Chapter 8
Later that afternoon,as they took form on the terrace of the rec room, back from her dress fitting, Darci could feel Blaéz’s contemplative gaze on her.
“You’ve been very quiet since we left the bridal shop,” he said softly.
“Have I?” She hastily planted a smile on her mouth and rubbed her arms, not sure if it was from the chilly air or from what had happened a short while earlier. “I didn’t realize—I was just thinking…”
“About what?”
Oh, man, she really,really, didn’t want to talk about it. “Your brother,” she evaded.
His expression instantly hardened. “I’ll take care of him.”
That certainly halted Blaéz’s questioning, which was what she wanted, the ordeal at the bridal boutique too fresh in her mind to bear reliving. Thankfully, Blaéz had no idea what had occurred since he’d waited for her in the visitor’s sitting room while she tried on her dress.
“If you need to go into town again, let me know.” He pulled her out of her train of thought. “Don’t go with anyone else. I’m not taking any chances with Finnén around. Now, let’s go get some lunch.”
“No, you go ahead,” she said, her stomach churning at the thought of food. “I’ll have something later. There’re a few things I need to check on, we have so little time.”
As she hustled past him, he grasped her hand. “What’s going on?” His tone was mild, but his expression had hardened.
Biting back a sigh, she patted his tough chest, keeping her mind shields bolted, not wanting him to sense her disquiet. “Give your suspicious mind a rest. I’m just not hungry—too much excitement with how close we are to the wedding. Come on, it’s cold out here.” She grasped his hand, opened the door, and dragged him into the rec room.
Týr wandered in, tunneling his fingers through his wheat-colored hair. “Good, you’re back. A game of pool or a session with swords?”
“Go,” she encouraged. “I have to find Hedori. I’ll see you later.”
As she walked away, she could feel Blaéz’s stare boring into her. No, he didn’t buy her diversion tactic one bit. But there wasn’t much she could do about it. As she walked out of the room, she heard the wordswordsmentioned again and sighed in relief. Blaéz would be occupied for a while. She made her way to the back stairs and ran up to their quarters to change.
Two hours later, huffing out another breath, she gripped the handles of the elliptical machine and pushed harder, determined to finish the allotted time she’d set for herself. Her jaw clamped down. Sweat dripped off her brow and drenched her t-shirt.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
Her head snapped up as Blaéz strolled into the gym. He frowned. “What are you doing?”
She blew the damp strands from her face, or tried to, but it stuck to her forehead. It irritated her more when it didn’t budge. “Keeping…fit.” How the wheezed words came out through her gritted teeth, she had no idea.
“I see…”
So unfair. Her gaze trailed over him. He’d just come back from training with Týr, and even knowing how brutally they fought, he still appeared cool and sexy wearing his sweats and tee. While she probably looked like a drowned, sweaty rat, working off her butt.
We could let out the seams on the sides,the designer’s comforting voice echoed in her head. The last time, it had just been a little tight; now, the buttons wouldn’t fasten—grrr!
“What’s wrong?” Blaéz asked, stopping near her.
“Nothing.”
“O-kay. Maybenowwe can go get lunch?”
“No. I have to do twenty more minutes on this machine.” She swiped the dampness off her brow again with the back of her hand. A towel appeared in front of her. She snatched it and scrubbed her heated face. Powerful arms swept her off the machine.
“Eeek—” a shriek tore out of her. The towel fell, and her arms flailed before she flung them around his neck. Blaéz carried her and strode across the huge gym as if she weighed no more than a feather. “What are you doing?”
He sat down on a bench and settled her on his lap. “Now tell me what’s going on.”
“Blaéz,” she protested, pushing at his hands, trying to get off him. “I haven’t finished.”
His grip tightened on her hips, keeping her there. “How long have you been on that thing?”
