her fingers through his thick, wavy hair, barely
noticing as he urged her dress the rest of the way off.

Encouraged
by her response to his lips, he pulled the fabric of the lace and satin cup
underneath her breast, baring the swollen nipple, and put his tongue to that
tender, sensitive flesh, smiling at her gasp of pleasure.

Dawn
felt like she was sinking ... sinking into a delicious pool of molten desire,
losing herself in this man’s power to please. Somewhere deep inside a voice
cried out to stop, but she could barely hear it, that voice that had protected
her for so long. He unclasped her bra, and it joined her dress on the floor.
Luke swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down
gently. He stared at her and shook his head. His eyes glittered appreciatively.

“You
are so beautiful. I can’t believe you’re here with me. Dawn, I’ve dreamed of
this.”

His
lips found hers again, and he kissed her with fiery passion while stroking her
breasts. He pulled back again, smiling down at her, and his hands moved to her
hair, pulling out the pins, allowing her dark tresses to spill over the bed. He
picked up a handful and slid it across her breasts, the silken strands tickling
her nipples, sending them jutting out even further in swollen arousal.

He
stepped back, and her flesh quivered with apprehension as she watched him
remove his pants. By the Gods, how had she let things go so far? Feeling the
haze of desire holding her in its grip, she wondered if Luke had wished her to
submit. But no, she was certain she would know if he had. She thought back over
the day and realized the whole thing had been a setup for a subtle seduction.

She
supposed she should be flattered that he’d gone to so much trouble rather than
just wishing her into his bed. When she saw the hard shaft of his arousal
stretching his black briefs, she knew he would not let her pull away this time.

Luke
watched her with concern as a series of emotions flowed freely over her face.
He lay down beside her and stroked his fingers lightly along the curve of her
shoulder. She shuddered beneath his touch. Damn, he’d gone too far, too fast.
Why did she have this incredible effect on him?

“Relax,
sweetheart,” he murmured, and instantly the stiffness in her body melted away.
He leaned over to kiss her, and her eyes spiked him with a look that stunned
him.

Shock
penetrated his haze of need. Was that anger? Or apprehension? More than either,
it looked like betrayal. But that didn’t make sense.

He
understood that, being an innocent, she would be nervous of her first sexual
encounter, but she’d been responding to him, clearly enjoying his touch.
Surely, she knew he’d be gentle and considerate. Was she having second
thoughts? “Dawn? You do want to do this, don’t you?”

“Are
you giving me a choice?”

The
impact of her words jolted him away from her. His eyes narrowed. He didn’t want
to believe the implication of her words. “Do you actually think I would force
you to make love to me?”

She
shrugged. “You’re a man, aren’t you? What man wouldn’t take advantage of a
woman totally under his control?”

He
leaped to his feet and snatched his pants from the floor, a storm of anger
bursting through him, pushing back the sting of pain.

“Do
you really believe that about me?” He jabbed one foot into his pants, then the
other.

“Every
other man who’s had power in my life has tried to force me to do what he
wants.”

He
zipped up his fly and glared at her. “So you think I’m just as bad?”

She
met his gaze steadfastly. “Tell me, Luke. Do you love me?”

Her
words deflated his blustering anger. He felt it ebb away, leaving him with
clearer vision. Dawn looked so vulnerable lying half-naked on the bed, her arms
discreetly crossed over her chest.

Christ,
he couldn’t lie to her. He slumped onto the side of the bed.

“Dawn,
after the disaster with Evelyn ... after how much I believed I loved her...” He
sighed. “I can’t love anyone right now. I wouldn’t know if it was real.” He
couldn’t allow himself to be that vulnerable again. And yet, he’d pushed Dawn
into a vulnerable position. Luke saw the tears glistening in her eyes, and his
heart ached. He couldn’t believe how selfish he’d been.

“But
you would make love to me. Don’t you know what that would do to me? Because of
my beliefs, my culture, I can’t willingly make love with a man who doesn’t love
me.” She averted her gaze from his. “And who I don’t love in return.”

He
hesitated, then lifted himself heavily from the bed and dragged himself to the
adjoining door. Without turning, he said, “I’m sorry, Dawn,” then closed the
door behind him.

Dawn’s
eyelids sank closed and she pressed them together as though she could squeeze
away the feeling of emptiness that hollowed her soul. Luke had not wished her
to make love with him. Clearly, he had never intended to. If she had chosen to
take the journey freely, he would have gladly gone with her, but he would not
have forced her. But he had admitted he didn’t love her. That made her heart
ache more deeply than she would have thought possible. Even losing Sky hadn’t
hurt this much.

* * * *

The
phone rang at eight the next morning, and Dawn picked it up with apprehension.
Assuming it was Luke and wondering why he’d decided to phone rather than knock
on the door, she was surprised to hear a recorded voice over the line,
informing her that this was her wake up call. At eight fifteen, a knock sounded
at the door--not the adjoining one--and she opened it, revealing a waiter with
a tray. Breakfast for one. He handed her an envelope, and inside she found a
note from Luke asking that she meet him in the lobby at nine.

Her
stomach was tangled in knots from last night’s emotional turmoil, so she merely
picked at the hot croissants and sipped a little of the Earl Grey tea, then
showered and changed. She’d just finished gathering together her packages when
another knock announced a bellman who had come to carry her belongings to the
lobby. Luke had already checked out and was sitting on a leather couch waiting
for her.

He
stood up when he saw her and led the bellman outside. Luke opened the door for
her and, once the car was loaded, joined her inside.

“After
last night, I thought you’d be more comfortable eating breakfast alone,” he
said as he started the car.

So,
he’d been worried about her feelings. She didn’t know what to say, so she said
nothing. Their drive home seemed to take far longer than two hours, spent
mostly in silence.

Dawn
grieved for the wonderful time they had shared, the closeness they had
embraced--and now lost. When they arrived at the penthouse, Luke carried their
belongings inside, then told her he had some work to do and locked himself away
in the study. Dawn tried to occupy her mind with a book, but images of Luke’s
angry face when she’d accused him of taking advantage of her kept pushing
through her brain. She stood up and paced. Luke had done nothing wrong last
night. She had wanted him as much as he had wanted her.

When
he’d realized what she’d believed, he’d responded in anger, but now that she’d
had time to think about it, she realized he’d been hurt. She had hurt
Luke. And surprisingly, he had not tried to hurt her in response. As her
master, he could have done any number of things to cause her pain. But, she
finally realized, Luke would never do such a thing. He had been painfully
honest with her about the fact that he didn’t love her, but he’d done that to
save her from a more devastating pain later on.

He
wasn’t like the men she’d known in the past. He had proven that he, above all
others, was worthy of her trust. The thought that she could trust a man,
especially one to whom she was so vulnerable, felt totally foreign. If she
could accept it, things would be different. Luke could truly be her friend and
.... maybe even more.

But
not until she found a way to repair the damage she’d caused. The first step
would be to talk. She stepped to the door of his study.

Luke
heard the light tap on his door and scrubbed his hand over his face. He’d been
trying for hours to sink into his work, but the data on the computer screen
merely blurred into incomprehensible bands of light as his mind darkened in
pain at the memory of Dawn and the horrible accusation she’d made. And now he’d
have to face her again.

Well,
he couldn’t stay hidden in here for the rest of his life. He sighed. “Come in.”

Dawn
pushed open the door and slid into the room, leaning against the door once
she’d closed it. Oh, God, why did she have to be so heart wrenchingly
beautiful?

“Luke,
I want to talk to you about last night.”

Great,
just what he needed. He still felt raw from the memory. She started to pace,
obviously agitated. Clearly, she didn’t want to do this any more than he did so
why the hell had she come in here?

She
glanced at him and seemed unnerved by his tight expression. He didn’t mean to
make this difficult for her, but for God’s sake, he had feelings, too. He
couldn’t just put on a smile to make things more comfortable for her.

“I
.... uh ... I’d like to thank you for the past two days. You were so considerate
and...” Her gaze veered away from his, as though remembering where that
consideration had led. Damn it, what was the matter with him? Being selfish
again. This wasn’t easy for her, either, and she was the one who had a right to
feel wronged. He was the one in ultimate control. How could she help but be
wary of his motives?

She
sank onto the leather chair across from his desk. “Oh, Luke, I’m sorry about
last night. I never meant to hurt you.”

She
was worried about having hurt him? Lord, he felt like an incredible heel. He
had let his hormones get the better of him and pushed her further than she
could handle. Naturally, she would have felt things were out of control. Given
the fact that he was her master--damn, he hated that word--it wasn’t hard to
understand why she’d felt she didn’t have a choice. How could he have been so
blind? He should be asking for her forgiveness, begging her to understand.

He
stood up, wanting to touch her, to stroke her slumped shoulders and ease her
tension. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped to the
window. What could he say to her?

“Luke,
please understand. I’ve had no reason to trust men, and when I came here, I
just assumed ...” She dropped her gaze to her lap. “But the way you’ve treated
me, the consideration you’ve shown ... I should never have believed you
would...”

“Dawn,
I do understand and--”

Something
was wrong. Apprehension gripped him.

He
blinked a couple of times, wondering if he’d been staring at the computer
screen too long because his vision seemed to be blurring. Dawn appeared to be
fading--literally.

“Dawn,”
he cried in alarm, “you look ... odd. What’s happening?” She seemed to be
breaking apart--and expanding.

By
now, Dawn felt it--the lightness, the disorientation.

Oh,
no. It couldn’t be. “Luke, where’s the bottle?” she cried, desperation coloring
the words.

Luke
barely caught the last word as she dissipated into a cloud of green smoke and
blew away, as though caught on a fast jet stream.

His
raced into the living room, and his gaze darted to the fireplace mantel.

The
bottle was gone!












Chapter 8



Dawn
shuddered with a sudden chill. Glancing down, she found she wore the old
familiar green harem costume. The old, familiar decor of her bottle, which had
been her home for longer than she’d lived on this earth, surrounded her. Her
eyes scrunched closed.

She
was inside the bottle again!

A
primal scream built up inside her, pushing to escape. Drawing in a deep breath
of air, and forcing it out slowly--very, very slowly--concentrating on the
emptying of her lungs, she banished the panic to a far corner of her mind. She
glanced up, seeking the solace of escape. The stopper was not in the bottle!
The ripping fear of being enclosed within this prison again subsided slightly.

Good,
because she had to keep calm so she could figure out where she was and who had
possession of the bottle. Someone must have taken it from Luke’s apartment. One
of the properties of this magical vessel was that if someone rubbed it while
the stopper was off, Dawn would be pulled back into it. This allowed a
non-magical mortal to summon her, or imprison her, at will.

To
answer her pressing questions she would have to leave the bottle. And she
desperately wanted to leave the bottle.

She
dissipated into smoke and escaped the vessel. As she took solid form, she
viewed the scene around her. What she saw spoke of feminine, and very
expensive, tastes. She stood in a large room with plush rose carpet on the
floor. The sofa, love seat, and chairs were done in a floral print with an
off-white background and flowers that picked up the carpet color. The green of
the foliage and the pink tones of the flowers in the upholstery were repeated
around the room in the throw cushions and flower arrangements, as well as in
the draperies.

She
heard a choked gasp and spun around.

Evelyn!

Dawn’s
whole body stiffened. The woman stared at her with large, uncomprehending eyes,
her features drawn taut, the wretched bottle clutched tightly in her hands.

Evelyn.

Dawn’s
stomach contracted tightly. Why did it have to be Evelyn? This would be a
serious situation no matter who had the bottle, but Evelyn had every reason to
hate Dawn. She could, and probably would, use her advantage to perform some
very wicked mischief.

“What
the hell are you doing here?” Evelyn demanded.

Dawn
straightened her back and leveled her gaze--calm and sure--at Evelyn, putting
every scrap of confidence she could manufacture into her voice. “It seems that
you summoned me. But you don’t want to see me, and I know I don’t want to see
you, so why don’t you give me the bottle, and I’ll be on my way?”

She
reached out to grab the bottle before the cursed woman recovered her wits, but
Evelyn snatched it away.

“No
way. I’m not giving you this bottle. Now answer me. How did you get in here?”
Her wide eyes narrowed, and her gaze flickered from the bottle to Dawn and back
again. She gave a tentative rub on the bottle. Dawn felt herself dissolve into
smoke and a moment later stood in the depths of hell--in the form of the
bottle’s interior--again. She heard Evelyn’s triumphant laughter cackle from
above. She felt the bottle being turned upside down and shaken. Her stomach
lurched and she clutched the arms of a chair, even though she knew she was in
no danger of falling out. A magical bottle abides by its own laws of science,
including gravity.

“Come
out of there!” Evelyn demanded. “I said come out.”

The
crazy woman shook even harder. Dawn pressed her palms against her ears to
muffle sound as Evelyn’s commands deteriorated to shrill screeches. After a
moment or two of this, the commotion stopped, and Dawn left the confines of the
bottle once again.

“My
God, you’re a genie! Aren’t you?” Evelyn demanded.

“Yes.”

Evelyn’s
face filled with glee. “Then you’ll grant me wishes, right?” She rubbed her
hands together. “How many do I get? Three? Unlimited?”

“Try:
none.”

Evelyn
turned on her, her expression stunned for a second, her face contorted in
anger. “What do you mean ‘none’? I freed you from the bottle, didn’t I? I have
the bottle now, don’t I? That means I’m your master, and you must do as I say!
You must show me your gratitude.” Her voice had filled with calm authority, as
though she believed saying it would make it so.

“You
didn’t free me from the bottle, you put me back into it. I am certainly not
grateful for that.”

Evelyn
waved her hand to dismiss Dawn’s remark. “That’s beside the point. You owe me
wishes.”

“I
have absolutely no obligation to grant you wishes. In fact, I couldn’t even if
I wanted to. Which I don’t.

“What
do you mean you can’t? You obviously have magical abilities.”

“Which
are totally controlled by my real master, the one who originally freed me from
the bottle.”

“Luke!”
Evelyn promptly rubbed the bottle for the third time today.

Once
Dawn appeared inside the bottle, she instantly puffed into smoke again, but the
stopper descended before she could escape. Solidifying again, she collapsed on
her cushions, physically and emotionally exhausted.

Trapped!

By
Evelyn.

The
quivering started in her chest and traveled along her limbs until her whole
body trembled. She drew her knees up and hugged them tightly. Would Luke
discover who had taken the bottle and rescue her? Or would Evelyn cast the
bottle somewhere dark and hidden where Luke would never find it? Dawn choked at
the thought.

She
wasn’t sure she could endure the long, loneliness of exile again.

And
Luke! The thought that he would probably be dead when next she saw the light of
day left her sobbing in uncontrolled anguish.

* * * *

Luke
was frantic. From Dawn’s last desperate words, he knew she was wherever the
bottle was, probably trapped inside. If so, how would she cope? He remembered
the look of panic on her face when he’d suggested putting her back in the
bottle. Damn, he had to get it back--as quickly as possible.

He
phoned George and told him about the missing bottle, and George said he’d
overheard someone at the party telling Evelyn about how it had been found at
the building site. Knowing how the building symbolized success to Luke, she
knew the bottle would have a special meaning to him. She’d probably taken it
out of spite.

Luke
immediately drove to Evelyn’s, but she refused to see him or even talk to him,
and he couldn’t get past building security. He went home and phoned her
repeatedly, leaving messages on her answering machine when she refused to pick
up. After two days of this, he started thinking he could hire someone to break
into her apartment and steal the bottle, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to
do that. Anyway, it would put Dawn in more danger to allow someone else to have
possession of the bottle, even for a short period of time.

