Princess, Without Cover Read Free Page A

you smell really good…what is that?  Chanel no. 5?” His voice trailed off as he kissed further down on her neck.
    “Close.  It’s Chanel Mademoiselle and it matters to me, Christian.  You were my first.  Girls always remember that.  It’s special.  I want you to remember me, too.  I don’t want to be just another girl that Fran walked in on.” She sighed as he nuzzled even further down on her neck toward her breasts.   “I can’t focus if you keep doing that.”
    He chuckled and mumbled, “That’s sort of the point, Syd.” 
    She closed her eyes as his hands slid over her hips.  She’d worry about it later.  The stone tiles of the foyer were rough against her back, but she was oblivious to it.  All she concentrated on was the warm, delicious weight of Christian’s body as he moved against her. 

    *  *  *

    Sunshine flooded her bedroom, filling every possible crevice with light, just like it did every other afternoon.  It was cheerful, optimistic and really, really bright.
    Sydney squinted as sat up in her bed and then promptly clutched her stomach.  It rolled harshly as her mother continued opening the blinds.  She was sure that if she looked into a mirror, her skin would appear gray.  In fact, she felt like the epitome of the word ‘ashen,’ as nausea and dizziness overwhelmed her and she groaned.      
    “Sydney?  You cannot lie around in bed all day.  We’ve got a photo-shoot for your father’s new campaign mailing in an hour. You’ve got to move.”  Jillian’s eyes did a quick once-over of her daughter and she paused mid-step.
    “Are you ill? You’ve got dark circles.” 
    It was clear that she was more appalled than concerned.  If Sydney was sick, she wouldn’t photograph well. They needed to portray the perfect all-American family for the photos, just like always.  
    “I don’t feel well at all,” Sydney moaned as she fell back against her pillows. “And it won’t go away.  I’ve had this stupid bug ever since I was at Christian’s a couple of weeks ago.  At first, I thought I just ate too much or the pizza sauce was bad or something but that can’t be it. I’ve had it too long. And I’m tired constantly. Maybe I have something like mono.  Is that possible?”
    She looked at her mother questioningly.  “I should probably go to the doctor.”
    “Oh, that would be just perfect, Sydney.  Then I would have to explain to the world how you got Kissing Disease.”
    Her mother was curt and unsympathetic as she stalked into Sydney’s closet to yank clothes off the rack for her daughter to wear.
    “Pull yourself together. You need to shower. You look like death.”  She tossed a cream colored v-neck sweater and a pair of linen slacks on the foot of the bed.
    “Ugh.  I feel like death, too.” Sydney groaned as she stared up at the ceiling.
    She swallowed hard to battle the waves of nausea that threatened to overtake her.  It didn’t help. Saliva was pooling in her mouth and her breath smelled sour.  The room started spinning around her and she suddenly couldn’t contain it. She lunged out of bed and barely made it to the bathroom before she started heaving.  When she was finished, she curled up into a ball and rested her cheek on the cool marble floor. 
    “Mom?” She croaked hoarsely. “I don’t think I can do the photo shoot today. I feel awful.” 
    Jillian loomed in the bathroom door for a moment before tentatively approaching Sydney.  She quickly laid the back of her elegant hand on Sydney’s forehead.  “No fever.  Do you have a sore throat?”  As she asked, she backed quickly away, as though Sydney might have the plague.
    “No.  I just feel like I’m going to die any minute. I’m so nauseous!”
    Her mother suddenly froze mid-step as a thought occurred to her. 
    “Sydney, last month, when you were taking antibiotics for that ear infection, did you and Christian use condoms?  And don’t try telling me that you don’t