For now, she’s safe, and I’m able to drift into sleep.
A floorboard creaks outside my door. More than the usual creaking of this old house. I cock my head, listening for it again. There.
I toss the covers aside and hurry to the door. I left it ajar earlier to make sure I’d be able to hear Emery if she needed me. I open it wider and step into the hallway.
A shadowy figure. Slight green glow moving through the shadow. Coming closer.
“Emery?”
“Ack!”Thud.Bang.
I flick the hall light on.
“Ow,” Emery moans, rubbing her hip. The movement draws my attention to the shirt she’s wearing.MyT-shirt. With my shop’s logo flowing softly over her generous breasts, fabric tight where her nipples press against it. The sight squeezes my balls, heat flashing down my spine before I can stop it. I slide my hungry gaze over her body. The hem stops above her knees, showing off her bare legs and feet.
Desire thrums through me, low and insistent. “Aren’t you cold?” I snap.
“What?” She screws her face into a scowl. “No. I thought I heard something. And this,” she holds up her wrist, the green light glowing and swirling around her wrist. “Doesn’t have an off switch.” She glowers at the table. “Then I banged my hip into this lovely thing, that I assume is some fancy antique?”
She raises her eyebrows but continues rubbing her hip.
I should ask if she’s okay, but my tongue’s glued to the roof of my mouth. I can’t tear my gaze away from the hem of my shirt where it keeps moving up and down, revealing then shielding her smooth thighs.
Two snaps break me out of my trance. Emery’s fingers move in a zigzag in front of her and she snaps again. “Uh, hello? Did you go back to sleep while you’re standing there?”
“No.” My gaze shifts to her wrist. To the green mark. “Does it hurt?”
“Not anymore.” She frowns and twists her arm back and forth. “It’s just bright.”
Because we’re so close.
It would burn if the Rider were near.
What if we were even closer?
I curl my fingers around the edge of the table she bumped into, hard enough the wood bites into my palm. My gaze drags down her legs again. “Why aren’t you wearing the pants I brought you?”
“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” She jerks her chin at my bare chest.
A rumble of laughter rolls out of me, the sound foreign in my throat.
She throws a dramatic hand against her chest. “Oh my God,” she drawls. “Did Declan Sterling justlaugh?”
I wipe the grin off my face and rub my hand over my stomach. “I’m more comfortable sleeping like this.”
She tugs at the hem of the T-shirt. “Well, I’m comfy too.” She slides her gaze over me. “And I’m not complaining about your attire. Not at all. But I guess you think I look like a toad and want me to cover up, so…” she jerks her thumb over her shoulder, “I’m gonna go back to bed.”
“No, don’t.” I reach for her, wrapping my fingers over her wrist. My ink reacts immediately, pulsing and quivering with excitement. This time it’s not exactly unpleasant. More like the sensation of warm water ebbing against my skin.
Emery gasps. “What…what is that?”
Her wide eyes lock on mine, and for a split second, I forget to breathe. My heart thunders louder than hoof beats.
I tug her closer, her feet whispering over the old wood floors. She stops about an inch away.
“I’m afraid to touch you again,” she whispers.
“I know.” I run my gaze over her again and give her the most important truth. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