Anguish
tore at him during every waking hour, which extended through most of the night.
How could fate be so cruel? Hadn’t it already played havoc with Dawn’s life?

One
question kept pounding through his head. How could he convince Evelyn to return
the bottle? Finally, it came to him. Her greatest weakness seemed to be money.
If she had discovered the secrets of the bottle, then all was lost because she
could get whatever she wanted from Dawn. He could only pray that she didn’t
know about Dawn’s powers. He left a message on her answering machine saying he
was willing to buy the bottle and that she could name her price. He forced himself
not to call again, not wanting to appear any more anxious than he already had.
When she finally called two days later, she asked an exorbitant price, but he
agreed to it and went to meet her.

* * * *

Luke
strode into the restaurant Evelyn had suggested, an intimate little place where
they had shared several pleasant evenings when they’d been dating. A shudder
went through him as he thought about the fact he’d almost married this
vindictive woman.

Henri,
the maître d’, greeted him.

“Ah,
Monsieur Jacobs. So nice to see you again. Come this way.”

He
led Luke to a table by the window, overlooking the canal. Luke ordered a soft
drink rather than liquor, wanting to be at his sharpest when Evelyn showed up.
As usual, she took her sweet time getting there. Anxiety raged through him as
he glanced at his watch for the third time. A half hour later, Henri finally
showed Evelyn to the table. She swept in, head held high, the full skirt on her
royal blue designer dress swirling around her legs as she sat down, smiling at
Henri.

“A
white wine, please.” She pulled at the tip of each finger on her blue glove,
pulled it off, then started on the other glove. After she dropped the second
one on the table, she glanced at Luke and smiled. “Hello, darling, how are
you?”

He
leaned forward, glaring at her. “You know how I am, Evelyn.” His voice sounded
gruff. “Where’s the bottle?”

She
leaned back and said calmly, “Now, now, Luke, dear. Must you make a scene?” She
smiled sweetly. “Really, I can’t help wondering what is so special about this
ugly little bottle that has you all tied up in knots.” She tapped her fingers
on the table in a steady rhythm. “What can it be?”

Hope
welled inside him. Did this mean she didn’t know about Dawn? “Why do you care
as long as you get your money?”

“True,
but I’d love to know why you’re willing to pay such a high price for an old
piece of junk. I think it must be terribly important to you.”

He
bit back his impatience and gritted his teeth. Hell, she must know. Had she
lied about returning the bottle so she could get him here to taunt him? If Dawn
was now her genie, there was no way she’d return the bottle to Luke. “You
agreed to sell it back to me, Evelyn. Are you trying to renege?”

“It’s
a reward, darling. I’m not selling it to you, you’re giving me a reward
for finding it.”

He
scowled at her. “Fine. Here is your reward,” he said, handing her a
certified check. “Now, hand over the bottle.”

She
snatched the check from his hand, then leaned over and picked up the shopping
bag she’d stowed under the chair and handed it to him. He tugged out a bundle
wrapped in white tissue. Ripping back the paper, he felt his chest tighten as
he saw the brass bottle inside. Thank God! He touched it tenderly, running his
fingers along the delicate floral design around the base. His heart ached at
the thought of Dawn locked inside this prison.

He
needed to leave. Now. To get home and free Dawn.

He
glanced up to tell Evelyn, but stopped when he saw that her eyes were strangely
glazed.

“You
really care about her, don’t you, Luke?” Her voice was subdued.

Luke
drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. She did know.

“Yes,
I do.” He hesitated to ask her the question running through his mind, but
couldn’t help himself. “If you know about Dawn, why did you return her to me?”

She
laughed, a sickly, strangled sound. “Oh, don’t worry, darling. I’m not being
noble.” She jerked her head toward the bottle. “She refused to grant wishes. If
she had, I certainly wouldn’t have given her back to you, for any price.”

Finally,
she was being honest with him. He couldn’t believe he had loved someone so
phony.

“Why,
Evelyn?”

Uncertainly
flickered through her eyes. “I told you, she wouldn’t--”

“No,
I mean, why is money more important to you than anything else?”

“I...”
She stammered.

Luke
watched, fascinated. He’d never seen Evelyn unsure of herself. He felt a tiny
seed of sympathy. The vulnerability was becoming on her.

“Luke,
you don’t really know much about me. Where I’m from.”

“You’re
from Beverly Hills. You grew up there with your parents and two brothers.”

She
shook her head. “No. I’m from a small town in the middle of Alberta. I grew up
on a farm. We were poor, Luke.” Her gaze met his, and in her eyes he saw a
desperation born of past pain. “Dirt poor. I went to Toronto when I was old
enough to leave home, and I worked as a waitress, hardly earning enough to make
ends meet.”

Luke
stared at her in stunned silence.

“About
five years ago, I won a lottery. Hit it big. Real big. I had a great time,
traveling, buying fancy clothes and jewelry.” She gave a self-derisive chuckle.
“I’m not dumb, though. No, not me.” Bitterness tinged her words. “I realized it
wouldn’t last forever, and I refused to go back to my old way of life, so I
decided to invest.”

“In
what? Stocks, bonds?”

She
laughed. “No, nothing so mundane as that. Have you ever seen the movie ‘How to
Marry a Millionaire’?”

He
shook his head.

“Well,
it’s about three women who get together and rent a posh apartment in New York.
Their theory was that to attract the rich you must appear to be rich. It seemed
like a sound argument to me, so I thought I’d try it.”

“So
your whole identity was a lure to attract a rich husband?” Good Lord, the woman
was a bigger liar than he’d ever imagined.

“Exactly.
You were my best prospect. But somehow I just wasn’t able to reel you in.”

“If
you’d tried some honest emotion, it might have worked,” he said harshly.

She
glanced down at her drink. “I’m sorry, Luke. I really am.”

“So,
what will you do with this money?”

She
shrugged. “I’ll pay the back rent on my penthouse and buy some furniture to
replace what I’ve had to sell. Then I’ll go about trying to replace you.”

“So,
you’ll still try to find a rich husband? You have enough there to keep yourself
in comfort for a very long time, even with the way you spend money.”

She
smiled. Probably the first honest smile he’d ever seen on her. “Yes, I know.
But the truth is, I don’t like being alone.” Her gaze met his, and her voice
went very soft. “When I said I would try to replace you, Luke, I didn’t mean
you as a rich man. If I can find someone who has half the compassion and caring
that you do, I’ll be ecstatic. I wish I had been honest with you, because I
realize now that you wouldn’t have cared where I came from or how poor I was.”

She
tugged her gloves back on, along with her composure, and stood up. “I’m sorry
things worked out this way, Luke.” She put her hand on his. “I’ll miss you.”
Then she turned and strode away.

Luke
couldn’t help feeling sorry for her.

* * * *

Luke
rushed into the apartment and yanked the stopper from the bottle, then watched
anxiously as the green smoke rose in a slow and leisurely fashion, totally at
odds with his racing heartbeat and urgent need to see Dawn, to know she was all
right. He held his breath as he watched the drifting particles come together
and the shape of his lovely Dawn form before his eyes.

She
stood in the centre of the room, swaying on unsteady feet. Her eyes, glazed and
unseeing, seemed to stare past him. His heart clenched at the sight of her,
looking so lost and vulnerable. She trembled, the shiver running through every
inch of her body. He swept her into his arms, surrounding her with the warmth
of his body.

“Dawn,
my God, are you all right?”

He
gazed into her eyes and alarm jolted through him when he saw no spark of
recognition, no sign that she knew where she was. He scooped up her legs and
carried her across the room. Her flesh, so much exposed in the damnable genie
costume, was a mass of cold little bumps.

“Dawn,
I want you to put on something warm and comfortable.” He headed for his bedroom
to get something for her to wear and saw her close her eyes, scrunching her
eyelids together as though working very hard to concentrate. Concern washed
over him.

“Dawn,
what is it?” Her eyelids flickered open for a moment, and she took a deep
breath, then scrunched them closed again. Suddenly, the textures against his
arms changed, the feel of her silky skin and the delicate fabric of her costume
shifting to a soft fleece. Startled, he almost lost his hold on her. She now
wore a long nightgown, covering her from neck to ankle. Her head dropped
against his chest. The effort of performing that small feat of magic seemed to
leave her exhausted.

“That’s
better,” he praised and changed direction to her bedroom. He pushed aside the
covers on the bed, then gently laid her down. “I’ll be right back,” he said. He
turned to go, intending to get her a cup of tea to warm her and steady her
nerves.

“No.”
The word came out as a desperate, frightened mew, followed by a whisper.
“Please, don’t leave me!” Her eyes, wide with panic, pleaded with him.

Oh,
God, what had Evelyn done to her?

“I’m
here, sweetheart.” He moved to her side, sitting on the edge of the bed.

She
reached for him, clutching his shirt in her fists, wrinkling and twisting the
fabric in her grasp. He took a deep breath and pulled her into his arms,
willing his strength to flow into her. He pressed his lips to her temple,
reassuring her with tender strokes up and down her back. She started to speak
and he strained to hear her quiet, raspy words.

“It
was awful. She ... she kept me locked in the bottle, and ... I couldn’t stand
being trapped again, not knowing if I’d ever...”

He
covered her lips with his finger. “Shh. I know.”

A
tear slowly trickled down her cheek, and she sucked in a ragged breath. “Even
if someone found the bottle and let me out, I wouldn’t have wishes to offer
them so they’d probably lock me up again, just like ... like she did.
And if they set me free, how would I take care of myself with no power, no
money, no friends?” Her fingers clenched around a handful of his shirt again.
“I’ve never realized how truly alone I am.”

The
desolation in her voice tore at his heart. “Dawn, you’re not alone now. I’m here.”
He held her tighter and rocked, murmuring soothing words and stroking her back.
She accepted his comfort, relaxing into him, fitting her curves into the firm
support of his body. He held her like that for a long time, feeling the beat of
her heart against his chest. When he thought she was asleep, he slowly laid her
down so her head rested on the pillows and pulled the covers over her. As he
rose, her hand grasped his arm, her nails digging into his flesh in their
urgency.

“Don’t
go,” she cried, a fierce pleading in her voice.

“I
won’t leave you alone. I’ll sit in the chair by the bed.”

“No.
Stay close to me. Hold me.” Her strangled plea wrenched at his heart. Her gaze
locked onto his and for a moment he saw purpose and need, then they faded back
into lifelessness. He lay down beside her and gathered her into his arms. In
any other situation, if her delicious curves had pressed against his body from
top to bottom like this, he’d have trouble controlling his raging hormones, but
right now all he could think about was comforting her.

She
slept cradled in his arms all night. Occasionally, he would stroke her hair or
nuzzle her temple, always holding her close and never once making a move to
leave. She wanted him here so here he would stay.

Ever
since he’d first found out she was a genie, he had been in awe of her. She
commanded great strength and power. He might direct her magic, but she
performed it. They came from very different worlds, quite literally, hers
consisting of magic and people who lived forever. He’d known they could never
have a serious relationship. The chasm between them seemed too great, an
impossible gap of time and ability.

Now,
though, in her weakened state, despite her magical talents, she was dependent
on him. He wanted to take care of her, to make her well again, to keep her safe
and happy. He saw that even a genie could need someone.

Maybe
the distance between them wasn’t as great as he had thought.

During
the pain of this past week without her, he had come to realize how much he
cared about Dawn, how much he needed her in his life. What he felt for Dawn was
so different from what he’d known with Evelyn. Dawn had brought a light to his
dull world, a happiness he’d never known before. When Evelyn had locked Dawn in
the darkness of her bottle, she had brought darkness upon Luke’s world, too.

Now,
he knew what he’d told Dawn in Montreal had been a lie. He did love her. Of
that he had no doubt.

Dawn
stirred in his arms, then started to thrash. She cried out. “No, no, don’t
leave me.”

He
tightened his arms around her and kissed her temple. “Dawn, my love, I’m here.”

She
opened her eyelids and stared at him with sightless eyes. She seemed to be
caught up in a waking nightmare and he could tell she couldn’t really see him.

“Sky?
You’re here!”

Sky?
Who did she think she was talking to?

“Dawn,
are you all right?”

“Oh,
Sky. Thank the Gods, Amar let you go.” She clung to him and tears streamed from
her eyes. “I thought I’d never see you again. I love you so.”

Luke
felt his blood turn to crystals of ice, tearing through his veins in a frigid
torrent. Oh, God, she loved another man. He wanted to shake her awake, to make
her see him, not some past lover.

Her
arms tightened around him. Around Sky, he reminded himself.

“Please,
don’t let anyone tear us apart again,” she pleaded.

Hell,
he knew he didn’t have the heart to tear her from her lover’s arms, even if it
was really his own arms around her right now, not Sky’s. Especially
since it was his own arms around her.

He
didn’t want to speculate on why he was willing to be a substitute for another
man. His heart told him it had to do with loving her so much that he was more
concerned with her happiness than his own. He drew in a heavy breath.
What more proof could he have that he really loved her?

Dawn
had mentioned something about Amar having freed Sky. Luke desperately wanted to
know who this Sky was and where he was now. Dawn’s arms clung to him tightly so
he knew she was still in her half-awake state.

“Dawn,
you said Amar had freed me? From where?”

“Amar
imprisoned you and cast your vessel deep in the caves of Sador.”

When
he saw the pain dart across her face, he wondered if he should have left this
alone. From the depth of feeling in her eyes, he realized the torture she must
have endured, losing Sky.

“When
did he say he’d release me?”

“When
Amar and I wed.” Her gaze locked on Luke’s. “Oh, Sky, am I married to Amar, has
he--”

“No,
Dawn. No.”

“But
Amar told me freeing you would be his wedding gift to me. He said that if I never
marry him that ... that...”

She
couldn’t seem to go on. He pulled her tight against his body, stroking her back
in an attempt to relax her rigid spine.

That
bastard. Amar would free Sky, but only after he’d forced Dawn to marry him.
She would know Sky was free, but she couldn’t be with him.

He
glanced down and saw that her eyes were now closed, her body limp in his arms.
She’d fallen back asleep.

As
he stared at her face, serene in the soft light of the moon, his heart bled for
her and her lost chance at love. But, selfishly, he realized it bled more for
himself and the fact that his blossoming feelings could never be fulfilled.

* * * *

Luke
awoke as the first rays of light shimmered in through the blinds. When Dawn
stirred an hour later, he still lay holding her.

He
smiled as she nestled deeper into his arms. “Good morning.”

She
opened her eyes and peered at him. “Luke?”

At
least she’d gotten it right this time. Had he only imagined the look of
disappointment in her eyes?

“How
are you feeling?”

She
blinked a couple of times. “I feel weak.”

“Something
to eat might help.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll get you something. Do
you want to stay here or come with me?”

“I’ll
come.”

Slowly,
she sat up on the bed and tried to stand, but Luke swept her up and carried
her. She gave a little cry of surprise, but didn’t protest. He settled her on
the couch in the living room, leaning her back against a big comfortable
cushion, and wrapped her in a nice, fluffy blanket.

“Luke,
I can make breakfast,” she protested as he walked toward the kitchen.

“No
way. I remember what happened yesterday when I wished you into that nightgown.
Forget it. You lay there and rest.”

