Page 79 of When Roses Burn

One at a time, he opened the bottles and sprinkled some of their contents into the water until their enticing, comforting aroma filled the air.

“I’m glad they taught you,” I said.

His eyes briefly met mine before he returned his focus to his task. “So am I.”

“You never told me about the sprites when we were in No Man’s Land together,” I said.

He shrugged. “They liked to stay hidden and while I told you almost everything, I would have felt bad about revealing their existence to anyone. I told you my secrets, but kept theirs.””

I could understand that. “It must have been fun growing up around them.”

A muscle twitched in his cheek. “It was fun, and interesting, as well as an escape from the castle.”

My breath caught when he looked at me again, not from his beauty, but from the fact this intimate revelation was like the ones we used to share in No Man’s Land. He’d gone there because life was lonely for him here, and that’s also why he’d gone to the woods. Once there, he’d found friends amongst a species who far preferred to stay hidden.

My throat burned with all the words I wished to pour out, but I held them back. Something had changed in that room; I wasn’t sure what, but I couldn’t chase him away by plunging into this small opening.

When he finished, he replaced the stoppers, rose, and returned the bottles to the cabinet. I dipped my fingers into the water and trailed them across the surface. The bubbles swirled apart and then came together again as the scent of the herbs mingled with the air.

Knox returned to my side and unbuttoned his shirt. My mouth parted as he exposed more of his broad chest and the tattoo beneath. A tattoo to remind him of the punishment he believed he deserved, but didn’t.

“What are you doing?” I croaked out.

“It’s time to get in,” he said gruffly.

I pulled my blanket closer. “Not with you in here.”

The corner of his mouth twitched toward a smile, and he tossed his shirt on a nearby chair. “I’ve been inside you, Briar, and just watched you go through your Needing. I don’t think modesty has any place here.”

I glowered at him as my fingers clenched on the blanket. The movement caused a fiery twinge through my hand, and I winced as I glanced down at my raw, bloody fingertips. Some of my nails were completely gone, the others were all broken, and most of them were low enough to reveal half my fingertip. It would take a while to grow them back, as well as the skin that had torn away.

“I’m not leaving you alone in here; if you pass out, you’ll slip beneath the water and drown,” he said.

“I’m an eternal; blow some air into my lungs and I’ll be fine.”

“Fine, I’ll put my mouth against yours and my hands between your breasts to save your life. That’s a much better plan than making sure you don’t drown in the first place.”

My scowl deepened as I contemplated twisting his nuts until they popped. What fun that would be.

He towered over me with his hands on his hips as he waited for my response. While I wanted to insist on being left alone, as exhausted as I was, there was a chance I might pass out in this wonderful bath. Maybe I should insist on going back to my room, but that would only punish me.

Should I take the chance of drowning and having him rescue me? Should I just let him stay?

It’s not like he hasn’t seen everything already.

“Are you going to get in there with me?” I asked.

“No.”

“Then why did you take off your shirt?”

“So it doesn’t get wet.”

“How would it get wet?”

“Maybe you’ll splash, or maybe I’ll have to fish you out.”

“You’re not going to take your pants off, are you?” I demanded in a tone far more panicked than I’d anticipated. I’d managed to resist him during my Needing, but even with as exhausted as I was, I desired him.