I open my mouth, then close it again. No, he wouldn’t leave until I told him what was bothering me. Sighing, I manage to tug down the zipper on my parka. “There’s no way I’ll be able to open these buttons,” I say. “Can you please give me a hand?”
Aiden drags in a sharp inhale through his nose, but he steps toward me without hesitation. “Here, let me.”
He stands so close, our feet are nearly touching. His fingers are deft on the buttons, and I’m wearing a thermal undershirt beneath the flannel, so he doesn’t even touch my skin. Tension still crackles between us, so tangible I can almost taste it. Whatisit with this man that draws me to him, even though he’s made it clear he doesn’t trust me?
“All done,” he says, and his voice is a low, deep rasp.
I don’t dare look at his face, because there’s no knowing what’ll happen if I do. If I saw the slightest hint of interest in his eyes, I might launch myself at him—and I don’t think I can stand another rejection.
“Thanks,” I whisper.
His fingers twitch, and for the briefest moment, I think he might touch me, pull me closer. I bite my lip and close my eyes—either in dread or desperate hope, it’s unclear.
But I’m exhausted, burned, and bruised from where Maya’s hand clocked me when she flailed, so I gather my wits and force myself to take a step away from Aiden.
He clears his throat and turns to leave. “I’ll be down the hall if you need me.”
I nod, but he doesn’t see it. The door closes behind him, clicking softly, and I’m left alone with a sleeping Ty. My exhale shudders out of me. There’s no use daydreaming about the man I can’t have, especially since I already have two who like—and maybe even love me. The urge to slap myself is strong, so I channel the manic, restless energy into helping out Ty.
First, I undress myself, then manage to pry open the fly of his jeans. I tug them off his long legs, feeling a little like a creep for doing so. He rolls over, pinning me under his weight.
“Ty,” I croak.
He mumbles something into my hair and spoons me from behind.
“I need to brush my teeth,” I inform him. “And I really wanted a glass of water.”
Nothing fazes him. In the end, I tug the blankets over us and stretch my clumsy hand out to hit the bedside lamp switch. The room plunges into darkness.
The man at my back breathes evenly, his every exhale tickling my neck. I’m safe and protected, but my mind won’t settle. The image of that big, aggressive dragon and his demands is seared into my brain, and I’m only now coming off my adrenaline high.
I might not have a future in this village. If there are more sea dragons who agree with Devlin Ward, I’ll be hated at best and in serious danger at worst. What’s more, there will always be collateral damage: more of my friends will get hurt, and that’s not something I can live with.
So I clutch Ty’s hand and cherish this quiet lull for what it is—temporary. Tomorrow, I might have to find a new home, no matter how much Aiden insists I have to stay.
Five
Skye
I’m awakenedby a gentle brush of warm lips against mine.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty.”
The enticing aroma of sweet coffee wafts to my nose, and I roll over in bed.
“Mmh.” I pry my eyelids open. “What’s going on?”
Jack grins down at me, his gray eyes twinkling. “It’s almost noon. I thought you might be hungry.”
Next to me, Ty grumbles and sits up. His hair stands on end, and he looks so adorable, I laugh and lean over to kiss him. I become aware of the bandages on my hands, and I groan at the sight.
“I made you breakfast,” Jack announces. “To thank you both for what you did yesterday. I thought afterward, we can do a healing for your hands.”
I sniffle at the thought he put into all of this. “Thanks, Jack.”
“I’m okay with that,” Ty says and takes a plate filled with eggs. “How’s Maya?”
Considering Jack likely had even less sleep than us, he’s ridiculously cheerful this morning. “She’s fine! Still can’t walk or really move her legs apart from twitching her feet, but the bones are set right and her nerve responses are better each time we check. She’ll be up and running in no time.” He pauses, then breaks out in another smile. “Literally!”