Luckily,
she couldn’t perform any magic unless he asked her to, so he wouldn’t give her
the chance. He opened the louvered doors between the kitchen and the dining
room so she could see him--and so he could see her. He brought her a cup of
lemon tea as soon as it was ready and smiled at her often as he fixed
breakfast.

She
needed someone to take care of her and he would do that. She needed someone to
love her, and he would that, too--even though she wanted someone else.

But
he would not try to replace Sky.

And
he would not ask her about Sky. It would be too painful for her--and for him.












Chapter 9



Luke
watched Dawn grow stronger with each day. The more time he spent with her, the
more deeply he fell in love with her. It was excruciatingly painful to know she
could never return his love.

Late
one night he woke up, his body drenched with sweat, his sheets twined tightly
around his legs. He’d been dreaming of Dawn, naked and soft in his arms,
holding him, responding to him, moaning in the height of passion. But then
she’d called out Sky’s name, and Luke had fallen to the depths of despair.

He
sat up in bed, raking his hand across his face. He got up and grabbed some new
sheets from the cupboard and changed the bed, then took a quick shower, hoping
to wash away the pain of desire still clinging to him from the dream. But as
soon as he lay down again, he remembered the sweet feel of Dawn in his arms,
and his body swelled with need.

He
pounded his fist on the bed. “Damn it, I want her here in my arms. I want to
make love to her.” Rolling onto his side, he clutched the spare pillow tightly
to his chest. “I love her, and, dear God, I wish that she loved me.” He slammed
the pillow beside his own and flopped onto his back. “It’s not fair. She can
grant me anything I want, but what I really want is Dawn, and I can’t have
her.”

As
though voicing his frustration let off enough pressure to allow him to relax,
he felt himself drift off towards sleep. The next thing he heard was a soft
voice in the darkness calling his name, rousing him from slumber.

“Hmm?”
He opened his eyes and saw a shadowy form in silhouette. “Dawn?”

She
stepped forward and the cool light of the moon shining in the window set her
features awash in a soft glow.

“Dawn?
What is it?”

“I
had to come, Luke.” Her eyes were large and luminescent in the dim light. There
was some emotion in their depths that he couldn’t identify but it disturbed
him. She reached out an unsteady hand and pushed a lock of hair from his
forehead. The touch sent tingles through him, heightening his awareness--of her
near him, of his responding senses, of the fact that the two of them were alone
in his bedroom. Her fingers lingered at his temple. “I need to be with you.”

He
remembered the night they’d spent together after he released her from the
bottle four days ago. She’d needed someone to hold her. She’d told him how
alone she felt. “Are you lonely?”

“Yes,
but that’s not why I’m here.”

She
brushed another wayward lock of hair from his face, her fingers continuing
along his hairline to curl behind his ear. Her touch, so soft, so delicate, was
almost painful.

“Why
are you here, Dawn?” he asked softly.

“I’m
here so we can make love.”

His
heart lurched. Could it be true? He sat up, examining the soft lines of her
face, and she gazed back at him with eyes wide and filled with such need that
it took his breath away. This was definitely a woman who wanted to be loved.

He
captured her hand and gently pulled her to him. He stared at her lovely face,
remembering what she’d said about not being able to make love to a man she
didn’t love, and who didn’t love her. Did he dare to hope...?

“Does
this mean you love me?” he asked.

Again,
she stroked him, trailing her fingers down the side of his face. “Yes, I do.”

He
felt a surge of joy. When his lips parted to return her declaration of love,
she pressed a delicate fingertip to his mouth to stop him.

“Please,
no more words. Only this.” Then she brought her lips to his.

He
relished the delicate, rose petal softness, their movement on his innocently
alluring. As their kiss deepened, he drew her slowly toward him, careful not to
rush her.

He
refused to ask her about Sky. Maybe she had come to accept that she could never
have him and had allowed her caring feelings for Luke to grow into love. Maybe
she actually loved Luke more than Sky. Maybe--he could hope--Sky was nothing to
her now but a memory.

If
those things weren’t true, he didn’t want to know. She had told him she loved
him, and she told only the truth. He wouldn’t ruin things by forcing her to
come to terms with her loss of Sky. She loved him. That knowledge made his
heart soar.

She
lifted the covers and slid under. “Luke, hold me.”

He
complied, pulling her close to him. She tangled her fingers in the strands of
hair at the nape of his neck, then gazed into his eyes.

“Make
love to me.” Her voice was a mere whisper.

He
stroked the side of her head, running his hand along her hair as it swept up
into its ponytail prison. Despite her words, she seemed tense. “Dawn, are you
nervous?”

Her
eyebrows drew together, and she fiddled with his top button, examining it as
though it were of great interest. “Yes.”

“You
know I’ll be gentle, don’t you?”

She
nodded, her tail of hair cascading up and down.

He
wanted to plunder her mouth, ravage her body, make her his right then, but she
deserved to be swept away on a gentle cloud of passion. He’d have to keep a
tight reign on his rampant desire and remind himself to go slow.

She
pressed her body against his, her breasts pushing into him in an excruciatingly
exciting way. Slowly, he told himself as his pulse started to race. Slowly.

“Luke,
I want you.” She kissed him gently on the cheek. “I need you.” She kissed him
on the chin. “Make love to me.”

“Oh,
Dawn. You don’t know how much I’ve wanted this.”

Slowly.
Slowly. Slowly.

He
freed her hair from the ponytail clasp, then ran his fingers through the long
strands until it hung loose, over her shoulders and down to her hips.

He
brought his mouth to hers, slowly, anticipating the softness of her lips, the
warmth of her mouth. He’d guide her through this first passionate encounter
slowly, and tenderly.

Her
lips were as sweet as he remembered, in fact sweeter, holding as they did now
the promise of a luscious feast to come. He licked her lips, then gently nudged
his tongue between them to taste her inner sweetness. She sighed. His hands
caressed her shoulders, then moved to cup her face, fingers curling around
behind her ears.

He
pulled back and gazed at her, so enchanting and alluring. He placed a kiss on
the peak of each cheekbone, then one on each eyelid, then trailed a stream of
them along her forehead just below the hairline. Her eyelids fluttered, her
long eyelashes tickling his face. He smiled and kissed each eyelid again, then
moved his lips to nuzzle the base of her throat. The catch in her breath
assured him this was a place to be remembered. He nibbled the lobe of her ear,
then slowly pressed her down to recline on the pillows.

He
gazed down at her supine figure and smiled. He couldn’t believe how lucky he
was. Dawn actually loved him. These last few days of misery were worth this
overwhelming joy. He now understood just how much he loved her, and how much he
would always treasure her.

He
swept her hair aside and undid the tiny buttons on her top, one by one, forcing
himself to move slowly, then peeled back the fabric to reveal her firm, round
breasts. She gathered her luxurious hair together and spread it over the pillow
while he ran his fingers lightly across her shoulders, then down the middle of
her chest between her breasts. Next, he stroked around the contours of her
round peaks, then cupped them in his hands. Her breath quickened as her nipples
became taut and firm against his palms. Ever so slowly, he began to knead her
breasts, lightly, closing and opening his hands to evoke a gentle wave of
arousal in her. Her eyes closed halfway, and she threw her head back.

He
loved seeing her so deliciously aroused as she moaned and arched against his
hands. He loved giving her pleasure.

His
lips found one straining pink nub, and he nudged it with his tongue, sending a
sensual thrill through him, then he drew the dusky flesh deep into his mouth,
sucking and letting go, sucking and letting go, until her ragged gasps told him
she was beyond reason.

“Dawn,
do you like this?”

“Yes.
Oh, yes.”

He
smiled in satisfaction. He lapped his tongue across one nipple, then trailed it
down the fleshy peak into the valley, then up to the other nipple, then started
working his own brand of magic on her. Soon she arched her hips, her body
pleading for his.

When
he tried, and failed, to undo her waistband, she found the hidden clasps and
opened them. He skimmed off the band, then the skirt. She watched him with eyes
wide and uncertain. He leaned over and kissed her lips, then slowly eased off
her green satin panties.

“You’re
so beautiful, Dawn. So very beautiful.”

He
stroked her from shoulder to hip, then hip to knee, then he ran his fingers
lightly along her inner thigh. He found her dark curls and gently stroked over
them, then dipped into the moist, fleshy folds of her most womanly part. She
gasped at his intimate touch, and he glanced at her face. Her eyes, only half
open, were dark with passion, the green of her irises as dark as moss.

He
found the center of her sensuality and invoked his magical touch until she
arched in total abandon, calling out his name in coarse groans. His name, not
Sky’s. His lips found the soft flesh of her stomach, and he nibbled and kissed
his way slowly to her breasts while his fingers slid into her moist opening.
Urging her thighs apart, he positioned his knees between them.

He
couldn’t believe he would be the one to take her to womanhood. He would be the
first to show her true loving between a man and a woman.

He
found her moist, slippery opening with the hardened shaft of his arousal and
gently rested there a moment, before edging forward in a slow, gentle caress,
giving her body time to adjust to him. He felt the resistance of her
maidenhead, but pushed relentlessly onward. She gasped, but then pushed to meet
him, taking him fully inside.

Oh,
God, she felt so good. He drew in a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding
heart.

He
pulled back, slowly, gently, then pushed forward again. Together, they started
slow, purposeful strokes, moving as one, climbing the heights of passion. Dawn
gasped, then cried out. At the sound of his name on her lips, torn from her in
passion, he plunged after her, joining her in the ecstatic whirlpool of
pleasure.

* * * *

Dawn
lay quietly beneath him, but Luke could sense something was very wrong. He slid
to her side, keeping their bodies together. Pulling her into the protection of
his arms, he kissed her temple. Her eyes were closed, but he knew she was not
asleep. Her breathing was irregular, and her eyelids seemed to tremble as
though she were fighting to keep them closed.

“Sweetheart?
Are you all right?” He noticed a tear roll down her face, forming a crooked wet
line from her eye to the pillow. Alarm spiked through him. “Dawn, tell me
what’s wrong. Did I hurt you?”

Her
eyelids flew open and Luke was shocked at what he read in her eyes. Instead of
soft, vulnerability, he saw sharp, burning anger.

“What’s
wrong? What’s wrong!” She nearly shouted the repetition, as she shoved him away
and clambered out of the bed, pulling the sheet along with her. She arranged
the fabric around her body and swung back to face him, her eyes flashing
dangerously.

“How
could you....?” Her voice broke, but she quickly got it under control again.
“How could you do that to me?”

“What
do you mean?” He kept his voice gentle and reassuring. “Dawn, it’s what you
wanted.” He reached out a hand to her, trying to coax her back into his arms.
She stared at it scornfully, then glared at his face.

“How
can you say that? How can you sit there and say that?” Her voice was rising in
pitch, now almost shrill.

Confusion
scurried through him as he watched tears swell from her eyes and form rivers of
despair on her sweet, heart-shaped face. He didn’t want to upset her any more,
but he had to find out what had caused this violent reaction.

“Dawn,
please. Just tell me what this is all about.”

“This
.... this is all about taking advantage ... about abusing my trust and taking
what you want. This is all about ... rape.”

“What?”
Her words shocked him, shaking him to the very depths of his soul. He stepped
towards her and put his hands on her shoulders but she shrugged them off and
backed away from him with such fear on her face that he forced himself not to
follow. He spoke slowly, his voice coming out low and controlled.

“Dawn,
you know very well that you came to me. You asked me to make love
to you. You know that I would never force you. Now, tell me what you’re talking
about.”

A
sob escaped her throat, and ruthlessly he had to force himself to stay where he
was, knowing that she would not welcome his support.

“Yes,
I came to you and I ... made it clear that you could make love to me. But it
was not willingly!”

“You
certainly seemed willing to me,” he said quietly.

She
glared at him. “Oh, Luke, stop it! You know very well why I did what I did.”

“Why
don’t you explain it to me anyway, Dawn?”

“You
.... you...” She drew in an exasperated breath, then flung her answer at him. “I
came here because you wished me to!”

“Yes,
I wanted you here, but...” His voice trailed off, and his eyes widened as he
remembered the words he’d uttered ... had it been out loud? ... before he’d
dropped off to sleep.

I
want her here in my arms. I want to make love to her. I love her, and, dear
God, I wish that she loved me.

“But
you weren’t even here. I didn’t make the wish to you.” He shook his head. Was
it possible that she heard his wishes even when she wasn’t in his presence?
“Dawn, you can’t mean that ... I didn’t mean it to be a wish. Dawn...”

He
shook his head, and the pain in his voice was wrenched from deep inside, but
Dawn didn’t seem to hear it.

“I
hate you!” she flung at him.

He
stared at her, his heart folding up into a small, useless wad, leaving a gaping
hole in his chest that flooded with agony. One part of his mind wondered how
she could say she hated him when, according to his wish last night, she must
now love him. After all, she was bound to tell the truth. Maybe it was possible
to both love and hate someone at the same time.

He
grasped her shoulders, ignoring her struggle to free herself. This was too
important. She had to listen to him.

“Dawn,
even if what you’re telling me is true, I didn’t mean it as a wish. I didn’t
mean to ... force you.” He couldn’t use the word she’d said ... couldn’t. It
was unthinkable.

She
stopped struggling and glared at him.

“It
was rape as surely as if you’d forced me physically. Even worse. I had to
entice you, to seduce you. I had to enjoy it! The only way for me to fulfill
your wish was to tempt you and assure you that I wanted to as much as you did.
How do you think that makes me feel? How can I live with what I’ve done? Now
I’m nothing but a ... a ... slut. That’s the word Evelyn used.”

“No.”
His voice came out raw and craggy. He cleared his throat and tried again. “No,
never that. Dawn, you mustn’t think that way.”

“How
else can I think? You know my background. The only women who ... do that
.... before they’re married ... are considered...” She dropped her head into her
hands and her sobs shook her shoulders. Luke stood by helplessly watching.

“Dawn,
what can I do? How can I make you feel better?”

Her
head snapped up and her gaze darted to his face. The apprehension in her eyes
chilled him. Her words continued, halting and reluctant. “You could make a wish
.... to make me forget ... to make me not care ... to--

“I
get the idea.” He desperately wanted to ease her pain. “Do you want me to do
that, Dawn?”

Her
body quivered, and her eyes filled with fear. “No, it would be a lie.”

Luke
nodded and sat down on the bed. He understood her fear. For him to wish such
things would mean he would be controlling her thoughts and feelings. That was a
frightening prospect.

Except
that he’d already wished her to love him.

“Dawn,
do you want me to at least wish away your love for me?”

“No,”
she whispered, backing away from him. “No, please just leave me alone.” She
turned to the door and opened it, then glanced back at him. The sadness in her
eyes would haunt him forever. She slipped through the door, and he did not try
to stop her, knowing she needed to be alone. He spent the rest of the dark
hours staring out the window at the flickering lights of the city below. His
thoughts wandered aimlessly, trying to surround the problem and hem it in.

Before,
he had been in anguish because she didn’t love him. Now that she did, neither
of them could ever accept it, because it wasn’t real.

* * * *

Dawn
stared out the window of her bedroom at the view of the city below. The sky was
slate grey. A few twinkling lights glittered around the city. It was early, but
a small number of cars made their way through the snowy streets. People with
places to go, she thought. Unlike her.

Dawn
knew she could no longer stay under the same roof as Luke, but she didn’t know
where to go. She needed to get away from him, needed time to think. She hoped
he would respect that.

She
thought back to what had happened between them a few hours ago. Making love
with him had been the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced. He had
been so tender, so gentle and sweet, and when their passion had flared, it had
been beyond anything she had ever imagined.

