Page 83 of Rush the Edge
One arm goes under my head as he pulls me in closer. The weight of his hand rests over the dip of my hip, and although I’m still frustrated from earlier, I can’t refuse the warmth he’s giving me.
I rest my cheek against his bare chest.
He hisses. “Goddamn, you’re hot.”
A small smile twitches against my lips. “I sure am.”
His amused breath wafts against my hair. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
I shrug. “Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“Where is your thermometer?” he asks.
“I’ll be okay,” I reassure him. “The fever will run its course. This happens sometimes with Lupus.” It usually indicates a flare-up, but I’m hopeful it’ll pass without any other symptoms.
Kane grunts. “I didn’t ask.”
Silence fills the room. It doesn’t take me long to break from the rising tension. “The batteries are dead in my thermometer,” I admit.
From the way Kane tenses, I prepare myself for a reprimand.
“Well, you could always use the batteries in those vibrators you have in your bedside table.”
I gape at him in the dark. “Did you look through my drawers?!”Wait.“And you broke into my apartment?”
I growl quietly but move closer to him for warmth. “Did you come back to insult me some more? Tell me how I’m a liar?”
The grinding of his teeth is barely noticeable over the clacking of mine. “Maybe,” he whispers.
A chill wracks through me. My body aches, my energy depleted. I want to keep sparring with him, but it takes too much out of me.Hetakes too much out of me.
Kane’s fingers faintly brush against the skin of my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. He pulls me in closer, and I don’t fight it.
“If I wasn’t shaking like a leaf, I’d kick you out of my bed,” I threaten.
He chuckles darkly. “No, you wouldn't.”
My nose scrunches. I reach up and pinch him.
“Was that supposed to hurt?” He snickers. “You should know by now that there are other ways to hurt me, Daisy-Petal.”
I stay quiet and try to understand his words. The rubbing against my arm becomes more consistent, and—I won’t lie—it feels good. With my head against his chest, I count his heartbeats to distract me from waves of nausea. A shaky breath clamors from my mouth, and his lazy fingers freeze against my flesh.
“Are you okay?” He sounds worried.
I barely raise a shoulder. “I’ve been worse.”
“Wow.” He exhales heavily, warmth coating my skin. “This is the first time you haven’t lied to me and said you were fine.”
A faint laugh slips from my mouth. “I’m too tired to play games with you tonight.”
Kane pulls me in closer and removes the rag from my head. It flops to the floor, and suddenly, a new one takes its place. “Go to sleep. I’ve got you tonight.”
My eyes close right away. If I were on my A-game, I’d get back at him for the other night on the ice when he tricked me into letting him strip me bare, but I can’t fathom it right now.
Lying here wrapped in his arms feels too familiar, too comforting.
We can pretend things aren’t messy for tonight.
