Page 90 of Girl Anonymous
He ran the hot water, dumped in Epsom salts and a linen bag of what looked like dried weeds, tested the temperature with his elbow. The scent of lavender and chamomile wafted up,carried on the steam. As impersonal as a lady’s maid, he helped her undress, get in, and tucked a bath pillow under her neck. “Owen says to relax for twenty minutes. That should give me time to catch you up.”
She did not ask how she was supposed to relax when he used his corporate president voice, or why he couldn’t get in the tub and talk at the same time. She knew the answer.
Time was the thing they didn’t have. Utilizing her bath to discuss their plans made sense, so she arranged her washcloth over her nipples, because her nipples broke the surface of the water, and used her hands to swish the water in the futile—okay, silly—hope of concealing other body parts. That made her pubic hair wave like seaweed on the tide.
Great. Just great.
Dante pulled the dressing table stool over to the tub and placed it to the side and behind her head where she couldn’t see his face. “I called Octavia,” he said.
That drove the weirdness of this situation totally out of her head. “Thank you. My poor mom! Was she frantic after our disappearance?”
“Yes. I reassured her, told her you were safe, if a little battered. Explained in depth what had happened, gave her the whole background of you and me—”
“Oog.” She sank deeper into the tub, trying futilely to conceal herself from his words.
“And asked for your hand in marriage.”
Maarja stopped rippling the water.
“Octavia lectured me on a woman’s right to control her own body and destiny, advised me that in her experience, fate is nothing compared to love and support and vows spoken in earnest.” A significant pause. “And she gave you to me.”
“My God,” Maarja whispered.
In a more humorous tone, he said, “She also said if I ever hurtyou, she would personally remove my junk and since she’s vision impaired, that could get messy.”
“My God,” she repeated. Any relaxation created by water, salts, and herbs vanished in Maarja’s need to leap to her feet and run.
“Let’s warm up that bath a little more, shall we? You’re looking tense.” His hand appeared to flip on the hot water. “You do realizeyouproposed tome, right?”
“Yes, but I didn’t think you’d—”
“Go through all the forms?” He sprinkled more Epsom salts and a handful of loose herbs and dried flowers under the faucet. “Swish that around,” he instructed.
She did, and when the water was warm again, she turned off the faucet. “Better,” she said. “Did Mom tell you she’s performed quite a few weddings in her backyard?”
“She mentioned that. I assured her we’d stream the ceremony to her and Alex and she could officiate from the safety of—”
Maarja laughed and shook her head at his foolishness.
He paused to gather his thoughts. “She’s not going to stay in Sacramento, is she?”
“Did you not get to know her at all? That woman believes in facing down the bad people of the earth. She’s fearless. She wasn’t born blind, you know. She had a talent, she taught people joy in their creativity, and was struck down for it.” Maarja relaxed back into the tub and grinned for the fierce joy of knowing she’d have at least part of her family with her on her wedding day. “Mom will be there in person. Alex, too, if she can manage it. My other sisters, no. I wish, though! Did you call Saint Rees? He’s fond of my mom. She’ll add a layer of distraction for him, but he’ll make sure she’s safe.”
“Right.” Dante contemplated the complications he had set in motion. “I did call Saint Rees. Smart guy.”
“He’s more than that. He’s a good guy.”
Dante accepted her chiding gracefully. “A rare combination.At once he saw the advantages of providing security. He went into sales mode, promised to concentrate all the California crew in Octavia’s neighborhood.”
“You’ll pay him well.”
“Maarja, I’m not thrifty.”
She realized she had insulted him. “I know.”
“I understand the advantages of binding people to me with loyalty, with kinship, with money. However, in the case of Saint Rees, there was no need for any of that. He considers you, Octavia, and Alex family.” Dante scooted the stool closer to the tub. His voice grew quiet and intense. “He also gave me information I had never considered, information he had uncovered while searching for and investigating Serene.”
CHAPTER 43
