I set my Kindle on the nightstand and sit up in bed. It’s around midnight, and he’s still working. Feeling my gaze on him, he lifts his head.
“Let’s go to bed,” I say, keeping my voice neutral.
He raises a brow.
“I mean, it’s already quite late. You can work tomorrow if it’s not urgent.”
He closes his laptop, sets it on the table, and comes to the bed. He slips under the quilt. The mattress shifts under his weight.
He lies on the pillow beside mine. Then he reaches out, grabs my waist, and pulls me onto him. I fall against his chest, my hands bracing on either side of him, my face hovering just above his. His warmth bleeds through the thin fabric between us. His scent of spicy citrus invades my senses.
“I didn’t invite you to bed,” I mutter, pushing against the mattress to hold myself up.
He tucks the hair falling across my face behind my ears, one side at a time, slowly. His knuckles brush my cheeks witha featherlight touch. Finally, his hand settles around my neck, his thumb stroking the line of my jaw in a reverent rhythm. My pulse stutters beneath his palm. I know he can feel it. Thankfully, he doesn’t say a word. He just keeps stroking me, watching me with those dead eyes that aren’t quite dead anymore.
“Then ask me to leave.”
I bite my lower lip. His thumb moves from my jaw to my lip, pulling it free, and he stares without trying to hide the heat in his gaze at all.
“Since we’re friends now, I’ll let you sleep in the bed, but no touching.” I push away from him and fall onto my back beside him.
He turns onto his side. I can see him watching me, but I keep my eyes on the ceiling.
It’s working well so far, after that shower, we had lunch together on much better terms. He didn't talk nonsense, thankfully. In the evening, we went for a walk in the forest and made small talk about the area and all that.
Only now do I know I’m still in Italy, and this forest is a few kilometers from Trento. He didn’t tell me how big it is, in fact, he watched me with suspicion when I asked. I shrugged it off, saying I was just curious. I don’t know if he believed me. I hope he did.
Unable to stay calm under his stare, I turn onto my side, my back to him. He immediately slides his hand over my stomach and pulls me back. My back presses against his chest, my ass against his hardness. He buries his face in my neck, taking long breaths, like he’s inhaling me. I clutch the sheet in a tight fist.
“Good night, baby.” His voice brushes against my skin.
I don’t respond, just close my eyes and wait for sleep to take away all the thoughts from my head and all the feeling from my skin.
Chapter 29
Elowen
“I’ll do the dishes,” I say, picking up his and my plates from the table.
“You cook for us, it’s only fair if I do the dishes and cleaning.”
He stays seated at the table, watching me.
I reach the sink and place the plates in it, along with all the utensils he used for cooking. Then I clean the island and start washing the dishes.
“Don’t watch me,” I say, after a few minutes. “You’re putting performance pressure on me. Just go and do your work.”
“Are you sure you know how to do this?” He rises from the chair.
“Of course I do. It’s not exactly rocket science, washing a few dishes. Don’t worry, I’ll do it just fine.” I keep my focus on the task.
I pause just long enough to watch him disappear into the bedroom, then keep working.
I spend the afternoon reading.
Around four in the afternoon, I get up from the bed and walk over to Hunter, stretching my back as I go.
“I’m feeling really stiff. Can you help me with a light workout?”
