She bustled inside carrying hangers dripping with sequins, leather, satin, and lace. Their narrow shapes told me they’d all be snug, but at least, their colors were all muted. “Jarod told me to bring up some clothes. Unfortunately, we mostly have dresses. I don’t think you’re going to like them verymuch.”
I thought of the outfit balled up inside my bag. It was probably too wrinkled to wear tonight. “Thankyou.”
She smiled. “I heard we’re going shoppingtomorrow.”
My ears felt like they’d just come out of theoven.
“I’m hoping this means you’ll bestaying.”
I studied the starburst pattern of sequins on one of the dresses she’d laid out on the foot of the bed. It mirrored the explosions detonating everywhere inside my body. “Uh . . .” Anxiety apparently made me devolve into a primitive, non-verbose version of myspecies.
Her eyes crinkled with the same smile bending her rouged lips. “I need to get back to the kitchen. I’m making soufflés tonight. I even prepared a special sweet one for you. I hope you’ll likeit.”
Talk of food loosened my tongue. “Considering I’ve loved everything you’ve made up till now, I’m certain it’ll bedelicious.”
“Good. I’ll let you get ready. If you need anything else, just call me from the bedroom phone.” She showed me what button to press to reach her in the pantry before leaving me alone with an array of dresses that would make eating way lessenjoyable.
As I walked toward the bathroom, the sound of yelling made me freeze. The thickness of the floors and the plushness of the oriental rug distorted the words but not the tone with which they were delivered. Jarod wasn’t having a pleasant conversation with Tristan. Part of me felt guilty, because I was certain the thunder in Jarod’s voice was my fault. Another part hoped this would influence Tristan’s behavior for the better. In truth, if anyone could reform Tristan, it was Jarod—the only person the former respected andadmired.
Not wanting to meddle any more than I already had, I stepped into the temple of black marble that was almost as vast as his bedroom and turned on the water in a shower that contained more jets than a propeller plane and could easily fit everyone on Jarod’spayroll.
Chapter 46
After wigglinginto a dress that made my hourglass figure lookveryhourglassy, I slid my feet into a pair of black patent stilettos. I tried not to wonder if the dress and shoes had already been worn. I also tried not to fret too much about going without underwear—the two I’d brought were presently drying on the heated towel rack after I’d had the presence of mind to washthem.
Steadying my nerves, I opened the door and walked down the stairs. As I passed Amir stationed beside the study, my cheeks heated. Had he heard me earlier? The walls were thick, but were they thickenough?
When he glanced my way, the barest flicker of something animating his impassive features, I magicked my wings into existence and cocooned my heating skin. It was silly and useless considering it only hidhimfromme.
“Um.” I shifted on the checkered marble, and my silver feathers caressed the skin below the cap sleeves of my black Band-Aid of a dress. “Should I wait for Jarod inside the . . . ” Before I could finish my sentence, the door of the study opened, and Jarod’s body filled theframe.
“Thought I heard you.” His own jaw was flushed, but that probably had to do with his impassionedconversation.
From the look on Tristan’s face, I suspected it had just ended. My nemesis observed me a moment over Jarod’s shoulder before lifting his cell phone to his ear and turning away, so I was left staring at the back of his silver suit that matched the hair at histemples.
My feathers were still wrapped around me, but they’d loosened and allowed Jarod glimpses of what Iwore.
His eyes turned as black as the stretchy fabric binding my curves. He took a step toward me, pressing away my wings, his fingers skimming the newest growths in the process and sending frissons straight into my wingbones.
Gripping my hips, he uttered a single word, “Wow,” and that word flicked the switch on my skin, turning me into a strobe light. My smoldering ticked one side of his mouth up. Against the shell of my ear, he murmured, “Shall we skipdinner?”
My heart must’ve started smoldering too, because my insides felt like a brazier. “Muriel made soufflés,” I whispered hoarsely, thinking it would pain her if they collapsed because Jarod and I were busy feasting on eachother.
“And they’re ready, Jarod,” Murielsaid.
I whirled around, smacking Jarod with my wings. He pressed them away, smile intact. I hoped his gestures didn’t look toostrange.
“Good. I’m ravenous,” he said, the heat of his body licking up myspine.
When he ran a lazy knuckle on the underside of one of my wings, I magicked them out of existence. He let out a little grunt of disappointment before murmuring, “I want them outlater.”
I bit down so hard on the inside of my cheek that I punctured the skin and the tinny taste of blood hit mytongue.
Muriel eyed the server who’d stepped out of the pantry behind her. “Will Tristan be joining youtwo?”
“He will, Mimi. As soon as he finishes his call.” Denting the supple flesh at my waist, Jarod nudged me into the diningroom.
The server hurried to add a third place setting as Jarod pulled out my chair before taking up his seat at the head of the table. Muriel brought over a bottle of chilled white wine with a label that had seen better days. I imagined it was another deliriously rarevintage.
