“Good. Go inside for the night, Thayla. Don’t come back out here alone.”
I scoff and bow dramatically. “Yes, sir, Mr. Sevryn, sir.”
He snarls at me, but his features smooth out at the small laugh that comes from Yemi.
I attempt to tell them good night, but he refuses to leave my back door until I’m inside. The argument on the tip of my tongue stays there as Yemi shoots me a wink and a wave.
Great. I’m under watchful eyes inside my house and from my neighbor.
My door shuts with a deafening click and I rest my head against it, waiting for the lonely silence to sink back into my soul. Instead, singing pierces my ears and my eyes fly open.
I’m across my room faster than my mind has time to catch up. I push my cracked bathroom door open, then freeze as I stare at Riven playing in a mound of bubbles he’s made in my damn hot spring.
Bathtub…whatever.
“What in the realm are you doing?”
“Oh, hey there, little burden. Hope you don’t mind. Verlet’s being a little salty tonight and told me I couldn’t come visit the hot spring. So I came and got in yours.”
“Why would he tell you no?”
“I don’t know. Something about avoidance. Blah, blah, blah. I thought you were in bed with Kyzen?”
I tear my eyes from his bare chest and stare at the wall behind his head.
“I was outside talking to Yemi.”
“Oh, makes sense. I’m sure she needed a little break from Sevryn’s grumpy ass.”
I huff a small laugh. “Something like that.”
He hums and resumes his melody as his fingers wade through the water. My teeth grind together with the abrupt end of the conversation, and I literally have to hold in my scream.
I’ll be damned if I just go lie in my bed or the couch, alone, while he’s in here singing and playing in my fucking bath.
My shirt hitting the ground and me kicking off my shoes doesn’t get his attention, but the sound of my zipper echoing around the small space sure does.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting in my bath.”
“Mini hot spring. You know I’m naked, right?”
Déjà vu hits me as I slide my pants off, leaving me standing in my bra and underwear. A small smirk twitches on my lips as we hold one another’s stare.
My, how the tables have turned.
“I’ll stay on my side. Cross my heart and hope to die at your feet.”
I step on in, sighing as the hot water encases me in comfort. His lack of a retort has me casting my gaze his way.
I didn’t expect a serious scowl to be the look that greeted me.
“No talk of dying.”
“Okay then.”
We drift into silence as my lids slip shut. There’s definitely a strain present that I wish weren’t between us, but it’s better than being alone.