If
only he hadn’t wished for it to happen ... hadn’t forced her. She felt so dirty
and cheap. How could something so wonderful make her feel so awful? She knew
that she should be able to see reason and accept what had happened. She hadn’t
chosen to make love with him, so she really hadn’t done anything wrong. But she
had enjoyed it immensely. In fact, her heart had been crying out for her to
make love with Luke for a long time now. Therein lay the real problem. Guilt.
She had wanted to do it. His wish simply allowed her to do what she’d wanted to
do all along.

She
scrubbed a tear from her cheek and got up. Pulling clothes out of the drawers
of the dresser and stuffing them into a shoulder bag, she thought about how
much she would miss Luke. She still loved him. That wouldn’t change. If only he
loved her, too. But he didn’t. He just wanted her as a bed mate. That had been
clear from the first moment he’d seen her.

She
shook her head. This century was so confusing. Men and women made love before
marriage without a second thought. She knew Luke didn’t really understand her
background and her beliefs. When he’d made that wish, he hadn’t understood the
full impact it would have on her. Still, he shouldn’t have done it.

Quietly,
she zipped up the bag and threw a final glance around the room. Her fingers
trailed over the velvet box containing the emerald necklace Luke had bought for
her. She shuddered as she remembered the night he’d given it to her and how
close they had come to making love then. Yes, she had wanted to that night,
too.

She
left the room and closed the door silently. She tiptoed through the living room
to the front closet and pulled out her ski suit. Once it was on, she slipped
out the door and, a few moments later, pushed open the front door of the
building, blinking her eyes against the cutting wind.

* * * *

As
the first rays of dawn sent a wash of gold across the snow on the streets
below, Luke lay down on the bed to rest for a few moments, knowing sleep would not
come. When he next opened his eyes, it was past noon.

Leaping
from the bed, he hurried out of the bedroom, throwing on his robe as he pulled
open the door. There was no sign of Dawn in the living room or the kitchen. He
tapped on the door to her bedroom. They had to talk! He would make it all
right. Somehow. When no answer came, he tapped more loudly, then called her
name. Finally, he eased the door open and peered inside.

The
bed was made, and the room looked immaculate--and very empty. Panic welled inside
him. He pulled open the closet and glanced inside. The green dress he had
bought for her in Montreal was still there, and he noticed the blue velvet
jewelry case on the dresser containing the necklace he had given her, but when
he checked the drawers of the dresser, he saw that her casual clothes were
gone, along with all her pretty lace underthings. When he flew to the front
door to check for her coat, he found it gone, too.

Good
heavens, where would she go? She couldn’t use magic, and she had no money and
no transportation. He didn’t like to think of her alone in the city, naive and
defenseless. He glanced at the fireplace and saw the brass bottle still in its
place on the mantel. At least he still had that. He walked over and took it
down, stroking it lightly, knowing that if he were to remove the cap and rub
it, Dawn would be pulled back, relentlessly and irrevocably, to the bottle that
still held her captive. In fact, he knew he had only to wish her to be here and
she would appear.

He
also knew he wouldn’t do either of those things. She needed to be alone, and he
respected her wish.












Chapter 10



Dawn
hefted her carry-all over her shoulder and walked the dozen or so blocks to the
tall, distinguished building that Luke had pointed out when they’d visited
Winterlude. She scanned the list of names and found the appropriate call
button, pressed it, and waited, looking up at the camera that would show who
was ringing at this ungodly hour of the morning.

She
heard George’s husky voice bidding her to enter. As she rode up the elevator,
she wondered what Luke would do when he found she’d gone. Would he immediately
wish her back? Or would he give her a little time to herself? Or, would he
welcome the fact that she’d left? After all, he’d wanted to get rid of her
before.

George
was waiting for her when the elevator opened on the twenty-first floor.

“Dawn,
darlin’, good to see you.” He bobbed his head to look past her into the
elevator. “Where’s Luke?”

“I’ve
come alone.” She glanced at him timidly, uncertain how he’d take her
presumptuous behavior in coming here. Would he mind her asking for help?

“Well,
come on in, sweetheart. I’ve got some coffee brewin’, and I’ll rustle up some
grub. Have you had breakfast yet?” He led her down the hall and into his large,
homey apartment.

“No,
I haven’t, but I don’t want to inconvenience you. I’m not very hungry.”

“Nonsense.
‘Twouldn’t be any trouble at all.”

She
followed him into the kitchen and watched him hover, pulling things out of
cupboards, the fridge, drawers, starting several things cooking at once.

“Can
I help?” she asked hesitantly. “I ... I’m not very good with breakfast, but if
you tell me what to do...” Luke had always wished for meals when they’d been
together. She watched George awkwardly, wanting to do something useful.

He
jerked his head toward the coffee pot. “Well, now, darlin’, why don’t you just
pour us both a cup of coffee? I’ve got everything under control here. Anyway, I
work better solo. The mugs are up there.” He pointed to a cupboard door with
one hand while he flipped the frying eggs with the other.

In
an amazingly short time, they were sitting down to a wonderful breakfast. Even
though her appetite was less than hearty, she ate every bite, not wanting to
appear unappreciative of George’s efforts.

They
were lingering over coffee when George broached the subject they’d both been
avoiding.

“So
what brings you here, Dawn? Not that I don’t welcome a visit any old time.”

Her
stomach clenched. How would she explain why she’d come? She glanced up from her
coffee to his strong, caring face. The warmth in his eyes and the sincerity in
his voice gave her the courage she needed. “I ... I need somewhere to stay.
Just for a little while. You see, I don’t have any money, and I have to get a
job. I hate to impose, but ... I wasn’t sure where else to go.”

“Heck,
don’t worry none about that. You’re welcome here. But what about Luke? I
thought you were stayin’ with him.”

“I
was, but ... I can’t stay there any longer.”

Heat
at the thought of being in his arms last night simmered along her spine, then
chilled as she remembered their confrontation afterward.

“Oh,
I’m sure Luke don’t mind none. He likes havin’ you around.”

He
liked having her in his bed. Except even that desire might have cooled after
last night. Being inexperienced, she probably hadn’t been as exciting as other
women he’d known. Now that the edge of curiosity had gone, he’d probably be
bored with her.

But
she couldn’t tell George any of this.

“We
had ... well ... we had words last night. I can’t go back.”

“You
had a little fight, did ya? Well, that’s okay, it’ll all work out, but if you
want to stay here in the meantime, that’s all right by me. I’ve got plenty o’
room, that’s for sure.”

“Thank
you, George. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“Nonsense.
Happy to be of help.”

She
reached for his hand and touched it lightly, drawing his complete attention.

“George,
one more thing. Please ... don’t tell Luke I’m here.”

He
ran his hand through his hair. “Well, now, little lady, I’m not so sure if I
can do that.” He shifted a little in his chair. “Luke and I go way back, and I
wouldn’t feel right holdin’ somethin’ back from him.” His gaze held hers.
“After all, it’s clear that he thinks the sun rises and sets with you.”

Not
bothering to refute his last statement, Dawn rose slowly from the table,
nodding her head. “That’s okay, George, I understand.” She picked up her bag,
which she’d dropped on the cushioned bench in front of the window, and slid the
strap over her shoulder.

“Now
wait just a minute. Where do ya think you’re goin’?”

“I
can’t stay here if you’re going to tell Luke. I’m sorry, I should never have
put you in this position. Thanks for breakfast.” She turned and headed for the
door.

George
rose and followed her. “Dawn, I’m sure you two just had a little tiff. Friends
do that every now and again. It shouldn’t matter that he knows you’re here. You
two’ll talk again when the time is right.”

She
turned back to face him. “No, George. I’m afraid I can’t explain it, but I
don’t want him to know where I am.” She couldn’t explain because she didn’t
quite understand it herself. After all, he could pull her back no matter where
she was. She knew it. Luke knew it. But she sensed he would respect her need to
be alone. He’d been sensitive to her needs in so many ways.

As
she walked toward the door, she felt George’s big hand gently restrain her.

“Dawn,
wait. Where will you go?”

“I
don’t know.”

“Do
you know anyone else in the city?”

She
glanced away from his probing stare. “Not really. Only the people I met at
Luke’s party.”

“No
one you can go stay with, except me o’ course. That’s settled, then, you’re
stayin’ here.” At her words of protest, he shook his head and said, “I promise,
I won’t tell Luke you’re here.”

She
stared at him with shining gratitude, and he blushed.

“Come
on, now. Let’s get you settled. Is that all you brought, just that little old
measly bag?”

“Yes,
it’s all I’ve got.”

George
showed her to the guest room, and after making sure she was settled, made his
apologies because he had to leave for work. She assured him she’d be fine, and
once he was gone, she settled herself at the kitchen table and went through the
want ads. She was determined to become self-sufficient. By the time George got
home that evening, she was thoroughly disheartened, but she put on a cheerful
face to welcome him.

At
her request, George let her help prepare dinner. He gave her specific tasks to
perform and showed her where things were and how to use the various appliances
around the kitchen. When she asked for instructions on how to use the stove he
raised an eyebrow but made no comment, for which she was very grateful.

She’d
arrived on his doorstep on a Tuesday, and by the end of the week, she greeted
him with dinner prepared and waiting for him. Even though it was a simple meal,
she took great pride in the fact that she’d made it with her own hands.

That
night, Dawn sat on the floor with the newspaper spread out in front of her
while George read a book in his favorite armchair. When Dawn let out a
disheartened sigh, George dropped his book onto his lap.

“What’s
up, little lady? Still no luck in the job market?”

“No.”
She chewed on her lower lip. “The problem is, I have no skills ... and even if
I did, I don’t have any references.”

“Well,
now, there must be somethin’ you’re good at. After all, you’re no dummy. I’ve
seen the books you’ve been readin’.”

“But
I don’t have any formal education, and without that no one’s willing to hire
me.”

“Well,
I’m sure we could find somethin’ for you to do at Jacobs Industries. There’re
lots of things a smart gal like you could do, and with one of the bosses
recommendin’ you, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble.”

She
gazed into his warm, brown eyes and smiled. “Thank you, George, but I don’t
think it’s a good idea. I’m bound to run into Luke sometime.”

“Look,
Dawn, I haven’t brought this up ‘cause I knew you didn’t want to hear it, but
Luke’s missin’ you somethin’ fierce.”

Her
heart clenched. Dawn missed Luke terribly, but she doubted the reverse was
true. If it was, why hadn’t he wished her home?

“From
the start, he’s said you two are just friends, but I know there’s somethin’
between you two ... somethin’ special. Why don’t you call him?”

“George,
you just don’t understand.”

“Then
explain it to me.”

She
stared at him helplessly. “I can’t.”

She
couldn’t explain it to him, because she wasn’t sure she understood herself. At
first, she kept anticipating Luke dragging her home, knowing it would upset and
anger her if he did. When he didn’t, she told herself Luke was being kind,
giving her time to herself--time she desperately needed so she could think
things through.

Over
that time, she’d come to accept that Luke would not have wished her into his
bed on purpose, and that her reaction had been purely emotional. He’d had so
many opportunities before that to make love to her that it didn’t make sense.

Once
she’d come to that conclusion, she realized she wanted to go home--to Luke’s
apartment. But she couldn’t just go back and knock on his door. The main thing
stopping her was the uncertainty surrounding their relationship. If she went
back, would he expect her to continue sharing his bed? Every night she dreamed
of being in his arms again, of feeling the joy his touch had given her--but
could she accept a relationship like that?

As
time dragged by, however, and Luke still hadn’t wished her home, she’d started
to believe he’d lost interest in her.

“I’m
sorry, little lady, I didn’t mean to meddle. I just hate seein’ the two of you
hurtin’ so bad.”

He
turned the conversation back to her job search and suggested she think of any
unusual skills she might turn to her advantage. Three days later, she announced
she’d found a job.

* * * *

“Luke,
you’ve been downright ornery all week. What has gotten into you?” George asked.

Luke
realized it was the second time today he had snapped at their secretary,
Rachel. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I didn’t really mean it.”

“Boy,
and they say women have mood swings,” Rachel replied. When Luke didn’t smile,
she patted his arm. “It’s okay, Luke. Really.”

George
took Luke by the arm and steered him into his office.

He
led Luke to his guest chair and let him go, then settled back into his own big,
brown leather chair behind the huge, oak desk. Luke dropped his head back onto
the chair.

“I’ve
been that bad, have I?”

“Worse.
So, do you want to tell me what’s eatin’ you?”

“You
know what’s wrong. Dawn is gone.”

“Then
do something about it.”

“Like
what?”

“Like
find her and tell her you love her.”

Oh,
God, was it that obvious? He glanced at George, whose leather-booted feet lay
comfortably on the desk. George had known him a long time, and sometimes he saw
things Luke would rather he didn’t. Oh, well, no point denying it.

“Even
if I did know where she is--which I don’t--it’s not that simple.”

“It
is that simple.”

Luke
felt the desolation of five solid nights of sleeplessness weigh him down.
Hadn’t he told himself a dozen times over how hopeless the whole situation was?
Even if he could convince Dawn he hadn’t meant to make that damned wish, there
was something else that would stand between them forever. Or rather, someone
else.

He
shook his head. “You don’t understand, old friend. She’s in love with another
man.”

George
stared at Luke, clearly stunned. “Are you sure?”

“Of
course I’m sure.”

“So
where is this guy?”

“He’s
.... out of the country.”

George
leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk. “Look, Luke, if she really loves
this other guy, then you don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell. But, I think
you’ve got one hell of a chance. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Don’t give
up just because some guy might show up and give you a run for your money. Go
after her!”

Damn
it, Luke had thought about doing exactly that. But first he’d have to find her.
He could use magic to get her back, but how could he ever convince her he
hadn’t used a wish to force her into his bed if he used a wish to force her
back home?

No,
he’d have to satisfy himself with using a wish to make sure she was safe.

“George,
I don’t know where she is, so I’ll just have to wait until she decides to come
back on her own.” Which he prayed she would.

George
stood up and paced, his expression the one he wore while mulling over a problem.

“George,
if this conversation is over, I’ve got to go finish that Jordan proposal.”

“Wait
a minute, buddy. Are you free for dinner tonight? I need to talk to you about
somethin’.”

It
wasn’t so much the words as how he said them that tipped Luke off that
something was bothering George in a big way. Had Luke been too tied up in his
own troubles to notice that his friend had a problem? Damn, he’d been selfish.

“Of
course, George. Just name the place.”

“I
was hopin’ you’d say that.”

* * * *

George
suggested a new Moroccan restaurant called the Marrakech that had opened the
previous week. Luke had just finished his dinner when a rhythmic music began.
It had a pulse of its own, surging and swaying, sweeping the listeners into its
spell.

“The
entertainment’s starting. You’ll love this, buddy,” George assured Luke.

He
heard a chink, chink sound and turned to see a figure swathed in a
filmy, glittering fabric. She was covered from head to toe, with only her hair
and arms visible from the back. The hair was long and dark--and gut-wrenchingly
reminiscent of Dawn’s. Of course, Luke seemed to see something of Dawn in every
woman around him.

As
he watched the dancer, he saw that the delicate sound came from tiny cymbals on
her fingers, which she played along to the music and the movements of her body.


