Rolling onto my back, I stared at the ceiling.
Would he kill me for this?
Would he scold me, strike me—
Wordlessly, he pulled up the blankets that I’d shoved to the bottom of the bed and dragged them over both of us.
We lay there, side by side, not saying a damn thing.
I stayed rigid, heart hammering, staring at shadows.
Why wasn’t he going?
He couldn’t mean to stay here, could he?
“Eh...” I cleared my throat. “Are you not leaving?”
Turning his head, his eyes met mine, etched with weariness.
My heart fluttered and that ache between my legs grew a thousand times worse. Pain daggered my temple as I drowned in his stare—in his wariness and rage, the gratitude and distrust.
“It’s a long walk back to my quarters.” He cleared his throat as if that was a lie. Tearing his gaze from mine, he stared at the same shadows I did. “I’m tired.”
I didn’t speak and silence gathered tighter around us.
The longer we lay side by side, the more we slipped over whatever line had been drawn.
My heart raced faster. My skin prickled. And that damn pressure between my legs made me jumpy and needy and—
“I didn’t mean to come.” His voice was thick with accusation as if it was my fault. “I should stay the hell away from you but...” He swallowed hard. “Somehow, I’m here.”
My heart flung itself against my ribs.
Silence fell again before I murmured, “Did you come because I can somehow ease you?” My cheeks burned at the preposterousness of that. At the inexplicable explanation thatsomethingwas going on, even as we fought against it.
He growled quietly as if his temper couldn’t be contained. “Yes.”
He scowled at the shadows. “I don’t understand why each time you ask me a question, I’m compelled to answer it.”
“Really?” I rolled onto my side, tucking my hands under the pillow and gazing at him. “You’recompelled?”
Lingering droplets of sweat slowly dried by his hairline, long strands of blue-black rested over his forehead. He didn’t turn to look at me, but he nodded stiffly. “I seem to want to talk to you.” He laughed coldly. “Which is ridiculous.”
“How is it ridiculous?”
“The more I tell you, the more you can use against me.”
“Pretty sure I know quite a few of your secrets these days. What’s one more?”
His eyes snapped to mine. “Is that a threat?”
I swallowed, still rationally afraid of what he could do to me.
But then I forced myself to relax because...if he hadn’t killed me by now. If he hadn’t stopped whatever this was, maybe he was as helpless as me.
“Just a fact.” I held his stare, adding quietly, “Besides, you know more about me than you think too.”
His eyes narrowed on mine before looking away again.
