Listening to Alex bound up the stairs like a horde of daimons were chasing her, a slight smile pulled at my lips. Perhaps I should've told her to get ready for the bed while we'd been training to get
My gaze fell to the glass of wine and then shot to the door. In my chest, my heart pounded like a jackhammer. What was I doing?
I knew exactly what I was doing.
And I knew exactly what I wanted. My body did. My heart did. Part of me was already upstairs, in the bedroom with her. Was she getting ready for bed? Undressing?
I downed the rest of the wine and then sat the glass on the mantle, beside the picture of my parents. I ran my fingers over the glass and then stepped back, waving a hand over the fire. Orange-red flames pulsed, spraying sparks and then sucked down, vanishing.
Shutting off the light in the room, I closed the door behind me and headed upstairs, to my room. As I changed, I wanted to tell myself I was only going in there to be with her, to just hold her. Comfort her and simply exist beside her, because wanting anything more wouldn't be right.
But I'd almost lost her—I had lost her.
Alex had died in my arms.
I had held her as her life had seeped onto the floor and there had been nothing I could do, but she was here now. There was no going back from that. Wanting her. Loving her. Even lying beside her in bed was wrong in our society, but....
I really didn't give a damn.
Not anymore. Not after thinking I'd never hear her smartass responses again or fall into those warm brown eyes.
Leaving the room, I started to open the door and then stopped. I knocked, because, hell, it seemed like the right thing to do.
"It's okay," came Alex's voice and she sounded out of breath.
What the hell had she been doing in there?
Opening the door, I slipped and locked it behind me. With Deacon in the house, the last thing I wanted was for him to get bored in the middle of the night and think this was a slumber party for three.
I turned, about to say something and the words vanished from my head.
Alex was in bed.
Well, no shit.
But it was Alex in bed. Electricity coursed over my skin. I almost took a step forward, almost went straight to the bed, to her. I forced myself to not pounce on her, because that was how I felt.
I drew the blinds, casting the room into darkness and then picked up a candle. A small flame licked over the wick. I placed it on the nightstand and then allowed myself to look at her again.
Alex looked petrified, clutching the comforter to her chin. Her eyes were as big as the moon.
I smiled.
Her fingers eased on the blanket.
Carefully, I pulled the covers to the side and slipped in, never once breaking eye contact with her. "Alex?"
"Yeah?"
My smile spread. "Relax. I just want to be here with you... if that's okay?"
"It's okay," she whispered.