The
tempo was slow and sultry, and she swayed and swirled in time. The beat
quickened, and so did she. He soon found himself totally captivated by her.
What she could do with the tiny golden discs strapped to the middle finger and
thumb of each hand fascinated him. Sometimes she brought them together full-on,
making a reverberating chime, sometimes she caught the edge of one on the flat
of the other to make a rich, melodic ting, and sometimes she snapped
them together to make a clapping sound. Somehow she combined these motions into
a rhythmic sequence along with her fluid dance.

She
swirled and twirled, swayed and played both her music and her body, the two
becoming one liquid whole. As she turned around and around, she slowly loosened
the large veil which covered most of her body. Soon it swirled around her in a
twirling cloud of color, like a butterfly in the throes of passion.

Luke
had never imagined belly dancing like this. It was not the erotic, titillating
dance of a stripper. Instead, it was exotic, earthy, sensuous.

Slowly
the veil came away from her body, like a cocoon parting to free the butterfly
within. His breath caught as her spinning slowed with the music, and she danced
facing his side of the room.

Dawn!

He
snapped an angry glance at George, then turned back to watch Dawn. She enticed
the veil to move in rich, aesthetic lines as though she was charming it as the
flute charms the snake. So caught up was she in her performance that she seemed
to see nothing else. Her world was the veil, the music, and the dance. Soon she
discarded the light cloth and sank to her knees as the music changed to a slow
flute solo. Her arms moved in fluid, curving lines, and she lowered her upper
body until her head almost touched the floor. Her breasts arched upward as she
played the cymbals against the floor, adding another dimension to their
delicate repertoire.

Before
long, she surged to her feet and moved around the room, her hips circling and
shimmying in an enticing motion. Too enticing, Luke thought. Every male eye in
the room was glued to her. Luke had to stop himself from rushing over, throwing
his jacket around her, and dragging her from the room.

She
wore the same costume he remembered, with a few alterations. Strands of coins
trimmed the bottom of the bodice and the waistband and jingled with her
movements, adding to the music. The waistband, which used to start at the
narrowest part of her slim waist, was now cut away to just above the top of her
hips, leaving her navel exposed. At least she hadn’t shoved a gem in her belly
button!

Her
hips now quivered in a seductive shimmy. She turned first one hip forward, then
the other. Men held bills out to her trying to lure her to them. She moved to
each one and allowed the owner to stuff the money into her waistband.

Anger
surged through Luke. How could she allow these men to touch her so intimately?
How could she expose herself to these strangers? How could she tempt them just
to get money? When she was behind him he pulled a bill out of his wallet and
held it over his head.

“Oh,
my goodness, that’s a hundred!” a female voice from another table whispered
loudly.

He
heard the tinkling of Dawn’s coins approaching him and then she stood before
him, her right hip rhythmically moving toward him and away, her eyes focused on
the bill. As he tucked it under the velvet, choosing the centre of the band, he
let his fingers dip under her lacy panties and slide deep to touch the silken
strands of hair beneath, determined to teach her a lesson. Her breath caught
and her cheeks went crimson. Her gaze flew to his face, and she gasped. She
lost her balance, and he caught her around the waist and pulled her into his
lap.

The
feel of her body pressing against him, of her moist, sweat-drenched skin
against his hands, was too much to resist. He pulled her into his arms and
kissed her deeply.

Everyone
cheered as the music died away and then turned back to their meals. Dawn
discreetly pulled away from him, her eyes wide and her face anxious. She
glanced from Luke to George and back again.

“What
are you doing here?” Her voice was breathless.

“I
came to have dinner. I might inquire the same of you.”

She
stared at her hands moving nervously in her lap. “I need to make some money. I
have to live somehow.”

“Doing
this, Dawn? Exposing yourself to these strangers?” His voice was harsh.

“The
others seemed to like my dancing,” she flared defiantly.

“Of
course they do. Who wouldn’t? It’s incredibly sexy.”

He
felt her stiffen. “There’s little else I can do. I don’t have many skills, you
know that.” Then she stared directly into his eyes. “At least, that I can
sell.”

George
cleared his throat, reminding them of his presence.

“George
has been helping me, but I can’t stay with him forever. I’m trying to find a
place of my own and--”

“You’re
staying with George?” Luke roared, glaring at his friend.

By
the Gods, she prayed she hadn’t caused a rift between them. Had she been wrong
to ask for George’s silence? “I had nowhere else to go, and he took me in.” At
the continued darkening of his expression she added, “He’s been a total
gentleman. And Luke ... I asked him not to tell you where I was. I threatened
that I would leave if he did, and he was so concerned about me being alone on
the streets that he promised. Please, don’t be angry with him.” Her hand had
gone to his shoulder with her plea, her fingers curling around it. Luke’s tight
expression loosened a bit.

“Um,”
George interjected. “You two look pretty cozy there, but don’t you think it
might be a good idea for Dawn to sit on a chair by herself?”

Noticing
that other patrons were whispering and glancing their way, Luke eased Dawn into
the chair beside him. As soon as he released her, she jumped to her feet.

“I
can’t stay here ... I’ll be fired. I’m not supposed to fraternize with the
customers.”

Luke
dragged his finger across the bills in her waistband, sending them fluttering.
“What do you call this?”

Her
stomach tightened. “That’s considered part of the act.” She hadn’t liked it,
but the waitresses had assured her the other dancers did the same thing, and it
was considered to be all in good fun. Dawn had decided if she had to survive in
the twentieth century, she’d have to take things like this in her stride. She
marched away from the table, and Luke leaped to his feet.

“I’m
not letting you out of my sight. I don’t want you disappearing again.” He
followed her to her change room, a small bathroom at the back of the
restaurant. Before she went in, he grabbed her arm and said, “You aren’t going
to sneak away through the window, are you? We need to talk.”

“Luke,
you know you can get me back anytime you want. I can’t stop you.”

He
let go of her, and she slipped into the small room. Five minutes later, she
came out dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans, a large, denim bag slung over her
shoulder. She grabbed her coat while Luke went to speak with George, then followed
him out of the restaurant to his car.












Chapter 11



During
the silent drive back to Luke’s apartment, Dawn clutched her coat close to her
body. Snow drifted down from the sky in soft, downy flakes. If she stared
straight ahead the swirling effect made her dizzy, so she watched the street
lights slide by the side of the car.

Her
heart ached being this close to Luke again. What he would expect from their
relationship now? She was convinced he would never force her to share his bed,
but what if he asked her to? Now that she had felt the bliss of making love
with Luke, could she refuse her own desires? And if she gave into them, could
she live with herself?

She
glanced at his profile. His face was drawn into tense lines as he maneuvered
the slippery roads. Did he even want her back? He’d been ashamed of her
dancing. She huddled in the seat, wrapping her arms around her body. Was he
ashamed of her wanton enjoyment of their lovemaking, too? Was that why he
hadn’t wished her home?

She
shuddered, thinking about the confrontation to come. She didn’t want to face
his disgust.

Following
him into the penthouse, she dropped her snow-covered boots on the rubber mat by
the closet and shrugged out of her jacket. He took it from her and hung it
alongside his own. She slunk over to the couch and sank onto it. Wrapping her
arms around her knees, she stared at her grey socks, waiting for Luke’s anger.

“Want
a drink?” he asked in a level voice. She shook her head, remaining silent for
fear of giving away her tremulous state of mind.

Luke
went to the bar and dropped ice cubes into a crystal glass, then poured amber
liquor over it. He took a gulp and began to pace the living room in front of
her.

Here
it comes.

“Dawn,
you don’t know how worried I’ve been since you left. I imagined all kinds of
terrible things happening to you all alone out there. So many times I had to
stop myself from wishing you back here, if only to make sure you were all
right.”

Her
head rose, and she stared at him, stunned by his words. He had worried
about her, and he had wanted to wish her back. She had to restrain herself from
throwing herself into his arms. “Why didn’t you?”

He
sighed. “Because I knew you wanted to be alone.” He stared into his glass,
swishing the ice cubes around in a circle. “Or at least, away from me.” He
stopped pacing and gazed at her. “I did wish for you to be safe, and I worded
it so you wouldn’t remember. I didn’t want to invade your privacy even that
much,” he said with his hands extended at his sides, palms towards her. “But I
had to. I would be devastated if anything happened to you.”

His
words shook her. Had he learned to care about her on some level?

“Dawn,
do you forgive me?”

“Of
course,” she whispered.

He
stepped closer and took her hand. “Dawn, I’ve missed you.” He sat down and
pulled her into his arms, drawing her head against his chest. She rested
against him, loving the feel of his strong arms around her.

“Please,
forgive me for what happened,” he murmured.

“Oh,
Luke...” She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to tell him she understood,
but she wasn’t sure she did. It was all too confusing. She wanted to tell him
how much she loved him, but she couldn’t allow herself to be that vulnerable.
He already knew he controlled her actions, she couldn’t let him know he
controlled her heart, too.

“Dawn.”
He cupped her chin in his hand and tipped her face up. “Please come back to
me.”

“If
you want me to.”

“If
I want you to?” He hugged her ferociously. “Of course I want you to. If I had
my choice, you’d be with me forever and...” His shoulders slumped, and the
pressure of his arms eased around her. “But that isn’t possible.” He stroked
her hair. “Dawn, I know about Sky.”

Shock
vaulted through her. “How?”

“That
first night after I got you back from Evelyn ... you called out his name. You
were in some kind of half-waking state, and you told me about Sky’s
imprisonment and the terms of his release.” Pain slashed his features. “You
told me you loved him.”

Luke
thought Sky was her beloved!

“Oh,
Luke, Sky and I--”

“You
also told me you’ll have to marry a man named Amar.”

A
cold chill gripped her at the reminder of her fate. “That’s true.”

“When
will that happen?”

“At
the end of my term as a genie. That will be in...” She closed her eyes and drew
the knowledge from within. “Fifty-two years.”

“Fifty-two
years? And you’ll be my genie for that whole time?” He watched her nod. “My
God, Dawn, that’s almost a lifetime. For me, anyway.” He took her hand in his.
“Dawn, I want you to be more than just my genie.”

A
shadow of anxiety covered her heart, and she started to pull away, anticipating
a question that would torture her soul. Luke tightened his grip on her hand and
rushed on. “I can’t imagine being here with you and not making love to you, but
I know you could never accept that. I know you don’t really love me, but I do
love you--with all my heart. Would you marry me?”

Luke
loved her? Joy surged through Dawn’s churning emotions. He had just proposed!
She was stunned and elated. Her dream had come true. Her bond to Amar was
broken, and she was free to marry the man she truly loved.

Unless...

She
locked gazes with Luke. He had known about Sky and Amar. Maybe he had
discovered the terms of her bondage, too. Maybe he had only claimed to love her
in order to free her. He might not understand that the love had to be real for
it to work.

“Luke--”

A
terrible rumbling startled them both. The air around them quivered. Tremors
shook the ground below their feet, and the light in the room dimmed.

Billowing
clouds of black smoke plumed from the floor, and Amar’s commanding shape
stepped out of the insubstantial barrier and towered over them. His eyes burned
with anger and a malevolent, terrifying threat.

Dawn’s
hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. She could only think of one reason
Amar would come. She should have guessed he would never allow her to escape.
But, this must mean ... She glanced at Luke’s beloved face. Could it be that he
truly loved her?

She
grabbed his hands in both of hers and held them tightly. She wasn’t sure what
Amar would do, but she knew he wouldn’t allow her to stay with Luke. Not now.

Knowing
it would be suicidal to show weakness or fear, she stood up and turned toward
Amar, a calm countenance in the face of his raging storm.

“Amar,”
she acknowledged, tipping her head. She could see the violent rise and fall of
his chest as he barely managed to contain his rage.

“So
this is the mortal who tries to claim you?” His eyes narrowed into slits as he
regarded Luke.

“Only
because of you.” She wanted to draw his anger away from Luke and onto her. She
was afraid for Luke, afraid of what Amar might do to him. “He has simply taken
what you made available to him ... me. You imprisoned me in the bottle. He
found it and released me.”

“You
know very well that I never intended for you to be found ... and if you were
found, not to have the mindless oaf fall in love with you.” He stared at Luke
with cool disdain, suddenly quite calm.

The
calm before the storm, Dawn feared.

“But
I suppose I can’t really fault him for that. After all, he’s a mere mortal and
you are one of the illustrious djinn. He never had a chance against your
charms.” Amar stroked his beard in a thoughtful gesture. “Ah, well, no matter.
What is done is done.”

Something
was brewing, Dawn knew. It was not like Amar to give up so easily, and
certainly not to accept defeat graciously. When he wanted something, he was a
demon about getting it. And he wanted Dawn. But surely he would abide by the
rules set out by the council? Even the powerful Amar had to bend to their will.
He had agreed, and now she was free.

“So
you concede that I am now free to make my own choices? And to marry whom I
please?”

He
tilted and nodded his head in acknowledgment. “Of course, my dear. Why would
you think differently?”

Why,
indeed? she asked herself, worried at his arrogant, unwavering
self-assurance.

“It
is too bad, though. We would have been spectacular together, you and I.” He
touched her cheek, and she refused to flinch.

Luke’s
eyes narrowed and he watched intently. Dawn sensed he would fly to her aid if
he saw the least bit of fear in her eyes. She would not show fear, not to Amar,
nor to Luke.

“Ah,
well. Your loss,” Amar continued, then turned his narrowed gaze to Luke. “As
for you...”

Dawn
could feel the air stirring as Amar gathered his power around him like a cloak.

“Amar,
what are you going to do?” She couldn’t help the note of panic that crept into
her voice.

He
cast his gaze on her and said calmly, “Why, kill him, of course. You don’t
think I can let him live and take what I could not?”

“But
you said you agreed--that I am free now--that I can marry whom I please.”

“True.
You are and you can. But not this one. He won’t be available.”

“No,
Amar!” Dawn cried as she flung herself in front of Luke. “Please ... I’ll do
anything. Don’t hurt him!”

“Dawn,
don’t!” Luke cried out, pulling her to his side.

“Shut
up, mortal.” Amar flicked his hand in Luke’s direction, freezing him to the
spot, as still as the ice statues Luke had shown Dawn during Winterlude. “It’s
not polite to interrupt a lady.” He turned to Dawn. “Please, my dear, what were
you saying before you were so rudely interrupted?”

Dawn’s
eyes widened as she stared at Luke’s still form.

“He’s
quite unharmed, my dear,” Amar assured her. “Please continue.”

“If
.... if you’ll agree to leave Luke alone, not to hurt him in any way, then I ...
I’ll agree to marry you.”

“Really?
Hmm, let me think about it.” He paced around the room. “So, you will turn your
back on the man you love and marry me, the man you loathe ... willingly?”

His
game became clear to Dawn. If she agreed to marry him willingly, then the
council would allow it, even though by the terms of their agreement she
wouldn’t have to. The one glitch in his plan was that if she told the council
of his coercion, they would stop the union and would protect Luke. She crossed
her fingers behind her back, hoping he wouldn’t think of that loophole.

“It
sounds like a wonderful suggestion, dearest, only there’s one small flaw in
your plan. The council would deem my actions as blackmail and would frown on
our marriage.”

Dawn’s
shoulders slumped in defeat. Of course, he wouldn’t overlook something so
important. “I--I promise to deny coercion, Amar, and to tell them I want to
marry you--if you promise not to hurt Luke. I give you my word.”

“Now,
how could I refuse such a lovely creature as you?” Reaching for her hand, he
said, “My dear, your wish is my command.”

She
let him take her hand in his and raise it to his mouth. Her flesh quivered at
his touch, not in desire but disgust. “Please, Amar. Let Luke go,” she pleaded,
gesturing to Luke’s frozen form.

