“There is a bright side to what’s happening between you andKaci.”
Other than his unintentional confirmation that Kaci evidently felt something real for me? “What’sthat?”
“If your connection with her is strong enough to have triggered a hormonal reaction, then there istrulynothing in the world you wouldn’t do to keep her safe. Even if that means putting yourself indanger.”
I huffed into the phone. “I could have told you that without this entire, weird discussion,Marc.”
“Yes.” He chuckled. “But now I can actually believeit.”
Fifteen
Kaci
“Hey.”Justus knocked on the door just as the shower was starting to warm up. “Marc says you should take a bath, until we’re sure you won’t pass out from bloodloss.”
I’m not goingto…
Although Ididfeel a little unsteady. “Damn it. Okay.” I flipped the lever in the tub, and the shower spray became a deluge from the faucet. But even when I flipped the other lever for the stopper, water seemed to be draining out of the tub. “Shit.”
“Do you need help?” Justus called, and I jumped. I hadn’t realized he was waiting by thedoor.
Did I need help? Bathing? From the gorgeous guy whose mouth was like candy and whose touch made me want to tackle him and rip his clothes off with myteeth?
Yes. I might need alotof help. But if I got the kind of help I wanted, he’d be free to fly off to his island with his fortune, and leave me alone in the South-Central Pride. And as lonely as I’d been before Justus—before I’d understood how much happier I could truly be—post-Justus loneliness would no doubt be evenworse.
Having something and losing it was worse than never having it in the firstplace.
But he said he’d never leaveagain.
Yes. He had. But people say a lot of things they don’t mean in moments of stress or relief. And they’re not even always lying. Sometimes they’re just…wrong.
Justus couldn’t stay unless we found him one more vote. And even if we did, who was to say that he’d stay after his acquittal? He wouldn’t need me anymore, and even though he liked me now, once the novelty wore off and that inevitable boredom set in, I’d still be the man-eater, and he’d still be one of the hottest, wealthiest, most eligible tomcats in the history of ever. Even if he was astray.
“Kaci?”
“Um…no, I’m fine,” I called through the door, as I flipped the stupid drain switchagain.
“You don’t sound sure of that. I promise I won’t try anything.” The nextthunkagainst the door sounded more like his head than his knuckles. “Please let me helpyou.”
“Okay. Hang on.” Against my better judgement, I wrapped myself in a towel, flinching when the motion twisted my left arm and reopened my laceration, then I opened the door. “I’m really fine. I’m just grimy, and…” I shrugged and held my left arm out. “This hurts like abitch.”
“And bath water will probably sting.” He glanced at the tub. “If we’re able to actually accomplish a bath.” Justus sat on the edge of the tub and flipped the drain switch. But the water only drained faster. He flipped it again, then shoved up even harder with the heel of hispalm.
Something clicked beneath the tub, and the water startedcollecting.
“Thanks.” I opened a travel-sized bar of soap from the sink and set it on the edge of the tub. “Um… Could you grab myshampoo?”
“Sure.”
While he was gone, I laid my towel on the floor and stepped into the tub, then tucked my knees up to my chest. Technically, this was still post-shift nudity, which should have been void of any sexual context, but the addition of a bathtub and warm water seemed to push the whole thing into a gray area. A very, very tempting grayarea.
Justus came back with both the shampoo and conditioner from my backpack, and he stopped in the doorway as if he’d hit a brick wall. “Sorry. I knew you’d be naked, and I swear I’m not staring. I’m just… You’re sobeautiful.”
“I’m covered in blood and grime.” I hugged my knees to mytorso.
“You could be covered in vomit and sludge and I’d still think you were the most beautiful thing I’ve everseen.”
I tried to cover my self-consciousness with a laugh. “I’m already wearing the ring. You don’t have to say things like thatanymore.”
