"I’ve seen better," I lie.
He chuckles. "You must be feeling better. Though, I admit, I preferred it when you were flat on your back in my bed, naked."
I peek under the sheet. "What the hell?" I gasp, "Where are my underclothes?"
"Had to take them off, since you bled all over them from your head wound."
I touch my forehead, and the pain flashes behind my eyes. "Ow," I moan.
"Let me see that." He leans over me and his scent intensifies. His chest planes ripple and his biceps bunch as he reaches across.
I pull away. "It's fine," I grumble, "it's just a bump. It's not bleeding."
"I won’t hurt you," he rumbles.
Why don’t I believe you?
"Unless you want me to..." His lips twist, "Do you want me to, hurt you, my little stowaway?"
"What?" I scowl, "Of course, not."
"Then why are you here?"
2
Arpad
"Not by choice." She tips her chin up. "Trust me, I’d rather be a million miles away."
I grin. "And yet, here you are."
"I came in to check the security cameras—which are working now, by the way. The next thing I know, I am waking up to the apocalypse." She scowls. "What the hell were you doing driving the yacht into a storm?"
"What the hell are you doing on my boat?"
She reddens. "I checked the camera—which is functional, by the way—you can thank me later—" She tosses her hair and winces. "After which, uh, I guess I was too tired, and decided to work out?"
"Work out?" I drum my fingers on my bicep. "Exactly how did you decide you were going to work out."
"I was tense, and decided I need to do a quick yoga session."
"Hmm." I rub my chin, trying to understand this. "So, you decided to do a quick yoga workout, dressed in…" I glance at her dress laid out at the bottom of the bed.
"No, I took off the dress," she mutters.
I tilt my head. "Good thing. I don't like that color on you anyway."
She gapes, "You don't?"
I shake my head. "Black doesn’t do you justice. You're such a fiery personality, you need to wear red."
"Red?" she murmurs.
"Yep," I bend over her and lean in enough to share my breath with hers, "it brings out the highlights in your hair."
"Oh." Her pupils dilate and her breathing goes ragged. She inches closer, close enough for her breasts to graze my chest. And damn it, I'm instantly hard.
I straighten and she blinks, as if coming out of a trance. I can't stop the smirk that curls my lips. "Your heels," I murmur, "you took them off as well?"
