A gust of wind blew through the garage and she shivered. In a single movement, Sven was by her side and wrapped a blanket around her.
“I’m sorry it had to be like this. I didn’t know you would be in the shower.”
“It would have been really difficult for them to knock.” Her teeth chattered.
Before she knew he moved, Sven scooped her up and held her against his chest. She gasped and tried to pull away.
“You’re going to hurt yourself. You can’t carry me like this. Put me down!”
He ignored her and carried her inside. “You can shower in my quarters.”
Heat flooded through her, from both the closeness that he held her and being alone with him in his bedroom. She tried to focus, but her anger slipped.
“I don’t even have any clothes.”
His jaw flexed, but he continued his path down the hallway. “It’s been taken care of.”
The words should have annoyed her, but instead, the heat sparked higher. She glanced around but there was no sign of Lars. None of the other guards followed.
“You don’t own me,” she said, lower this time.
“No, I don’t.” He pushed open a door and they entered a huge sitting room. Instead of putting her down, he sat on a sofa and held her on his lap. The room suddenly became smaller. “But I am the king around here, and sometimes I have to make decisions that aren’t popular. And I’m not taking the risk of you being in danger.”
She never meant to touch him, but her hands betrayed her. She laid her palm against his cheek and felt his warm skin. It was as if something physical pulsed between them, just in a singletouch. There was something she couldn’t ignore, but she had no idea what it was.
Her grip on the towel slipped, just an inch, and his eyes flickered down before lifting back to hers. Her breath hitched as that single glance burned hotter than the shower had.
She read in his eyes that he felt the same thing. She hated it even more that a part of her wanted him to.
Sven exhaled slowly and brought his hand up to cover hers. He held her fingers tight as he turned his head and placed a kiss in her palm.
She tore her gaze away. If she didn’t, she was going to kiss him. And he had that woman. She tried to reclaim the anger that had deserted her.
“Where am I supposed to go now?” she snapped. “And can you please tell me why I’m in danger? I thought your boy said Iwasthe danger.”
He smirked. “My boy, as you so eloquently call him, now understands that you are not the danger.” He told her about Eva. “She is resting now, with help from our royal doctor, but only time will tell if she recovers. We still don’t know if those who attacked her knew it was her or if they thought it was you since she came from your hotel.”
“Seriously? You think someone is out to get me?”
He shrugged and helped her stand. “I don’t know. But until I do, you’re safer staying here.”
She wiped the conditioner from running into her eyes. “Can we please continue this conversation when I don’t look like a drowned rat?” She gestured to the towel. “And when I have some clothes on? Plastic isn’t really my look.”
“I disagree. If you look like a drowned rat, then I’m suddenly a fan of wet rodents. I feel the plastic is quite…” he looked her up and down, “complimentary to you.”
A new wave of heat ripped through her. She backed away before she did something she’d be ashamed of. “Where can I get clothes?”
“We have a room prepared for you. Clothes, toiletries. Everything you need.”
Bryn blinked. “What exactly is going on here?”
“We’ll talk about it once you feel more comfortable.” He stepped closer to her. “Come on. I’ll take you to your room.”
“Why did you bring me to yours?”
He gave her that smirk again. She was going to have to learn to defend herself from its effects. “So that your room could be prepared.”
He stepped past her and she caught the warmth of his body as he brushed against her damp arm. The brief contact sent a shiver down her spine.
