Chapter 2
Sydney wanted to laugh; it was almost sweet - in a sick, co-dependent, psycho kind of way. Sark was really good at his role. She was impressed. She wondered how he could be so effective if it was so far removed from who he really was. But then she managed it, she never faltered. She maintained the persona of a prized plaything as if it was all she'd ever been.
It made it easier to keep her gaze averted, concentrating on the folds of her dress. Looking at the dress, the one Sark had chosen for her, she had been pleasantly surprised. It was lovely and soft and feminine. It wasn't frilly, thank God, but classic and understated. It was the color and fabric that set it apart more than anything else. It was a color she would never had thought to wear. A silky, creamy, blush color somewhere between a peach and a very light pink. It was a color she had seen before but she couldn't quite place it. She guessed the fabric to be a mix of chiffon and silk. It hugged her figure meticulously as if it had been designed uniquely for her, and even though it wasn't an overtly sexy dress, the way the soft fabric flowed along her body when she moved caused every man in the vicinity to take notice of her. The skirt fell to just below the knees emphasizing her long, shapely legs. The shoes matched perfectly. The heels weren't especially high, though the 40's era style ankle strap lent an air of naughtiness that could be picked up by those discerning. He'd insisted she keep her hair natural, and now she saw why. The color and texture of the dress complimented her exactly. Any other style would have caused her to look unnatural and posed. She had ventured to put a soft wave into it leaving it down falling softly about her shoulders. As requested, she wore very little make-up and no jewelry save for one small beautiful pink diamond ring.
It had annoyed her how specific Sark had been about her appearance. The result she now realized was dead on accurate for their ruse. What disturbed her most was that she felt genuinely pretty for the first time in a long while. The big drawback was she also looked exactly like who she was, Sydney Bristow. She couldn't help wondering why he'd think that was a good thing.
Maurice excused himself to retrieve the keys to their suite and then he personally escorted them up the grand stairway and through an elegant corridor to their door. Along the way Sark kept a protective eye over her, leading her by his arm. Opening the door for them Maurice briefly listed some of the room's features and asked Sark if he would require anything to enhance their stay.
Gazing over at her, he responded vaguely, "I have all that I need."
"I must say, Sir," Maurice ventured, "this is a side of you I would not of guessed. I will notify Mr. Korin you have arrived." Then he quickly left, closing the door softly behind him. It was barely noticeable his pressing on a seam in the wall as he walked out.
At the closing of the door Sark pulled Sydney forcefully to him, pushing her back against the wall, and began devouring her neck with his mouth. His hands roaming the length of her body and coming up roughly through her hair. In return she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself up against him, discreetly turning the ring around on her finger at the same time and pressing the stone, emitting a small signal.
"We're clear." She informed him, stiffening and pulling back.
"So soon?" He teased, straightening himself and stepping away from her.
That's when Sydney took in the astounding beauty of the room. It had been decorated in the Baroque fashion of golds and creams. Candles had been lit throughout the suite causing it to virtually glow. There was a private sitting area overlooking a terrace with a view of the neighboring forest and a fire had been laid and was softly burning in the far corner opposite the bed in the adjoining bedroom. There was only one bed Sydney could see and it appeared to be enormous. It was all soft downy linens and a sea of pillows....very inviting. Taking it all in, that was when she saw it. The room was filled with "Angel's Blush" Camilla's. The same as those from her own garden. It dawned on her suddenly that that was where she'd known the color from, the flower. It must surely be a coincidence that it also happened to be her favorite. He couldn't possibly have known. Or could he? He could of asked Marshall. She remembered telling him once, a long time ago....
He appeared sheepishly pleased when she looked suddenly at him in surprise, and she was embarrassed to realize how pleased she must have looked in return. To his credit he said nothing.
She quickly turned away to recover herself. This was insane. Of course it only followed their ruse that he should request something special to please his 'guest'. 'What was I thinking?' She chastised herself. 'It's a coincidence. I need to focus. It's just a beautiful room after all. In a beautiful chateau on the outskirts of Austria......,' her mind wandered. 'A resort which caters to rich men's fantasies,' she quickly reminded herself, 'generally leaning to the cruel and perverse...'
Okay, that last thought sobered her all right.
Sydney was startled out of her thoughts by a loud popping sound and turned to find Sark uncorking a chilled bottle of champagne.
"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded, hands on her hips.
He finished pouring out two glasses and then he turned to her with a soft smile on his face, handing one of them to her. "I'm toasting to my good fortune of working with one of the most talented and beautiful women in the world," he said, flirtatiously.
Sydney just rolled her eyes and put the glass down on the table. "We have to get ready, where's the gear?" She asked, searching the room with her eyes.
He smirked. "In the other room, next to the bed."
Sydney went in and sat down on the corner of the bed and began taking inventory of the case.
Sark kicked off his shoes and reclined on the bed next to her, watching her.
"What are you doing?" She asked, not looking up.
"I'm relaxing."
"No you aren't. You're watching me."
"I find watching you relaxing."