“Of
course. If it pleases you.” He flicked his fingers and Luke stumbled forward.

“Dawn,
no! You can’t marry him.” He grabbed her arms and pulled her away from Amar.

“Luke.
I have no choice.”

“Don’t
sacrifice yourself for me. You’ll have to spend eternity with him.”

She
grasped his hands and squeezed. “Luke, I love you. There is no other choice.”

Luke
blanched. “No, Dawn. You know you really don’t love me. That was the result of
a wish.”

“No,
Luke. You’re wrong.”

Luke
had no time to ponder her comment, because Amar reached for her hand and pulled
her away. Luke watched helplessly as Amar’s taloned hands closed around Dawn’s
sweet face and throat, and he brought his cruel lips to hers. He could see
Dawn’s look of revulsion as they disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and he
cried out in frustration and rage.

Left
alone, Luke flew to the brass bottle on the mantel. He grabbed it, removed the
stopper, and rubbed vigorously. Nothing happened. He threw it across the room
and wished with all his might for Dawn to return to him. Nothing.

Could
it really be true? Dawn was no longer his genie, and he had no way to get her
back?

Anger
and frustration stormed through him. He swept the ornaments off the mantel, and
they crashed on the hearth. He couldn’t believe he had lost the woman he loved
again, but for good this time. Excess energy built in him like a raging
inferno. He pushed over furniture, and smashed anything he could get his hands
on, wishing each thing was Amar. How dare he steal Dawn away? How dare he force
her to marry him?

How
would Luke ever live without her?

Finally,
like a punctured balloon, he felt the fury whoosh out of him. He picked up the
brass bottle and dropped onto the couch, exhausted.

* * * *

Dawn
glanced around the large, elegant room Amar had assigned her to. He had brought
her to a modern mansion with tennis courts and a swimming pool, hot tub,
horses, and all the other trappings of wealth. The decor was reminiscent of
Luke’s place. It was almost as though Amar wanted to put her into a familiar
environment so she’d be comfortable. She shook her head, sending the thought
scooting away.

She
remembered the look on Luke’s face when he had proclaimed his love for her. By
the Gods, she knew now that he’d spoken the truth.

Poor
Luke. What was he going through now? She remembered the anguish on his face
when Amar dragged her away and wondered how long it would take him to forget
her. A long time, a little voice inside cried out. A very long time.

She
dropped her head onto her knees and rested it there, thinking of the endless
years that would pass for her while she yearned for Luke.

Maybe,
once she and Amar were married, if she was very nice to him, he would let her
visit Luke once in a while. The thought of being nice to Amar, especially what
he would consider nice, caused her stomach to lurch.

Not
a good idea, anyway. It would only hurt more seeing Luke and knowing they
couldn’t be together.

She
heard a tap on the door.

“Enter.”

Amar
swung the door open and stepped inside.

“So,
my sweet. I see you are still moping.”

“I’m
not moping.”

He
walked to the window and pulled back the drapes. Brilliant sunshine blazed into
the room, setting the room alight with color. The white dresser and desk
sparkled, and light glinted off the mirror. The rose velvet bedspread wrinkled
as she lifted her face from her knees and uncurled her huddled form, then
climbed off the side of the bed. Standing in front of Amar, she waited for him
to state the purpose of this visit.

He
held out his hand to her.

“Come.
Enjoy the day outside. Staying here and thinking about what could have been
won’t help.”

She
stared at him, wondering what he really wanted. When it became clear she
wouldn’t take his hand, he lowered it.

“Dawn,
in two days time you will marry me. Get used to the idea. I absolutely insist
on an enthusiastic bride, on both the wedding day and the wedding night.”

Her
gaze shot to his.

“You
agreed to marry me willingly. I expect that to be evident in your behavior. You
won’t disappoint me.”

His
hand reached for her face, and his fingertips stroked her cheek. She was proud
of herself when she didn’t flinch.

“What
are you asking of me, Amar? I can only give so much.”

She
waited for his anger, his demands, his malice, but they didn’t come. Instead,
he looked at her with sadness in his dark eyes.

“Dawn,
give me a way to make you ... care for me. I know love is too much to expect,
but couldn’t you try and like me a little.”

She
stared at him, stunned. It was frightening how a bit of vulnerability had shown
in his face when he’d said that. The man was positively dangerous. She backed
away a step.

“What
do you want, Amar? Really?”

He
sighed. “Is it so hard to believe that I might really care for you?” He paced
away from her, then turned back. “I am the way I am. When I want something...”
his hand opened and grasped a handful of air. “...I take it. I understand that
you are upset, that you wanted that mortal, but I couldn’t allow it. Don’t you
see?”

“Amar,
you take away my freedom, you almost destroy the man I love, you keep me from
the happiness I could share with him, then you ask me to understand?”

His
gaze held hers for several moments as he stared deep into her soul, as though
he could wrench every secret from her subconscious. Finally, he spoke again.
“Allow me to do some small thing to cheer you up. I promised to free Sky as a
wedding present. Rather than waiting until after we are married, I will free
him now.”

“Sky!
You’ll let Sky go now?”

Joy
lit up her inner darkness. Without conscious thought, she placed her hand on
his arm. His gaze shifted to her fingers, and she stiffened. It was the first
time she had ever willingly touched him.

“May
I see him?” she asked quietly, fully expecting the answer to be no.

“How
cruel you think I am. But then, I’ve given you little reason to believe otherwise.”

Was
that regret she saw lacing his saturnine features? Surely not. Still, she could
barely breathe while she waited for his answer.

“Of
course, you may see him.”

Her
fingers tightened on his sleeve, and the air whooshed out of her lungs.

“Thank
you, Amar.”

He
touched her hand lightly, his fingers rigid, as though unaccustomed to such
gentle contact. Their gazes locked for a brief moment. In that one instant, she
felt as though she could see into his soul. He looked ... lonely. In fact, she
found herself feeling sorry for him, and that frightened her. She pulled her
hand away.

“Follow
me.” He turned away and strode to the door, then led her down the stairs to a
large sitting room. “Stay here. I’ll send him to you.”

* * * *

Dawn
watched as Sky appeared in a puff of blue smoke.

He
was as she remembered him. Tall and handsome, with his dark hair tied at his
neck. Tears spilled from her eyes as she watched him glance around, slightly
disoriented.

“Sky!”

“Dawn?”
His gaze found hers and he closed the distance between them in two strides,
then swept her into his arms. “Are you all right?”

She
nodded, unable to find her voice.

“Where
is that swine, Amar? Together we will make him regret he ever darkened our
path.” He eased her away, ready to summon the combined strength of their power.

“No,
Sky. We can’t do that.”

He
turned to face her, his expression one of stunned amazement. “Why not?”

“I’m
going to marry him.”

“Marry
him? You can’t be serious.” He examined her expression carefully, then he stepped
toward her. “You are. How did he make you agree? Did Father have something to
do with it?”

“Sit
down,” she said, gesturing toward the couch.

He
did so, and she sat beside him, taking his hands in hers. She told him about
the council’s decision and how Amar had imprisoned her in the bottle to prevent
her from finding someone to fall in love with her. She told him about being
found by Luke, how they had fallen in love, and how his love had freed her from
Amar’s spell.

“Amar
wouldn’t allow that to happen, though,” Sky grated. He tightened his hands
around hers. “Did he kill him, Dawn?” he asked gently.

“No,”
she said, shaking her head. “But he would have. I--I agreed to marry Amar
willingly if he promised not to hurt Luke. I gave him my word.”

Sky
drew in a sharp breath. “So, there’s no way out.”

“I’m
afraid not.”

Dawn
watched Sky and knew his heart ached for her. She also knew it must be
difficult for him to accept that there was another man in her life, someone she
loved. Deciding to address the latter she put a hand on his cheek.

“Sky,
you knew someday another man would come along, someone who would mean as much
to me as you do.”

“Yes,
but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. You are so special to me.” He
pulled her into his arms and held her, as though he never wanted to let go.

“How
touching.” Amar’s voice was like a cruel, frigid wind biting through the warmth
of their embrace.

Dawn
drew away self-consciously and stood up. Sky rose, also.

“Thank
you, Amar, for letting me see Sky again.”

“Of
course, my dear,” he purred. “Anything for my bride-to-be.” He placed his hand
on her shoulder, and she shuddered, but she did not pull away. This man would
soon be her husband. The fact that she had agreed to marry him meant she must
allow him to touch her. In fact, in a few short days, on their wedding night,
he would touch her as a man touches a woman--as Luke had touched her not long
ago. Another shudder took her.

Sky
glared at Amar, then took Dawn’s hand, pulling her so that she was out of Amar’s
reach. “Dawn, will you be all right?” he asked gently.

She
nodded bravely. “Of course.” She covered his hand with hers. “Please don’t
worry about me.”

“That’s
right,” Amar said, placing his hand on her elbow and pulling her back to his
side. His arm snaked around her waist. “And now I think it is time for you to
leave.”

“So
soon?” Dawn whispered.

He
glanced at her, a gleam in his eye. “For you, my dearest, I will allow another
few minutes. Especially since this is the last time you will ever see him.”

“No,”
she breathed. Her hand grasped Amar’s shoulder in appeal. “You can’t mean
that.”

“Surely
you don’t expect to keep seeing him after we’re married. Having the two of you
together simply will not do.” He pushed her toward Sky. “I’ll leave you two to
say your goodbyes. You have five minutes.” Amar strode from the room.

Dawn
fell into Sky’s embrace, tears flowing from her eyes. “Sky, I’ll miss you so
much.”

“Dawn,
was saving this man Luke really worth what you’ll have to endure?”

“Yes.”
She nodded. “He’s more important to me than life itself.”

Sky
pulled Dawn to his chest and hugged her, not knowing how he’d face eternity
without her. One thing he knew. He was going to go and meet this Luke and have
a little talk with him.












Chapter 12



Luke
put his hands to his ears to block out the pounding from the front door.
Sprawled on the couch, he groaned as his eyes blinked open, and sunlight
streamed over him from the patio doors.

Oh,
Lord, he felt like he’d been run over by a truck--one with spikes on the tires.
He swept a hand over his forehead to shove away the hair in his eyes and
gingerly pushed himself to a sitting position. Little pain signals bombarded
his brain. He couldn’t keep track of the origin of them all. It seemed like
everything ached.

The
pounding seemed to increase, paralleled by a similar pounding inside his head.
“All right. All right,” he groaned as he pushed himself to his feet. His
rumpled clothes clung to his body, and he felt in desperate need of a shower.
He walked unsteadily to the door, avoiding debris on the way.

“Luke,
are you in there?” George bellowed. He slammed his fists against the door as
hard as ever.

“Stop
banging,” Luke moaned, fumbling with the lock. He swung open the door and
George stumbled inside.

“Luke!
Buddy! You’re all right.” George grabbed him in a giant bear hug, then spun him
around. Or maybe that was just Luke’s head spinning. He couldn’t tell.

George’s
happy expression faded away, compressing into a scowl as he grabbed Luke by the
shoulders and shook him. “I should belt you one.”

Luke
tugged at George’s hands, freeing his already wrinkled shirt from the powerful
fists, then shuffled back to the couch.

“Thanks.
It’s nice to see you, too.”

“You
haven’t been to the office for the past three days--you don’t answer your
calls--you don’t answer the door.” George followed him across the room. “I’ve
been worried sick about you.”

Luke
slumped onto the couch, massaging his temples.

“Whew-ee!
Who let the tornado loose in here?” George tipped his hat back as he glanced
around the room.

Luke
followed George’s gaze over the shattered ornaments on the floor, the
overturned furniture lying around the place, the Coke cans on the coffee table,
and finally, the empty rye bottle laying on its side.

George’s
eyes narrowed. “Luke, where’s Dawn?”

Dawn!
Agony sliced through him, eclipsing all his other aches and pains. Luke buried
his face in his hands.

George
sat down beside Luke and put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” The
concern in his friend’s voice settled into him.

At
least he had a friend to help him through this. He thought of Dawn, alone and
helpless in the clutches of that monster and shook his head. “I may never be
okay again. Dawn’s gone.”

“Gone?
I don’t believe that. That gal cares about you.” He patted Luke’s shoulder.
“She’ll be back.”

Pain
seared through Luke. George didn’t understand and never could. Luke couldn’t
even begin to explain it. And if he tried, George would think him insane.

He
picked up the brass bottle, which lay nestled between the cushions, and
caressed it with his fingers. It was all he had left of Dawn. His only
connection to her. He clutched it to his chest. His soul felt as empty as the
bottle without Dawn.

“She
won’t be back. Ever.”

* * * *

The
next evening, a knock sounded on the door. Could it be George again?

His
friend had stayed all day yesterday, helping Luke clean up the place--and
himself. A good meal and a friendly ear had helped immensely, but the ache of
losing Dawn still clutched at his heart. That would never go away.

Luke
lumbered to the door and pulled it open.

The
man standing on the other side was not George. Silently, Luke sized up his
visitor. He wore his long, dark hair pulled back from his face in a ponytail
and a gold loop through one ear--but no one would question his masculinity.
Taller than Luke’s six foot one by at least three inches, he had strong, broad
shoulders and a lean, muscular build that hinted at great strength. Luke
wouldn’t want to tangle with this guy.

Why
did he look so familiar? There was something about his face. “Have we met
before?”

The
other man smiled. “We haven’t met, but you know of me. I am Sky.”

Adrenaline
surged through Luke. Oh, God. Sky. What the hell was he doing here?

“May
I enter?”

Luke’s
first impulse was to slam the door and take cover, but a door would not keep
out one of the djinn. Stay calm. If the guy wanted to flatten you, he’d have
done it by now.

“Uh,
yes, of course.” Luke stepped back to allow the other man to come inside. “Make
yourself comfortable.”

He
watched Sky cross the room and sit on the couch. So, this was the man Dawn
loved. Luke could picture them together. In fact, the picture that formed
inside his head looked so right it hurt. Deep inside, Luke knew Dawn belonged
by Sky’s side.

Luke
went to the bar and poured himself a shot, then downed it in one gulp. “Can I
get you anything?” he asked his guest. When he declined, Luke sat in the big
armchair that faced the couch.

Curiosity
grated at him like sandpaper dragged across raw nerves. Why would this man
visit him? Had Sky learned that Luke had fallen in love with Dawn and asked her
to marry him? Or even worse, that he had made love to her? Guilt washed through
him at that memory, as it had many times before.

Sky
interrupted his thoughts. “I sense I am making you uncomfortable.”

Uncomfortable.
Hell, he felt like a bug with a giant shoe looming over him.

Luke
cleared his throat. “I’m not sure what you want from me.”

“I
wish only to speak with you, Luke Jacobs,” the other man said in a
non-threatening tone.

Talk?
That’s all?

But
he didn’t talk, he just sat there staring at Luke, his gaze intent on his face
as though assessing him.

“Uh,
how did you get free?” Luke asked, needing to break the silence. “Dawn told me
Amar had imprisoned you.”

“Yes,
but true to his word he released me as his wedding present to Dawn.”

“You
mean ... they’re already...” Luke tried to force back the horror he felt at the
thought of Dawn in Amar’s arms.

“No,
not yet, but the wedding will be soon. Amar indulged Dawn by letting me go
ahead of time.”

Indulged?
He didn’t think the man capable of such a thing.

So
Amar had released Sky, and Sky had come here. To talk. But what about?

