Our lips about to?—
“I brought the first aid kit.”Oliver’s sudden reappearance snapped my head—and I barely leashed a roar.An untimely interruption, or should I be thanking Oliver for his arrival before I did something monumentally stupid?
I’d already kissed Davina once.She’d kissed me, too.A third embrace, plus a bed nearby, would have led to definite seduction.Problem being, I’d yet to decide if that would be a good thing or not.Usually when I slaked my lust, I did so with strangers.Brief, one-night affairs that satisfied a carnal need.But this time, I couldn’t just bed Davina.For one, we’d yet to meet with Nessie.And if we both emerged from that unscathed, who knew what next?Would Nessie send Davina on a quest?Would I join her?Would I return to my isle alone?Did I want to?
I whirled and held out my hand to Oliver.“You have antiseptic, I assume.”
“Yes, along with gauze and medical-grade tape.Is it bad?”He sounded worried.
He should be.Hurting my professor like that.
Not mine.Fuck me.I really needed to stop being so possessive about her.
“She’ll be fine,” was my gruff reply.
“It’s just a scratch.Nothing to worry about.How are you doing?”I wanted to growl at Davina’s concern for the cunt who hurt her.
“Better now.Headache is gone.”Oliver glanced at me.“Guess that was Nessie trying to get in but only succeeding once I smoked my pipe and my mental shields lowered.”
“Seems like.At least now you know the warning sign.”
Oliver grimaced.“And no more accepting gift baskets.I should have known better.Anyhow, I’m off to bed with my door locked, but just in case, perhaps you should lock yours as well,” he suggested, looking at Davina.
“I’ll make sure she’s protected,” I promised.
Oliver left before she asked, “Are you planning to stand guard outside my door all night?”
“If I have to.”
“At least you’ll be close enough to hear me yell if something comes through the window or chimney,” she stated with a laugh.
Rather than join her in mirth, I glanced at both points of entry, spent about a half-second debating the wisdom, and still went with my dumb idea anyhow.“On second thought, I’ll sleep in here with you.”
Her eyes widened.“Is that necessary?”
“Call it a precaution.”Now I could have, at that point, reassured her that my intentions were honorable, that I’d sleep in the chair or on the floor, but being a man, with a lust for this woman, I said, “The bed has more than enough space for two.”
Her gaze went from me to the wide mattress.“It does, and as far as I know, I don’t snore, but I do steal blankets.”
“I run hot, so I don’t really need any.”I finished applying the gauze and tape before standing back.“Your wound is covered and should heal without issue, but that shirt needs to go.”
“I’m afraid I have nothing else to change into.”
“Take mine.”Before I even knew what I planned, off came my top and I held it out to her.
“Thank you.”A soft murmur that included her gaze fixated on my chest.Her cheeks turned pink before she fled to the bathroom.Not long after, she emerged wearing my shirt—and my scent.
I enjoyed it way too much.
She climbed into the bed, flashing the skin of her legs and the boxers covering her bottom.Oliver’s boxers!
I almost shucked my pants to hand over mine.I restrained myself mostly because the clean underpants Oliver had loaned smelled of laundry detergent and honey.A honey meant for me.
Yum.
No.
I wasn’t here to snuggle my face between her thighs and lick her to heaven but to protect, and that included guarding her from my lusty urges.