************************
Sydney wanted to laugh; it was almost sweet - in a sick, co-dependent, psycho kind of way. Sark was really good at his role. She was impressed. She wondered how he could be so effective if it was so far removed from who he really was. But then she managed it, she never faltered. She maintained the persona of a prized plaything as if it was all she'd ever been.
It made it easier to keep her gaze averted, concentrating on the folds of her dress. Looking at the dress, the one Sark had chosen for her, she had been pleasantly surprised. It was lovely and soft and feminine. It wasn't frilly, thank God, but classic and understated. It was the color and fabric that set it apart more than anything else. It was a color she would never had thought to wear. A silky, creamy, blush color somewhere between a peach and a very light pink. It was a color she had seen before but she couldn't quite place it. She guessed the fabric to be a mix of chiffon and silk. It hugged her figure meticulously as if it had been designed uniquely for her, and even though it wasn't an overtly sexy dress, the way the soft fabric flowed along her body when she moved caused every man in the vicinity to take notice of her. The skirt fell to just below the knees emphasizing her long, shapely legs. The shoes matched perfectly. The heels weren't especially high, though the 40's era style ankle strap lent an air of naughtiness that could be picked up by those discerning. He'd insisted she keep her hair natural, and now she saw why. The color and texture of the dress complimented her exactly. Any other style would have caused her to look unnatural and posed. She had ventured to put a soft wave into it leaving it down falling softly about her shoulders. As requested, she wore very little make-up and no jewelry save for one small beautiful pink diamond ring.
It had annoyed her how specific Sark had been about her appearance. The result she now realized was dead on accurate for their ruse. What disturbed her most was that she felt genuinely pretty for the first time in a long while. The big drawback was she also looked exactly like who she was, Sydney Bristow. She couldn't help wondering why he'd think that was a good thing.
Maurice excused himself to retrieve the keys to their suite and then he personally escorted them up the grand stairway and through an elegant corridor to their door. Along the way Sark kept a protective eye over her, leading her by his arm. Opening the door for them Maurice briefly listed some of the room's features and asked Sark if he would require anything to enhance their stay.
Gazing over at her, he responded vaguely, "I have all that I need."
"I must say, Sir," Maurice ventured, "this is a side of you I would not of guessed. I will notify Mr. Korin you have arrived." Then he quickly left, closing the door softly behind him. It was barely noticeable his pressing on a seam in the wall as he walked out.
At the closing of the door Sark pulled Sydney forcefully to him, pushing her back against the wall, and began devouring her neck with his mouth. His hands roaming the length of her body and coming up roughly through her hair. In return she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself up against him, discreetly turning the ring around on her finger at the same time and pressing the stone, emitting a small signal.
"We're clear." She informed him, stiffening and pulling back.
"So soon?" He teased, straightening himself and stepping away from her.
That's when Sydney took in the astounding beauty of the room. It had been decorated in the Baroque fashion of golds and creams. Candles had been lit throughout the suite causing it to virtually glow. There was a private sitting area overlooking a terrace with a view of the neighboring forest and a fire had been laid and was softly burning in the far corner opposite the bed in the adjoining bedroom. There was only one bed Sydney could see and it appeared to be enormous. It was all soft downy linens and a sea of pillows....very inviting. Taking it all in, that was when she saw it. The room was filled with "Angel's Blush" Camilla's. The same as those from her own garden. It dawned on her suddenly that that was where she'd known the color from, the flower. It must surely be a coincidence that it also happened to be her favorite. He couldn't possibly have known. Or could he? He could of asked Marshall. She remembered telling him once, a long time ago....
He appeared sheepishly pleased when she looked suddenly at him in surprise, and she was embarrassed to realize how pleased she must have looked in return. To his credit he said nothing.
She quickly turned away to recover herself. This was insane. Of course it only followed their ruse that he should request something special to please his 'guest'. 'What was I thinking?' She chastised herself. 'It's a coincidence. I need to focus. It's just a beautiful room after all. In a beautiful chateau on the outskirts of Austria......,' her mind wandered. 'A resort which caters to rich men's fantasies,' she quickly reminded herself, 'generally leaning to the cruel and perverse...'
Okay, that last thought sobered her all right.
Sydney was startled out of her thoughts by a loud popping sound and turned to find Sark uncorking a chilled bottle of champagne.
"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded, hands on her hips.
He finished pouring out two glasses and then he turned to her with a soft smile on his face, handing one of them to her. "I'm toasting to my good fortune of working with one of the most talented and beautiful women in the world," he said, flirtatiously.
Sydney just rolled her eyes and put the glass down on the table. "We have to get ready, where's the gear?" She asked, searching the room with her eyes.
He smirked. "In the other room, next to the bed."
Sydney went in and sat down on the corner of the bed and began taking inventory of the case.
Sark kicked off his shoes and reclined on the bed next to her, watching her.
"What are you doing?" She asked, not looking up.
"I'm relaxing."
"No you aren't. You're watching me."
"I find watching you relaxing."
************************