I quarter turned and looked up, my nose grazing his jawline as I found a comfortable hollow in his neck to kiss. “I sort of missed you too,” I teased.
“Did you now,” he answered and folded his arms around me. A crooked smirk curled across his mouth before vanishing with the briefest flash of unease.
“What’s wrong …?” I began to say, trying to turn the rest of the way so I could face him. His powerful arm held fast, keeping my back against his chest. Desperate to touch his face, I struggled to pull my arms free but he held me with a viselike grip. A faint smile touched his lips. He was enjoying this. Determined, I rose on my tiptoes and arched my back as best I could, enough to playfully nip at his earlobe with my teeth. He released a low growl, his arms flexing, his jade eyes blazing as they stared at me through the mirror. That look … my legs turned to jelly. Could he read my emotions right now? I flushed, wondering if even the Tribe’s poisonous magic could hide such raw desires.
I caressed his arm as we stood in silence, not speaking, not moving. Warmth flooded my body, desperate for him to let me turn around …
“You should get ready for bed,” he suddenly said. His grip of my body loosened.
“But,” I stammered, thoroughly confused, beginning to turn on my heels.
“Go,” he ushered me forward, nudging me toward the bathroom. With a furrowed brow, I numbly gathered the supplies Sofie brought and headed toward the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
What the hell was that? My tortured conscience screamed out in frustration. Instant paranoia set in. Maybe he’s not as attracted to me anymore! Studying my face rather than my wound in the mirror, I realized that could be entirely possible. The lighting in here was harsh but … wow! I was a mere shadow of my regular self—my sallow, blood-drained complexion contrasted hideously with black circles around flat brown eyes. With my matted, scraggly hair, I could pass for a vagrant. I hadn’t bathed in a few days … I lifted my arm and sniffed. No wonder Caden shoved me in here. Suddenly horrified, I knew I had to rectify this immediately.
“I’ll be out in twenty!” I yelled as I turned on the taps of the deep claw-foot soaker tub.
I shaved and sloughed off days of sweat, tears, and travel in borderline scalding water until my skin was as fresh and pink as a newborn’s bottom. Scrambling out, I quickly toweled off and then proceeded to slather on a myriad of luxurious creams found on the counter, meant to make my body silky smooth and deliciously scented—a different one for my elbows, my heels, my chest … There! Better. Maybe Caden would be more interested now that I didn’t smell like Sasquatch. What did “interested” mean, though? A ball of anxiety exploded in me. What would happen if … What was I about to walk in to? I knew he was way more experienced than I was. I had been unfortunate enough to witness Rachel molest him back on Ratheus. But if he expected more? All of it …
I stood frozen, staring at the back of the door, wondering what he was doing on the other side. Maybe he was already stretched out in my bed, cradling his head under linked hands, waiting for me. My palms began to sweat, my mouth went dry, and the walls shifted slightly. I didn’t know what I was doing. Was I ready for this?
I let out a deep sigh of exasperation. Get it together, Evie! I couldn’t forget about that night back on Ratheus. I hadn’t planned for any of that, and I survived. Better, he didn’t run the other way. This was Caden, after all! I’d risk my life for him, time and time again. Just get dressed and get out there.
Wringing my hands, I reached for the large plastic bag that I assumed contained pajamas. You’ve gotta be kidding me … Arrogant French Poodles on oversized, baby blue flannel pajamas stared back at me. Laughing at me, I was sure. I groaned. Leave it to Sofie, who had more style than a swanky designer, to choose pajamas that would make me look like an oversized five-year-old. Caden would take one look at these and howl. I let out another groan as I yanked them on. That was probably the point … to minimize Caden’s attraction so I got my rest. Why didn’t she just give me a potato sack …?
I reached for the door handle. Holding in a deep breath, I took one last long scan of myself in the mirror. Definitely better. Cleaner, fresher, less feral … Here we go …
I slowly turned the doorknob.
Caden must have dimmed the lights because it was much darker now. I squinted as I searched for him, expecting to find him stretched out on the bed. He wasn’t there. The only body there was a three-hundred-pound black beast stretched out on the rug, tending to a paw.