I hear the soft chuckle I’ve quickly grown fond of, picturing that damn dimple again, before I hear the candles being blown out. I’m on the cusp of sleep, in that halfway state drifting off, when I hear Callum whisper, “Goodnight, Elia.”
It’s the best night of sleep I’ve had in years.
Chapter 5
Callum
Iawake several hours before Elia, accustomed to waking up before the sun begins to rise. After checking on the horses and carriages, I have the Hunters prepare for our departure this morning. If we leave early enough we can make it to the palace before dusk, and I’m impatient to continue the search for the relic. I haven’t told Elia what we’re hunting for yet, only because this relic may be the most important one that’s ever existed, and I don’t want her to accidentally mention anything about it in front of anyone.
When I make it back to the room, Elia is still in bed. She’s on her side, facing outwards, and has one arm cradling her head while the other clutches the blankets under her chin. Her skin is tanned from being exposed to the desert sun and complements her dark hair that’s mused and spread out across the pillow.
I have the strange urge to lean over and thread my fingers through it. Seeing her last night in the towel flustered me. I couldn’t remember when I’d last seen that much of a woman’s body and I’d forgotten how…curvythey are.
My body hasn’t reacted this strongly to anyone since Rafe and it scares me.
Giving her my shirt was also a regrettable decision as the white material clung to her damp body like a lover’s caress. That image of her has been superimposed in my head since last night, and I’ve been walking around half hard all morning, doing my best not to linger on the captured memory.
On that note, if I keep staring at her while fantasizing about her nipples outlined in my shirt, I’ll be fully hard and will have a lot of explaining to do when she wakes up. I walk over to open the door and slam it harder, trying to rouse her as if I only now came back to the room.
Elia stirs, then slowly blinks her eyes open. “I must be dreaming,” she murmurs lazily, flipping on to her back and stretching her arms over her head.
She must read the confusion on my face before she continues. “There’s a six-foot-two blond Hunter in my bedroom whose shirt I’m wearing.”She sits up, wiggling her eyebrows. “Most women would call that a dream.” She pauses. “Or men. Honestly, anyone would be in a dreamlike state waking up to you.”
“Are you saying this isn’t how you typically wake up?” I don’t comment on the last part of her statement, not wanting to read too much into it. There’s no way she could know that I’m interested in both men and women after knowing me for a day.
Elia laughs. “Only in my dreams.”
I toss her clothes on top of her in bed. “These were cleaned last night for you. Get ready, and I’ll meet you downstairs. We have a long day ahead of us.”
She beams at me again before she offers her thanks, and I give her privacy as I head back downstairs. I’ve never met someone so cheerful or full of life. She reminds me of a sunburst, shooting both quips and grins. Elia spent the last decade of her life in the scorching desert, a feat not even the strongest of my Hunters would attempt, and yet she smiled more in the last day than most people around me have in their entire life. Me included.
She reminds me of my younger self – back when I had less responsibilities or duties.
Back when I was in love.
I shake my head to clear that mindset. It’s been five years, damnit. I need to move on. Spending this time with Elia might have two purposes – not only can I find the relic the king desperately wants and remain in his good graces, but maybe I can also try and open my heart again. Maybe this was all meant to be – that she came into my life to help me move on.
I hear Elia coming down the stairs and move to greet her. She’s wearing the same clothing she had on yesterday, the only difference being that it’s clean now.
“Those colors don’t suit you.” The words slip out before I realize I said it aloud and not in my head.
She glares at me, mouth falling open. “Are you kidding me? I didn’t realize I had so many options to choose from!”
She steers clear of me and storms out the door to the waiting carriage. I exhale and pinch the bridge of my nose. Real smooth. I just ruined any progress I had made the previous day.
I follow Elia out but she’s already climbed into the carriage. Ginna is adjusting the horses’ saddle and throws me a questioning look which I ignore.
“Gather the rest of the Hunters and tell them we’re ready to head out.”
Ginna smirks back at me. “Lover’s quarrel already? What did it take, aday?
“Shut up.”
She throws her head back and roars with laughter.
Once Ginna finishes laughing at my expense, her face turns serious. “Don’t forget this is temporary, Cal.” She pauses to tug on one of the straps before continuing. “I know you, and once you find that spark, you’ll follow it until you’re the one in flames. I don’t want this to be another situation like with –”
“I’m fine. There’s no ‘spark’.” I interject. “Now let’s get going, shall we?”