A
hope started to rise in Luke’s mind. Maybe Sky had a plan to free Dawn from
Amar’s hold. Maybe he’d come to Luke to ask him to help in some way. Luke would
do anything to help prevent that marriage and free Dawn.

His
heart ached at the knowledge that if Dawn was released from her bond she would
choose Sky over Luke, but he would accept that. The most important thing was
Dawn’s happiness.

“Sky,
can you do something to free Dawn from Amar?”

Sky
shook his head. “No, there is nothing I or anyone else can do.” His sadness was
apparent in his downcast features and slumped shoulders.

Luke
refused to give up his new-found hope. “But couldn’t you call on some of your
friends to help overpower Amar?”

“In
fact, Dawn and I together could overpower him. That’s why he keeps us apart.”

“Then,
do something! Help her.”

“Luke,
you don’t understand. Dawn promised to marry Amar.”

“Yes,
so?”

“She
gave her word. She won’t break it.”

“But
surely given under duress as it was, there are grounds to--”

“No
matter what the circumstances, she will go through with it. That’s why Amar was
confident enough to free me before he and Dawn are safely wed.”

Frustration
tightened around Luke like a noose.

Sky
leaned forward and put a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Luke, I’m sorry. I know how
much you love her.”

Luke
shuddered at the other man’s sympathetic gesture. So he did know.

“I
want you to know I would do anything to change things so that you and Dawn
could be wed,” Sky continued.

“What?
But ... why? Wouldn’t you marry her yourself?”

Sky’s
expression turned to one of confusion. “Why would I marry my own sister?”

Luke’s
stomach flipped over. “Your sister?”

“She’s
my twin, actually. You didn’t know?”

Luke
shook his head, and it kept going on momentum as he tried to accept this new
view of reality.

So
that was why Sky looked so familiar. He and Dawn shared many of the same
features. They had the same emerald green eyes, the same black, shining hair,
the same grace and economy of motion.

If
Sky was Dawn’s brother, then ... The implications slowly sank in. She loved
Sky, but as a brother, not a lover! That meant, if they could free Dawn, he
might have a chance with her. A chance to convince her he loved her, and to
hope she might come to love him.

“At
least I was able to speak with her one last time,” Sky added wistfully. “Amar
will not allow us together again.”

Luke
wanted to insist that Sky do something, but the pain in Sky’s words
pierced his expanding bubble of hope. Clearly, Sky loved Dawn and if he felt
there was no chance--

“Luke,
my sister loves you very much. Maybe knowing that will help in the lonely days
ahead.”

Luke
felt his anguish like a leaden weight crushing his chest. “Sky, there’s
something I have to tell you.”

“What
is it, my friend?”

“You
may not call me that after I tell you this. I ... Dawn doesn’t really love me.”

“Yes,
she does.”

“No,”
Luke said, shaking his head. “I wished for her to love me. She had no choice.”

“Luke,
my sister’s love for you is true, no matter what you have wished for. I know
that in my heart.”

Luke
knew he should set him straight, but what would be the point? They had both
lost Dawn, and forcing this issue would not help either of them.

Sky
stood up. “Luke if there’s anything I can do to help you, please call me.”

Luke
stood and shook Sky’s hand. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Sky
inclined his head and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

* * * *

That
night, Dawn came to Luke in his dreams. Sweet as a cool breeze on a hot
summer’s day, she caressed him with gentle hands. His night clothes fell away,
and she pressed her naked body to his. He clung to her as she slid him inside
her moist, waiting body. Moving in a gentle rhythm, she drew him deeper inside
with each stroke. Her speed increased until she arched her body and cried out
his name.

As
she rested in his arms, he held her close, never wanting to let go.

Suddenly,
she shoved him away, her face a mask of anguish. She backed away from him, a
look of horror on her face.

Desperation
speared through him. “Dawn--”

“How
could you...?” she cried.

His
heart rolled into a ball like an armadillo, but he had no hard shell to protect
him from the pain. “Oh, God, Dawn, I didn’t mean to--”

“I
hate you!” she screamed.

I
hate you. I hate you. I hate you.

The
words echoed though his brain in cruel repetition, bombarding him with torment.

He
woke up with sweat drenched sheets twisted around his limbs like a slithering
snake. He gasped for air and tried to calm his breathing.

I
hate you.

Oh,
God, the thought of the pain he’d caused Dawn tortured him.

If
only he could relive that night ... If he could change what had happened, he
would gladly do so.

Luke
sat bolt upright in bed.

Relive
that night?

He
shoved the damp hair from his face. What if...?

He
leaped from the bed and shouted Sky’s name. A moment later, Sky appeared in the
room, yawning.

“Sky,
I have a plan, but I need your help.”

Sky
sat on the easy chair and leaned toward him. “Tell me, my friend.”

Ten
minutes later, Luke stood before Sky, anxiety increasing the tempo of his heart
as he thought about the task ahead--the most important task of his life.

“All
right. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Luke said.

“Then
let’s begin.”

Sky
raised his arms to shoulder level and opened his hands. A light dusting of
incandescent particles fell from his fingertips and swirled in a downward
spiral, drifting around Luke, then rising to cocoon him in glittering gauze
that grew so thick he couldn’t see through it.

Luke
felt the air quiver around him. As he closed his eyes and felt himself drift
and sway, one thought anchored him to reality. If this worked, he might save
Dawn from Amar’s clutches. That in itself made this worth doing, but a more
selfish question shuddered through him. If he succeeded, would Dawn give him
the chance to win her heart?

* * * *



Dawn’s
arms spasmed as she grabbed for something to stop her fall. Her eyelids jerked
open and she glanced around in a daze. She felt smooth sheets against her skin
and a firm bed beneath her. So, she hadn’t really been falling, it had been
part of a dream.

Hadn’t
it?

Still,
a hazy feeling clung to her like morning mists over a bog.

Where
was she exactly? Why did she feel disoriented?

Shaking
her head to clear the fog, she searched through her memories. Hadn’t Sky been
here a few hours ago? She remembered seeing his familiar face when he appeared
and feeling his strong arms embrace her. Happiness rose within her at the
thought that he was free again, but it seemed so unreal. And something else...

This
is the last time you will ever see him.

She
squeezed her eyelids tight as she remembered Amar’s words.

Another
memory crystallized.

Amar’s
lips crushing hers. Luke’s cry of rage. Her feeling of helplessness.

Her
body trembled. Dear God of Starlight, had it all been a dream? It seemed so
vivid, and yet, just as the warmth of the sun burned off a morning fog, as she
tried to summon the images again, they grew misty and insubstantial.

If
they were real, it meant she was in Amar’s hold right now and--

A
sound outside the room jerked her attention to the door. It opened and the
silhouette of a man appeared in the doorway. She bolted to a sitting position,
pulling the covers tightly around her.

Amar!

The
shadowy form strode across the room in long, determined steps, then sat on the
side of her bed. As he reached for her, she bolted backwards.

“No,”
she cried. Amar had forbidden her from seeing her brother, had seized her from
the man she loved, and yet tried to convince her he cared for her.

“Dawn--”

“How
could you...?” she cried, barely hearing her name.

In
the darkness, she saw his arms drop to his sides. “Oh, God, Dawn, have I come
back too late?”

“Luke?”
She slid her hands to his face and drew him forward into the moonlight. “By the
Gods, Luke, it really is you.” She felt tears prick at her eyes, as she threw
her arms around him. A nightmare. That’s all it had been.

“I
thought--” Her throat constricted so tight she couldn’t speak. She swallowed
and tried again. “I thought you were Amar.”

He
held her tightly, his arms around her reassuring. “No, Dawn, it’s me.” He
stroked her hair and she rested against him, closing her eyes. “I won’t let him
take you,” he whispered against her temple.

Already,
the memory of the horrific nightmare was fading.

She
was safe in Luke’s arms. A deep longing stirred within her. The dreams might be
fading, but the sense of having lost Luke, of knowing she’d never see him
again, pulsed through her painfully.

She
wanted Luke desperately. She needed to be his. So why was she holding back? If
she gave herself to him, he would belong to her. Wedding bonds didn’t matter.
All that mattered was that she loved him and...

Her
heart clutched as though caught on a nail. He didn’t love her. Uncertainty
accompanied that thought, as though he had recently proclaimed his love. But,
no, that had been part of the dream.

His
words rang through her mind with painful clarity.

I
can’t love anyone ... I wouldn’t know if it was real.

“Oh,
Dawn, sweetheart.” He slid his hands to her cheeks and cradled her face between
his palms, his gaze capturing hers. “I don’t know how I’d ever live without
you.”

Uncertainty
rose within her. He’d said he didn’t know if he could love again, but his
words, and the way he held her--with such sweet tenderness--all told her that
whatever he felt for her was special.

But
was it enough?

He
crushed her against his body. His storm of emotions touched her. She slid her
arms around him and stroked his back as he had done to her the night he’d freed
her from Evelyn. Three nights ago? She remembered how he had held her tenderly
all night long, never once taking advantage of her vulnerability.

“Dawn,
I need to talk to you.”

He
stood up and held out his hand. She took it and followed him into the living
room. Blinking while her eyes became accustomed to the light, she allowed him
to lead her to the couch. He sat across from her, clasping his hands between
his knees. The strain of his emotions carved his face into hard lines.

She
touched his knee gently. “What is it, Luke?”

He
met her gaze. “Dawn, I know about Sky.”

“You
do?”

“And
I know how you can be freed from your bond to Amar.”

Was
he telling her this because he intended to free her? Hope spiked through her.
But, he probably didn’t realize his love must be true. Caring alone would not
do.

Hope
faded to despair. That would be it, of course. He had shown many times that he
did not understand the ways of her kind.

“How
do you know these things?” she asked.

He
waved away her question. “That doesn’t matter right now. The point is, we’re
going to free Sky.”

Free
Sky?

The
thought cast a brief light within her, which quickly flickered out like an
extinguished candle. “Luke, it won’t work. I’m not powerful enough to free Sky
from Amar’s spell.”

“Trust
me, Dawn. This will work.”

Trust.
So easy to say, so difficult to do. And yet, she did trust him.

He
pulled a small glass vial from his pocket. Her eyes widened at the sight of the
glimmering crystals inside the glass. “Where did you get that?”

“From
a friend,” he explained briefly, then popped the cork. “Now, I wish Sky to be
free.”

To
her surprise, a cloud of blue smoke appeared before them. Dawn’s hands covered
her cheeks as the smoke slowly coalesced into the shape of a man--Sky! She
leaped to her feet and threw herself into his arms.

“Oh,
Sky, it’s been so long. I’ve missed you so much.”

Sky’s
arms closed around her. “And I you.”

Sky
held her tightly for a few moments, then gently eased her away. “Where is Amar?
Together we will make him regret he ever darkened our path.”

“No,
Sky. I can’t.” She hesitated, uncertain how Sky would take the news of her
bondage. “My power is not my own. Amar made me a genie.”

“What?”
he demanded. “That’s unacceptable. You shouldn’t have to perform tricks for
some ... mortal.” The last word he said with disdain.

“Please,
Sky.” Her voice implored, and her gaze darted to Luke. Sky’s focus followed
hers and locked on Luke, too.

“This
is Luke,” she said. “My ... my...”

“Master!”
Sky finished in a threatening tone aimed at Luke.

“Sky,
please. It’s not his fault and...” How could she express how special Luke was?
How considerate he’d been? How much he meant to her? “He’s ... been very good
to me.”

Luke
offered his hand. Dawn prepared to fling herself at Sky should he decide to do
something untoward, but reluctantly he held out his own hand. As soon as they
touched, Sky broke into a broad smile. Sky slapped Luke on the back, and both
men laughed heartily. Dawn shook her head in confusion.

“What
is going on?” she demanded.

“I’ve
just decided I like this man,” Sky answered, then turned his glittering gaze on
her.

Dawn
glanced from one to the other uncertainly. “I don’t understand.”

“I
know, love,” Sky said in a gentle voice. “But don’t worry. You will.”

A
chill quivered down her spine at the words. Sky turned to Luke. “You two have
things to discuss. I will leave you now.” He put a steady hand on Luke’s
shoulder. “Don’t worry, friend. I’ll be here when you need me.”

Sky
strode into the kitchen, and Dawn turned to Luke. “What was that all about?”

Luke
took both her hands, and drew her close. “Dawn, I know that to break your bond
to Amar a man must fall in love with you and propose marriage.”

Her
eyes widened in surprise. “I don’t know how you know that, but--”

“Dawn,
I love you. Would you marry me?”

Tears
pooled in her eyes. “Oh, you’re so very kind...” Her voice broke but she
quickly recovered. “But you can’t just say you love me. It has to be real.”

He
pulled her into a tender embrace. “My love for you is real. Very real. It’s
like a pain searing my soul. A wonderful, achingly beautiful pain.”

Could
it be true? “Oh, Luke, I--”

A
terrible rumbling startled her. The air around them quivered. Tremors shook the
ground below their feet, and the light in the room dimmed.

Billowing
clouds of black smoke plumed from the floor, and Amar’s commanding shape
stepped out of the insubstantial barrier and towered over them. His eyes burned
with anger and a malevolent, terrifying threat.

Dawn’s
hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. She should have guessed he would never
allow her to escape. But, this must mean ... She glanced at Luke’s beloved
face. Could it be that he truly loved her?

She
grabbed his hands in both of hers and held them tightly. She wasn’t sure what
Amar would do, but she knew he wouldn’t allow her to stay with Luke. Not now.

Knowing
it would be suicidal to show weakness or fear, she stood up and turned toward
Amar, a calm countenance in the face of his raging storm.

“Amar,”
she acknowledged, tipping her head. She could see the violent rise and fall of
his chest as he barely managed to contain his rage.

“So
this is the mortal who tries to claim you?” His eyes narrowed into slits as he
regarded Luke.

A
distant memory besieged her--of Amar threatening Luke, of her promising to
marry Amar to protect him. She felt weak. Her knees threatened to crumple.

“And
I am the one who will help him.”

Dawn
felt Sky’s presence beside her, strong and warm. His arm curved around her and
power flowed into her. Thank the Gods, she did not have to face Amar alone.

Like
she had before?

“How
did he get here?” Amar demanded. “There’s no way you could have freed him
yourself.”

Dawn
couldn’t answer that question, but it had something to do with the small glass
vial Luke had produced. She glanced at Sky. If Sky had filled that vial with
the essence of his magic--enough for one wish--Luke could have used it to boost
her magic. But how was that possible? Luke and Sky had never met before today.

Amar
turned a menacing gaze on Luke, and panic swelled within Dawn. She couldn’t
allow him to hurt Luke--and with Sky by her side, they could stop him.

She
joined hands with Sky and felt the heightened energy of their combined power
surge through her. The air stirred around them. As they focused on Amar,
streaks of blue and green enveloped him. He roared in indignation as he got
smaller and smaller, and finally broke apart into a column of black smoke,
which was siphoned into a small brass pitcher. The air around them settled to a
calm stillness, and Dawn crumpled to the floor.












Chapter 13



Dawn
felt coolness on her face. She opened her eyes and saw Luke peering at her in
concern, holding a damp face cloth in his hand. She must have blacked out.

“Dawn,
how are you feeling?”

“Tired.”
Glancing behind him, she asked, “Where is Sky?”

“He
left us alone for now. He knows we have some talking to do.”

Luke
sat down beside her and glanced at the brass pitcher still on the floor.

“What
happened to Amar?” he asked.

