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Unease snaked around my desire, choking it, but doing nothing to rid me of its horrible effects. Alaric lifted his wrist to check the time, a small sigh unfurling between us. He placed a gentle hand on my forearm. My skin tingled beneath his touch.
“I have to go. Feel free to make yourself at home and help yourself to anything in the kitchen.”
With that, he stepped away from me and vanished back down the hall.
I remained exactly where I was until the sound of the front door closing echoed throughout the house.
CHAPTER SIX
Before diving into the mess of boxes I returned to the kitchen for my coffee, and then went back to my room.
After powering my cell on I didn’t wait for the notifications to start pouring in. I dialed my mom, placing the phone on speaker so I could freely retrieve my pills. It took her two rings longer than usual, but finally she picked up.
“About time,” she huffed. “Did you just wake up?”
“Saying hello every once in a blue moon wouldn’t kill you. And no, I’ve been up for an hour or so now.”
“Doing what?”
Since she couldn’t see me, I rolled my eyes. “Being awake.”
“My god, Catalina. That smart mouth of yours. I hope you keep it to a minimum around Alaric.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s the respectful thing to do. Why else why? Now, tell me, what do you think of him?”
I popped one of my Pexevas into my mouth and chased it down with a drink of coffee. What did I think of Alaric?
He had stunning eyes, the color of cerulean. His smile was so beautifully disarming I knew more than a few had fallen victim to it. My sister amongst them. He was rich. Gorgeous. Unnervingly enigmatic.
He provoked something in me that needed to remain exactly as it was for my sake and his. Of course, I wasn’t about to tell my mom any of this. She was way too eager to hear what I had to say. I’d annoy her instead.
“I think he’s my sister’s widow.” I could tell from the breath she drew she was about to chastise or lecture me. Before she could, I told her about the boxes and Alaric’s reaction.
“We all have our own way of grieving. No one can tell us we’re wrong to do it one way from another.”
I chewed my lower lip, nodding. She’d said something along these lines the day I told her the news about Meg. This time around, I didn’t agree. While no two people would show their pain the same, I didn’t get the feeling Alaric was grieving at all. He seemed just as unaffected as I was. If not more.
A low beep sounded in my ear, I pulled the phone away, seeing Chloe’s name on the screen.
“Hey, I’ve got another call coming in. I’ll talk to you later.”
I cut her protest short with the tap of a button, swapping our connection for another.
“You just saved me.”
“Guess I called at perfect timing then,” Chloe joked. “I tried to call you back on my break and when I got off, but I kept getting voicemail.”
“My cell died sometime last night.” I placed my mug on the nightstand and plopped down on the bed. “By the way, I’m killing you when I get home.”
“What? Why?”
“You lied to me about what he looked like. That’s why!”
“Oh, that. I did you favor,” she laughed.
“How? By making me think I was coming to meet Hugh Hefner instead of a GQ model?”
“Exactly! He’s fine as hell. If I would have told you, you wouldn’t go no matter how much you wanted to.”
“I’m beginning to think that wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing.”
“Why, what happened?” Her jovial tone became one of concern.
I laid back on the bed and kicked my feet up, telling her everything that had happened since I’d arrived here, giving her some of the more illicit details.
“Well, starting with the Alaric thing, I think it’s pretty damn normal to be attracted to him. I only saw pictures and if they’re legit then hell, I am too.”
“He’s my brother-in-law.”
“You keep saying that, and I get it, but do you know what else he is?”
“Rich?”
She laughed. “He’s a super attractive man. A stranger. I’m kinda happy for you. I was beginning to think you secretly wanted me.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” I deadpanned.
“I’ll get over it. You know some people marry their in-laws, right? It’s not even that taboo anymore, and unlike with this situation they actually knew them beforehand.”
I furrowed my brow and sat up. “I know you’re just trying to make me feel better, but that has nothing to do with this situation.”
“I’m also keeping it real. Even if it’s not what you want to hear. Quit trying to make yourself feel guilty about being human.”
I twirled a strand of my hair. “That isn’t what I’m doing.”
