SEVEN
A WARM BLANKETwas wrapped around me when I woke up. The ice cubes were gone, but the bed sheets were dry, and I wasn’t burning with fever.
Slowly, I sat up and suppressed a gasp, clenching the blanket tightly. Rennie was asleep on the floor in front of the door, curled up on his side. As the weight of what I’d done sank in, my cheeks flamed with shame. I’d laughed and giggled while Rennie had been trying to help me. I’d asked him to touch me. I’d insisted on it. He must have thought I’d behaved like an idiot.
My chemise had been swapped for a crisp white shirt that, judging by the clean, soapy scent, belonged to him. My skin was still raw, and the starched fabric chafed my nipples. Hades, even sober, the thought of Rennie touching me sent a thrill of excitement down my neck. The green potion wasn’t the reason I wanted him to touch me. Was I betraying Sandro?
“Monia.” He was on his feet in a heartbeat. Hades, I hadn’t seen him moving. “How do you feel? Let me touch your forehead.” Before I could answer, he put his big, rough hand on my forehead. The contact caused my temperature to rise again. “Thank God, you’re all right.” He sagged onto the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes. “I was so worried.”
I opened my mouth to say... I wasn’t sure what. “What happened? Why did you have to cover me in ice?”
“Your temperature was rising due to the green serum. Unless a doctor gives you the correct dose for your body, it can poison you. It’s more dangerous when injected into the body, but drinking it in large doses isn’t safe. You developed a high fever that frightened me to death. Please don’t do it again.” He closed his hand around mine and rubbed my knuckles with his thumb. “And don’t steal anything from my room.”
His thumb was distracting and soothing. My breath came out quicker. I liked it when he caressed me. The sensation was different compared to Sandro’s touch, wilder and more shocking, but pleasant, nevertheless. He could be gentle with his hands when he wanted to be.
I lowered my gaze, avoiding his intense scrutiny. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I just wanted some green potion, but you weren’t in your cabin and...”
“And curiosity won.”
I nodded, sighing as he kept stroking my knuckles.
“You could’ve died.” The reproach in his voice was hard to miss. It thickened the air between us.
“You could have told me about the contract.” It was unfair of me to bring it up, but why hadn’t he told me about the contract?
“So is it my fault now?” He stopped rubbing my knuckles with his thumb.
“I’m not saying that. No, wait. I’m saying that. I’m joking.” I threw my free hand up. “Fine. I’m sorry. For everything. All my fault. Even for... you know.”
“What?” He tilted his head.
“You know.” I waved around.
“I don’t understand. You have to be more clear.”
I sighed, but he kept stroking my knuckles, soothing my nerves. “For having been inappropriate with you.”
“You needn’t worry.” He flashed a cheeky grin. “You were adorable.”
“And naked.” I arched my eyebrows.
“No, you had your chemise on.”
A scoff escaped me. “It’s curious. When the back of my dress had a few buttons unfastened, you said I was naked. When I was wearing only my wet chemise in your bed, you said I was dressed.”
He shrugged. “Curious.”
“Did you remove my chemise?” I asked, inching closer to him.
“It was soaked. But I had my eyes closed. Most of the time. I barely saw anything and?—”
I hit him with the pillow, and he barked a rich, deep laugh. “You rascal.”
Laughing, he brought my hand up and kissed it. I stilled. When he laughed, he was completely different. His eyes brightened, his tense muscles relaxed, and he radiated charm. I laughed too until my belly was shaking.
He kissed my hand again, a quick brush of his lips against my skin. “What did you do in Tunis?”
Oops. I slid my hand out of his. “Can’t a girl take a walk?”