“We’ve
imprisoned him in the pitcher that held Sky. He’ll stay there until the council
decides what to do about him.” She thought it would be fitting if they decided
to make him a genie. In retribution for all the pain he’d caused. For trying to
steal her from the man she loved and--

She
put her hand on his arm. “Luke, you said earlier that ... that you love me.”

He
slid his arms around her. “I do love you. More than life itself.”

“Oh,
Luke.” It was true! He loved her.

She
pressed her lips against his, holding him tightly, never wanting to let go. But
there were questions yet to answer. Reluctantly, she eased away.

“Luke,
somehow you knew Amar would come? How did you know?”

He
sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “Because I’ve lived all this before.
Last time, you promised to marry Amar. To save me.”

The
dreams. They were real!

“You
went back in time? Sky helped you and...” The vial. “That’s how you were able
to free Sky. In the future, he gave you some of his power to bring back with
you.”

“That’s
right.”

She
snuggled against his chest, loving the protective feel of his arms tightening
around her. “Sky didn’t tell me he intended to go and meet you. But then, Amar
didn’t give us much time together.”

Luke
stiffened. “Dawn?” He paused for a moment. “Do you remember what happened in
the future?”

Only
faded memories of Amar’s gilded prison remained with her, ever diminishing as
new time replaced the old.

“Not
much. I remember Amar taking me from here, probably because it was so
traumatic, and--”

Luke’s
stomach knotted tightly. He grasped her shoulders and eased her away from him.
Oh, God, did she remember the night they’d made love? He had saved her from her
bond to Amar, but ... was it impossible to erase his dreadful mistake?

Dawn’s
eyes intensified as she watched him. “Luke, tell me what’s wrong.”

He
took a deep breath, knowing he had to tell her what happened, knowing he would
have anyway. “Dawn, I...” He released her, unable to stare into her innocent
face while he made his confession. He folded his hands between his knees. “I
did something that hurt you.”

She
put her hand on his cheek. “Luke, whatever happened in that other future isn’t
important. All that matters is that we can be together now.”

He
took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. “It is important, and I have
to tell you about it, but ... I’m afraid you’ll hate me. Again.”

“I
could never hate you,” she said softly.

He
shook his head sadly. “You’re wrong.” He gathered his courage and explained
what had happened in as neutral a manner as he could. When he was finished, he
watched her and waited.

She
stared back at him. Her facial expression had been under tight control during
his whole explanation, and her eyes reflected nothing. After an interminable
silence, she finally spoke. “Luke, I know you would never force me to make love
with you. Maybe, in that other time, with the crush of emotions and insecurity,
I lost sight of that.” She stroked his cheek, a gentle butterfly’s touch. “I
think we should wipe away the memory of that other time.”

She
leaned forward and pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss, soft as a flower
petal. Luke felt his body tighten, answering her tender lover’s call.

She
had forgiven him! He hardly dared to believe it.

She
brought her hands to the top button of his shirt and released it, then moved to
the next one, then the next, until his shirt hung open, then she pressed her
lips against his warm chest and sighed contentedly.

As
she fluttered light kisses along his chest, then nuzzled the base of his
throat, he held himself under tight control. How could he know if this was
real? Could he have somehow wished her to do this again?

Dawn
seemed to sense his restraint. She leaned back and unbuttoned her bodice, then
pulled it open to reveal her full, firm breasts. He sucked in his breath.

“Dawn,
are you sure? Are you very, very sure?” he whispered.

“Yes,
Luke. Very sure,” she answered, as she took his hand and placed it on her
breast. “Make love to me. I want you to.”

Her
nipple thrust into his hand. He closed his eyes as he closed his fingers around
her soft, warm flesh. Intense need shuddered through him. He stroked his
fingers to the peak of her breast, then across to the other as he closed his
mouth around her swollen nipple. She gasped.

Her
hands slid across his chest, then down over his stomach. He held his breath as
she neared his lower abdomen, then dragged a single finger down his length. She
closed her fingers around his growing erection, then stroked him gently. At his
sharply in-drawn breath, she laughed. A sexy, excited--exciting--laugh. Gently,
he drew her hand from around him and flattened it on his chest.

“Not
yet, sweetheart. I want you to be very ready before I enter you, and if you
keep that up I may not be able to control myself.”

“Are
you sure you want to?” she asked coquettishly.

“Absolutely,”
he murmured, then continued tasting her breasts.

She
slid her hands over his nipples. Breathing became difficult. He couldn’t
believe how erotic it was to feel her delicate hands on his body. This time was
so different than the other time. She was more active, actually exploring his
body. And bold!

He
swirled his tongue around her nipple, savoring the pebbly texture, then drew
her deep into his mouth. She gasped and arched in wild response. He teased her
other breast with his fingertips until she moaned with pleasure.

“Oh,
Luke, I want more.”

She
fumbled with the fastenings on her waistband, then tugged it off, along with
her skirt and panties. He smiled at her eagerness and moved his fingers over
her silken belly, then brushed lower to her moist folds of flesh. He stroked
her gently, finding the small bud that he knew would intensify her pleasure.
Her breathing quickened.

She
made a small, disappointed mew as his mouth moved from her breast. He smiled as
he kissed the length of her rib cage, over her stomach, and dipped his tongue
into her navel.

“Luke,
what are you doing?”

He
dragged his tongue another few inches.

Dawn
couldn’t believe the intense anticipation she felt as Luke moved lower down her
body. Her eyes widened as his mouth covered the moist, swollen center of her
womanhood, then her eyelids drifted closed again as she felt hot, passionate
desire carry her away. She rose, higher and higher, on a smoldering wave of
passion, her senses blazing in the heat of her torment. Ecstasy waited at the fringe
of her existence, and Luke propelled her there. She plunged over the edge,
clinging to him, crying out in pure bliss.

She
fell back on the bed, still holding onto Luke. He prowled over her, smiling at
her in pure male satisfaction.

Luke
watched her return his smile, drinking in the soft glow in her eyes and her
slightly dazed expression. How did she manage to look so beautifully radiant?

“I
didn’t know it could be like that.” Her voice, a sexy murmur, quivered through
him.

He
leaned over and kissed her. “There’s more yet to come, sweetheart.”

She
purred in response. He nuzzled her neck, delighting at the quick intake of her
breath and the quickening of her pulse. Definitely an erogenous zone.

“Luke,
make love to me. I want to be yours, totally.”

He
smiled and filled her request by pressing his hard, aroused manhood into her
sweet warmth--very slowly, giving her body time to adjust to his. She stiffened
a little, but encouraged him by wrapping her legs around his waist. He
continued to ease in slowly, then as he felt her relax, pulled out partially,
then eased in again, deeper this time. He continued this rhythm, going a little
deeper each time until, in one final thrust, he entered her fully. She gasped.
Then, tightening her inner muscles, she made him gasp.

She’d
caught him off guard. “Dawn, I can’t ... hold ... back ... any longer,” he said
in slow, agonized words.

“Then
don’t.”

She
was definitely ready. And he was beyond ready. He started moving in slow,
steady strokes, then quickened the pace as he felt the pressure build within
him, a throbbing pleasure waiting to explode. He held back until he felt her
contract around him, then thrust deep within her. She moaned his name in a
hoarse cry of passion, and his pleasure burst free.

Their
rapture was simultaneous, sensational ... sublime.

They
rested in each other’s arms, still joined in their intimate embrace. She
tightened her inner muscles and sighed when he twitched inside her.

He
held the bulk of his weight on his arms so as not to crush her, not wanting to
give up their very close, very delectable contact. Finally, he eased himself
down beside her.

She
gazed at him in wide-eyed wonder and asked breathlessly, “Is it always like
that?”

“No.”
Her brows drew together in consternation, and he smiled broadly. “Sometimes
it’s better.” She giggled, and he kissed her. “Actually, sweetheart, I should
warn you that it is unusual to ... uh ... reach magical heights at the same
time.”

She
leaned against him and nuzzled his collarbone, her breasts peaking against his
chest.

“Oh,
but with a little practice, don’t you think we could manage it?”

The
feel of her pebbly nipples teasing his skin and of her hands trailing down his
chest to his rapidly swelling erection, made him believe that with her making
love would be a magic carpet ride of wonders every time.

He
rolled her onto her back, hearing her delighted giggle. “Maybe we’ll need a lot
of practice.” He nibbled her earlobe, then dragged his tongue down her neck to
her erect pink nub. She gasped as he drew it deep into his mouth. “In fact, I
want to practice again right now.”

“Your
wish is my command.”

He
jerked away and stared at her smiling face. Hell, she was still his genie. How
could he have forgotten that she had to do everything he told her to? Whether
she wanted to or not. And, damn it, he’d just made a wish!

She
reached for him.

* * * *

“No!”
Desperately, he thought through the last few minutes, searching for any other
wishes he may have stated. “My God, Dawn, was that whole session the result of
a command?”

Her
eyes widened. “Luke, no. When I said ... I’m sorry, I was just teasing. I
didn’t think--”

“Have
I made you do anything you didn’t want to do?” If he had, how would he live
with himself?

She
leaned on her elbow, her face drawn into lines of concern. “Luke, did it look
like I did anything I didn’t want to?”

Pain
jolted through him. Last time, it had looked like she wanted to, but she
hadn’t.

She
sat up and stroked his cheek tenderly. “Luke, I did want this. Truly.”

He
dragged her into his arms. “How can I ever know for sure? Last time, you seemed
so willing.” It was so unfair. Now that he could finally trust his love for
Dawn, he could not trust her love for him.

She
wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against him. “Luke, isn’t there an
expression ‘if you love something, set it free’?”

He
pulled back to face her. “I thought I couldn’t free you. You said it was beyond
your power.”

“It
was, but only because Amar set that condition. Now that he’s locked away, he
can’t control my magic.”

He
could free her?

The
thought vibrated through him, disturbing in its clarity. If he freed her, she
might stop loving him. She might leave. It would be safer to accept what he
had. She believed she loved him. So what if it might not be real? His dream was
within reach.

She
watched him, trust clear in her eyes. No, he couldn’t betray her trust.

If
you love something, set it free. He loved Dawn.

“I
wish you to be free.”

Iridescent
particles shimmered around her, swirling like glittering leaves on a sunny fall
day. They hid her in color, then slowly faded away. Dawn stood before him, no
longer wearing her green harem costume. Her hair hung loose, and she wore a
flowing white gown, covering her from neck to ankle, the silky fabric hinting
at her delectable curves.

She
stepped forward and took his hand.

“I
am free now. Thank you.”

“So
now you can refuse me?”

“No.”
She smiled, stroking a lock of hair from his face. “I could never refuse you.”
She slipped her hands around his neck and pressed her body close to his. “I
love you.” She kissed his cheek. “And I trust you. Your wish will always be my
command, because I belong to you.” She kissed his other cheek. “And you belong
to me.”

He
smiled. “So your wish is my command, as well.”

“That’s
right. And I wish more practice in reaching these magical heights.”

Slowly,
she stripped away her virginal white gown and proceeded to practice with
him--long and hard. Amazingly enough, they seemed to get it right every time.

Later
that evening, Luke lay sprawled in front of the fire, Dawn snuggled in his
arms. “Luke, you know I live a lot longer than you.”

“Yes.”
He stroked her shoulder. “I guess that means I’ll continue to have a young,
beautiful wife even when I’m old and grey.”

“Or
I could make you immortal, too. Then we could be together forever.”

Together
forever. What a wonderful idea. Thinking of an eternity of making love
with Dawn sent sweet quivers of pleasure coursing through his body. He gazed
down at her sweet, delicate face, at her eyes turned to him, filled with love,
and he thought even eternity wouldn’t be long enough.





THE END







A
note from the author:



Hi
again. I hope you enjoyed reading Magical Dawn as much as I enjoyed writing
it. I often think of Dawn and Luke learning about the magic of love and life
together.



I
love to hear from readers, so feel free to email me at [e-mail]
or [e-mail]. Please
check out my website at www.ElizabethBC.com.



By
the way, have you ever had one of those days? Win a contest to a luxury
resort, get abducted by aliens, find out you’re to be wed to the king of
another planet, then fall in love with your abductor?



That’s
what happens to Aria in Celestial Soul-Mates: THE KING AND I, the first of my
Celestial Soul-Mates series. The second story, featuring Eva, will be out
soon, so I hope you’ll watch for it.



Here’s
an excerpt from Celestial Soul-Mates: THE KING AND I.



Aria
turned her head to see a stunningly handsome man smiling at them with dazzling
white teeth. Her breath caught in her lungs.

“Would
you all come with me, please?” He drew Kate’s chair back.

Kate
sent him a glowing smile and stood up. “Lead on.”

Crystal
leaned toward Aria and murmured, “I would absolutely come with him.
Anywhere. Anytime.”

Aria
giggled. She couldn’t help it. She’d only had two drinks, but they’d left her
light-headed. She and the others stood up and followed Terrien. He led them
out of the ballroom, then turned left.

“Aren’t
the elevators the other way?” Jenna asked.

“The
normal ones, yes,” Terrien answered, “but we’re taking the VIP elevator which
will take us where the normal ones don’t.”

“Mmm,
VIP. That’s my kind of action,” Crystal purred to Aria and Jenna.

Kate
walked beside Terrien up front, Eva walked a couple feet behind them, and
Jenna, Crystal and Aria followed. Terrien led them down a narrow corridor,
then pushed open a door labeled “Authorized Personnel Only”. At the end of
another narrow corridor, they came to an elevator. Terrien pushed a key into a
lock on the control panel and the doors opened. They crowded into the small
space and the doors closed.

“This
doesn’t look very VIP to me,” Crystal grumbled.

The
elevator seemed to speed up. It jostled a little from side to side. An uneasy
quiver started in Aria’s stomach. Her head started to spin and she grabbed
onto Crystal’s arm. Crystal placed her hand over Aria’s.

“You
okay, honey? You look a little green.”

Eva
clasped Aria’s other hand. “You don’t look well, Aria.”

“I’m
sure she’ll be fine in a minute,” Terrien said.

The
doors opened and Kate, Terrien and Jenna stepped out. Aria took a step or two,
then her knees started to buckle. Crystal and Eva grabbed her arms and
steadied her. Whew, she must have had more to drink than she’d thought.

They
entered a moderate sized room with upholstered armchairs set out facing one
wall. The décor had changed dramatically from the coral and green they’d seen
everywhere else in the hotel. Also missing were the wooden details. This room
was cool blue with very minimalist, clean lines.

Eva
led Aria to a chair.

“I
don’t know what came over me.” Embarrassment blazed through Aria.

“The
transporter has that effect on some people.”

“The
what?” Aria turned at the unfamiliar female voice.

A
woman stood beside Terrien, who was taking off his suit jacket. The woman
handed him a dark green jacket just like the one she wore. It looked like a
military uniform of some sort.

“The
transporter,” she repeated.

She
pushed a button on a small console on the wall beside her, triggering a loud
humming. The wall started to slide upward, revealing windows beyond. Aria
gasped, echoed by several of the others, as a stunning vista of stars was
revealed.

“It
transported you to our starship.”

“That’s
ridiculous.” Crystal stepped up to the glass and peered outside.

“I
don’t know, Crystal.” Kate’s voice sounded on the edge of panic. “Look!” She
pointed upward.

Aria
followed her gaze. The wall panels continued to retreat over the ceiling,
revealing a beautiful, but quite disturbing, view of Earth.

“Oh,
my God.” Eva sank into a chair. “We’ve just been abducted by aliens.”