•••
Cole started to reach for her when he recalled theblood staining his hands. He dug his nails into his palms as helowered his hand.
He couldn’t touch her with blood on hishands, but the scent of her and the beauty of her hunter green eyeswere difficult to resist. A clatter from Brokk’s room drew hisattention, and he stepped away from her.
“I’ll be right out,” he said.
He entered the bathroom and closed the door.When he stepped in front of the mirror, his heart sank when he sawthe amount of blood coating him. Shenevershould have seenhim like this.
He also realized washing his hands wouldn’tsuffice though he scrubbed them before turning on the shower. Aknock sounded on the door, and he opened it to discover Lexistanding there with an armful of clothes.
“My dad wasn’t as tall as you, but I foundsome of his biggest clothes. Hopefully, they’ll fit,” she said.
There was something sad and wistful about heras she held the clothes out to him.She misses him.
The thought struck him hard, as did theimpulse to cup her cheek to offer comfort. He wasn’t one forcomforting or for noticing others' feelings, but with her, thingswere different.
Shewas different. He had no idea why,but she was.
“Thank you,” he said as he took the clothesfrom her. “Your father was my friend and a good man. I miss himtoo.”
Her luscious mouth parted, and his gaze fellto those ripe lips as Sahira called to her.
“I hope they fit,” she whispered beforerushing off to see the witch.
Cole closed the door, stripped out of hisruined clothes, and stepped beneath the hot spray of water. Hewatched the blood swirl down the drain until the water ran clear.He turned off the shower, dried himself, and dressed.
The jeans were too short on him and roseabove his ankles. They were also a little too tight around thewaist, but they fit well enough. The shirt pulled taut across hisshoulders, and he might tear it if he moved his arms too fast.
When he opened the door, he discovered Lexiwith her hand raised to knock.
“Oh,” she said, and her hand fell back to herside. “I thought you might need this.”
She held up a bottle of Sahira’s salve, andas he reached for the bottle with his good hand, her strawberryscent engulfed him. It was a scent he would never forget.
“I’ll do it for you if you’d like,” sheoffered.
The idea of her touching him was too enticingto resist. “Yes,” he said.
When he stepped aside, she pushed past himwith far more authority than her slender frame and height wouldhave conveyed. He almost smiled but stopped when he spotted Sahirastudying him from Brokk’s doorway with blatant disapproval.
“How is he?” Cole inquired.
“He’ll survive,” Sahira said.
Some of Cole’s tension eased. “Thankyou.”
Sahira’s eyes went past him, but before shecould say anything more, he stepped into the bathroom and closedthe door. He understood Sahira’s disapproval; she didn’t think hewas good for her niece, and she was probably right, but he didn’tgive a shit.
He’d never denied himself something he wantedbefore, and he wasn’t about to start now.
When he turned, he discovered Lexi standingby the sink with her head bent as she uncapped the bottle of salve.The aroma of herbs and spices filled the air, but they were sovaried he couldn’t name any of them.
She turned toward him. “Come here,” shesaid.
With pleasure. But he kept that tohimself as he walked over to stand across from her.
“Let me see your hand,” she said.
