He gently traced his fingers up her back, and when she felt a sharp pain, she leaned forward.
“Ow!”
“It’s glass,” he said, rising to his feet. “I need to remove it.”
She twisted her mouth to the side. “Sothat’swhat it was. I thought maybe I pinched a nerve in my back while lifting that heavy oaf out of the van.”
“Lie on the bed. I’ll get Shepherd.”
“Can’t you do it?”
“I could try. Would you trust me? Shepherd’s a Sensor. He can remove your pain.”
“If Claude can bear it, so can I.” Gem kicked off her shoes, took off her shirt, and crawled onto the incredibly soft blanket that covered his bed. It was dark grey and deceptively felt like mink. These days, they made artificial furs feel just as soft as the real thing. “If it’s deep, you’ll need tweezers. Just be careful not to pinch it too hard or you could break it into pieces.”
While Gem lay on her stomach, her head facing the fire, she felt like a thousand stones were holding her down. She yawned, her brain bouncing back and forth between the events of the evening and fears of the future. Almost every job was dangerous, and she cared about these people. Claude wasn’t just her partner; he was the family she’d never had.
All of them were.
When Niko returned, he stared in her direction. “Where is your head pointed?”
“Toward the fire,” she said. “My feet are on the other side, by the nightstand.”
The tweezers in his hand clicked together as he squeezed them. “Would I have your permission to sit astride you?”
“Can’t you do it standing up?”
Niko tugged the collar of his shirt. “I’m afraid that would place me in an inappropriate position.”
“Oh.” His crotch in her face would be wildly embarrassing. “That’s fine. Or you could sit next to me. Whichever works.”
He rounded the bed, and she felt it depress as he climbed on. “The glass is angled in such a way that I can’t comfortably grip it from the side,” he said. “If this bothers you, tell me immediately, and I’ll get Shepherd.”
Gem folded her hands and turned her head to the side. “I trust you more than anyone.”
His knees anchored on either side of her, but he didn’t sit. When he bent over, his long hair touched her back.
Gem giggled and twisted to look at him. “That tickles.”
“Lie still,” he said, his breath skating across her bare skin.
She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt the cold press of the tweezers invading the wound. Gem tried to focus on something else, like why she was warm all of a sudden. Was Niko using his Thermal gift, or was she just reacting to the sharp pain?
No, it was definitely Niko. Her back warmed all over, and she instantly relaxed. The moment the glass ripped out of the wound, hot energy intensified against her skin, followed by a crack of healing light.
After putting the glass and tweezers on the bedside table, Niko stroked the spot with his fingertips. “Is that better?”
“So much.”
He continued rubbing the spot, essentially massaging her back.
“You’re reading my light, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Do you wish me to stop?”
“Obviously not.” His touch might have elicited desire in most women, but Gem was wired differently. The wood snapped in the fireplace, followed by the roar of a growing flame. “Do you ever use the fireplace when you’re alone, or did you light it just for me?”
“Using my Thermal gift requires energy. Even small amounts will drain me over a long period of time, like a slow leak. Besides, I can’t regulate my body temperature when I’m sleeping. It’s a conscious decision.”
