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“Why do I have a feeling you’ve been with more women than me?” He sits back and crosses his arms on his chest. I laugh and lean back in the chair, unease releasing its firm grasp on me.
“Look at me. Who could resist?” I say, flipping my hair behind my shoulder. Theo shakes his head before rising to stand. He scoops me out of the chair into his muscular arms. I yelp as he hoists me into the air and walks toward my bathing chamber.
I rest my head on his chest, smiling. He sets me down near the tub and turns on the water. The calming scent of lavender fills the air as Theo pours oil into the tub.
“Arms up,” he commands, and I comply. Theo pulls my shirt over my head, dropping it to the floor. Goosebumps erupt across my exposed skin. He unlaces my trousers, letting them fall down my legs. His muscular arms wrap around me to unclasp my bra and slide it off my body.
He stares appreciatively at the sight of my breasts. I reach for him, but he grabs my wrist to stop me. “While I would love to worship every inch of your body, right now you need to relax,” he says while his eyes trail over me.
I step to him, placing my hands on his chest. “But that’s relaxing,” I purr the words at him, hoping he’ll see my side and give in. His hand leaves my wrist and slides to the back of my neck. He pulls my head back, forcing me to look straight up. “Be a good girl and listen, then maybe later I’ll give you what you want.”
I groan in frustration as he releases me to pull off my undergarment. Theo helps me climb in the tub and kneels next to me as I slide into the water. “I’m going to grab a few things and a change of clothes. You stay in here until I return,” he says.
He tries to stand, but I grab his wrist, sitting up in the tub, panic twisting my stomach. After our fight, I really don’t trust Kira to not harm Theo. She’s hurt by my love for him, and I wouldn’t put it past her to do something foolish to get back at me for rejecting her.
He places a hand over mine, staring down at me. “Hiram’s right down the hall. He never goes far. I’ll stay with him until I’m back with you.” His voice is soothing, and the knot uncoils in my stomach. “But I can also defend myself.” He smirks and leans down, kissing me on the forehead.
Theo’s call for Hiram and Hiram’s response assure me he’s being guarded. Sinking into the tub, I allow the water and oil to consume me, easing the tension in my body.
I’m not sure how much time has passed before Theo returns. I can faintly make out Hiram and Theo’s low voices as they discuss staying in my chambers for the rest of the evening. The door shuts and the lock clicks into place.
A loudthudand clanking echo through the quarters. Theo steps into the bathing chamber, and I look up as he nears. He holds open a big fluffy towel, and I stand for him to wrap it around me. With one arm around my waist and the other under my knees, Theo lifts me from the tub and carries me to bed. He sets me down gently before stepping away to grab something off the entry table.
He returns with a large white shirt. I lift my arms, letting the towel fall to the bed, and he slides one of his shirts over my head. Grabbing the fabric, I take in his cedar scent and smile as it warms my soul.
Theo walks to the head of the bed, pulling back the sheets, and I scoot up to rest my back against the headboard. Theo covers me and walks back to the entry table. When he comes back, he’s holding books in one hand and dessert in the other.
“I asked Pyke if you could have your dessert now. I had to force him to let me bring it back to you.”
I laugh as he hands me my favorite fruit tart. Giddy with excitement, I wiggle in the bed, staring at the delicious sweet.
“I grabbed a few books from the library for your reading enjoyment as well,” he says while placing them on the nightstand. Taking a quick glance at the covers, it looks like he found a few romances and fairytale books I haven’t read yet.
Placing his hands on the bed, he leans in to place a soft kiss on my lips. I melt at his tenderness. He pulls away and stands. “I’m going to shower and be right back. Eat up.” He plucks a berry off the top, and I swat at him. A smile curls his lips as he pops it into his mouth and walks to the bathing chamber.
As the shower turns on, I settle into the bed and dig into my dessert. The creamy tart and sweet berries melt on my tongue in perfect harmony. I devour the plate long before Theo returns.
He steps out in a pair of loose gray pants and a white shirt. Picking up his own book, he climbs into bed with me, relaxing against the headboard, and I tuck in close to him.
We spend our evening in bed cuddling and reading. Theo brings dinner back to my chambers and we enjoy eating in private for the first time since he arrived.
I want to believe something grand is on the horizon for us. I’ve dreamed of nights like this—the two of us relaxing in our shared space. For a moment, it’s as if Oren didn’t rip apart our lives, stealing a decade from us. We would have a life like the Amari in all the stories we used to read.
I feel the dream of a lost, forgotten girl within my grasp, but still just out of reach. A storm, cruel and wicked, stands in the way. I can sense that this is the calm before its violent onslaught. I have to figure out how to stop it before it wipes away everything I hold dear.
