The bees dissipated immediately, and I breathed out a bubbling stream of relief. As the calm water rushed over me, I anchored myself in mud and rocks and kept myself under as long as I could, swiping the pink hood off my head and holding it so it didn't get lost. When my lungs screamed, I finally lifted my head out of the water, gasping for air and wiping moisture from my eyes. I kept most of myself submerged, scanning the air for those little assholes. They were gone, though, and my gaze landed on Evie crouched at the riverbank. She had her hands pressed to her mouth, but I could tell from the way her eyes were dancing she was trying hard not to laugh.
I narrowed my eyes. "This funny to you?"
"A little," she choked out. She was wearing another dress today, this one pale, cherry blossom pink, and it spread out around her like a wispy blanket. The puffed sleeves ended at the top of the long white gloves she still wore, and her hair had been braided down the side of her shoulder. She lowered her hands and bit her lip. "Are you okay?"
I glanced down through the water at my throbbing body. "They stung me. Several times."
"I'm sure they did," she said thickly, clearly still on the verge of a laugh.
I pulled the drenched bee hood out of the water and held it at eye level. "At least they didn't get my eyeball."
"I'm relieved," she replied sincerely.
I darted another suspicious look around the area. They were going to come back for me. I was sure of it. The river was practically glacial, but I'd rather freeze than give those motherfuckers another shot at my skin. "You didn't wake me up," I accused.
Evie had the grace to look chagrined. "You were very tired."
Christ, I wasn't the one who'd been attacked yesterday. "You should wake me next time," I insisted tersely.
Her eyes danced over me. "That river is very cold."
"Is it?" I chattered. First, I'd woken up on the broil setting, and now my balls were going to flash freeze off my dick.
Sympathy softened her features, and she wrapped her arms around her knees, still crouched at the edge of the bank. "You can come out, now. I'm sure you washed away the pheromones."
Shivering, I gave the area another suspicious look around. "You sure about that? What do you know about bees, anyway?"
She cocked her head. "I do own an apiary."
Something I was learning about Evie was that sarcasm went right over her head. "Right." I stood cautiously, keeping a wary eye on the air around my soaked body. "If you wanted to run me off, you could have just insulted me like every other woman in my life. No need to resort to biological warfare."
That joke she did get, and she smiled off to the side ruefully. "And you told me the bees don't count as protection."
I took her hand, and she helped to haul me onto the grassy bank. "I stand corrected," I grunted. "They're very effective. Keep that pheromone spray in your pocket." That floral scent on her skin surrounded me as I brought my body up flush with hers, and I sucked in a breath. My body reacted before I could stop it,and I found myself leaning into her, seeking more. My fingers twitched around hers, relishing in her warmth.
Well, that was dangerous. I forced myself to release her hand.
"It's not the worst idea," she mused, standing away from me.
I unbuttoned my shirt, shrugging it off and running a critical eye along several raised welts on my shoulders and chest. "Little assholes," I hissed. Evie's eyes skated over my body as I shook out my hair. She went statue-still, her lips parting wordlessly. She was ogling me. Adorable. I beat one side of my head, dislodging water from my ear. "Bee got your tongue, Marshmallow?"
She closed her mouth with a snap. "That would be very unpleasant."
I touched a sting on my neck where it was throbbing insistently. "Tell me about it."Focus on the pain, Frost. Ignore the arousal making its way to your dick.
Evie seemed to shake herself out of it and gestured through the trees. "Let's get you back to Nan's house. She has a salve for stings that works wonders."
"Yes, let's meet your grandmother after I oafishly got myself stung thirty seconds into being around the bees," I said. "That won't be embarrassing." Evie stopped, staring at me. Humor swirled in my chest, warming my frozen extremities, and I realized I could get addicted to this—the sarcasm-immune marshmallow. "I'm joking," I offered.
"You areveryheavy on the sarcasm," she chided, starting forward again.
"I realize that now. Something to improve on," I chuckled.
We made our way around the edge of the field, and I couldn't help but be a little paranoid every time one of the evil things buzzed near me. They left me alone, though. and Evie peeled off her gloves as we approached the gate. "I'm sorry that was yourfirst experience with the bees. They really are gentle most of the time."
"I'll take your word for it," I retorted wryly. "But Evie, really." I stopped her with a hand on her arm once we were through the gate. She gave me her full attention, her liquid gold eyes soft and inquisitive. I nearly lost my entire train of thought and derailed it into a fathomless river. There was something about her, about her minute features, her rounded button nose, her light lashes, that stopped me in my tracks if I faced her straight on. I recovered after a split-second hesitation. "You can't be alone right now."
She nodded, so sincere in her understanding, it physically stabbed me in the gut. People didn't look this trusting, this open. "I won't. I'm sorry."
