Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Love of a Priestess ❯ My Kitten ( Chapter 23 )

The next morning, the sun peeped through the silk curtains across the French doors and fell across my eyes. It was gentle enough to make me feel drowsy and remain in bed, but bright enough to keep my eyes open. I found that Seto's naked body was still pressed against mine, his arms wrapped around me just below my breasts. His head was resting gently against my neck and on my shoulder. His breath fell even and comforting on my bare shoulder, and his soft hair tickled my cheek.

I smiled happily. For the first time since the engagement, I felt content.

Seto woke up as I was dozing off again. He stirred, then began caressing my neck. I laughed sleepily and pulled away.

"Good morning, Seto," I murmured into his hair.

"Good morning, my kitten," he replied into my shoulder.

He finally sat up and stretched. I openly admired his beautifully built body, and he smirked at me. He collapsed back down onto the bed. "I don't want to get up. I don't feel like doing anything today. But I need to get back to Kaiba Corp."

"I don't think the company will fail without you there for one day," I pouted.

Seto sighed. "I don't think so either, but I have a big meeting today. The Board of Directors is conducting their yearly assessment of my performance and so forth."

"You have a Board of Directors? Who have that degree of control over you?"

He nodded slowly. "A remnant of my uncle's reign. They're all still fiercely loyal to him, and would have taken over the company long ago if I hadn't kept it so lucrative. They want the power and prestige, so they stay on the Board, but they don't want to work hard enough to run the company themselves. And I can't dispel them completely, because then people will talk of my unchecked power over the company."

I smiled wryly. "Well go then. Take a shower and get dressed, and then come back."

He laughed gently, leaning over to kiss me. "Don't worry, my tigress. I'll be back as soon as I can."

~~~~~

After Seto left for the office, I lounged around. I lay sprawled on the bed for a few hours, aimlessly flipping through magazines. For a little while, I wrapped myself in a silk robe and sat out on the balcony, feeling the breeze lift my hair and caress my cheeks. I wandered out into the garden, still dressed in my nightdress and robe, winding my way through roses and violets and honeysuckle.

I was trying to come to terms with what had just happened. I had no words to explain what I felt, or why I felt it. But it was as if I suddenly knew how Seto felt. I knew that he was lonely, so lonely, and that he could never become close to anyone. Men were jealous of him and avoided him, or were like Joey and found him so aloof that they despised him. Women wanted him for his wealth and power. Only Mokuba accepted, or knew, who he really was.

All those months ago, when he'd told me that there was more in this deal than my company, he had been hoping that I could love him. He'd fallen in love with the girl who, instead of fawning over him and trying to seduce him, had narrowed her eyes and fought him. He'd fallen in love with her openness and honesty; she hid nothing from him, and let him know early that she was the one to be desired, not him.

I knew all this, and I knew that I loved him. And I couldn't explain it.