I held my breath, waiting for Ashely to say sothing or react. When nothing happened, I started thinking about how I could fight them off and escape.
It was just Ashley and Soren, from what I could tell. I might not be stronger than the two of them but I was fast. My desire to survive was strong. If I could get to a window, I’d be able to flee before they detained ... I just didn’t know where any of the windows in this room were!
“Huh,” Ashley muttered.
This was it. Ti for to escape.
“Her wounds haven’t healed yet. I don’t understand why,” Ashley said with a sigh.
I started breathing again, lightly so she wouldn’t see that I’d been holding my breath. I guess I fooled her after all.
Ashley went back to applying the pain relief cream and I stayed still this ti. Warmth and relief swept through as my pain lessened. By the ti she was done, I might be well enough to pick myself up and escape... at least, until the painkillers wore off.
It was hard not to relax and enjoy the soft, gentle touch Ashley applied, along with that remarkable painkiller.
My mind started to wander and I thought about everything they’d done for . They’d rescued from the sandstorm, given a place to stay, tended to my wounds, and continued to take care of .
Were they such bad people if they’d do that for a stranger?
Perhaps I was overreacting earlier, but either way, I needed to find out more about them before I let them know I was awake. Lying there and listening seed to be my best option.
Ashley finished with the cream and she quickly swapped out the bandages on my blistered hands and feet. There was cooling gel on the fresh bandages and I nearly moaned with satisfaction.
“Thank you, Ashley,” Soren’s deep, delicious voice rumbled. “You’ve been a big help. I’ll watch her for now, you can take this rotation off.”
“Alright, get out of jail free card. I’ll be back in a few hours to check on her and give more dicine if needed,” Ashley said.
I heard her footsteps getting softer as she left the room. Soren didn’t move, though. I was laying there in bed, pretending to sleep, and he was hovering around like a big creep.
I understood why they wanted soone to watch , in case I woke up or took a turn for the worse. But did it have to be Soren? From the sounds of it, he was so kind of leader. That ant, he’d be the hardest to fool and sneak around.
There were so rustling sounds. Soren must have shifted his position from where he was.
Suddenly, a soft breeze washed over . My nostrils tingled with a familiar, tempting scent. I had to fight the urge to inhale deeper as my mind swam with the sll of warm cedar and amber, which reminded of the forest.
I’d been in the desert so long, I barely rembered the forest but that scent was too much. Saliva built in the back of my mouth and I swallowed as inconspicuously as possible.
Heat from his body told that he was really close. Close enough to touch if I just reached out.
What was I thinking!?
His sll might be tempting and delicious, but I wasn’t about to compromise myself, or my escape, by acting on so crazy impulse to touch him!
Sothing soft brushed my face. Soft, warm, and light. I did my best not to react as I realized it was his breath. He had to be right next to my face for to feel his breath.
I breathed as lightly as possible and held perfectly still, willing my body not to betray . He was so close... If I so much as twitched, he’d know I was faking.
My nerves shuddered when he spoke again.
“How long do you plan to just lie there?” he asked.
When I didn’t move or answer, he let out a short chuckle. “It’s alright, you can open your eyes. I know you’re awake,” he added.
Still, I kept perfectly still. I didn’t want to alert him that I was awake and aware. For all I knew, he was just testing or trying to trick . He might not know I was awake and be faking it to try and get a reaction out of .
I had to be smart about this. I still knew nothing about this guy, why he’d helped , or what he wanted from .
His dark, low laugh resonated through my body. My bones trembled and my skin crawled.
“I am a patient man but you are coming dangerously close to the edge of it. However, if you are really asleep, I can think of one very interesting way to help you wake up,” he said in a quiet, threatening voice.
I shuddered inwardly, hoping he didn’t notice.
Suddenly, his scent washed over again. My mind swam and I felt like I was drowning in him. All I could sll and taste was that delectable scent.
And his breath was on my face again. He was close to , so close. A ghost of sothing passed over my lips.
What the hell was he doing?
My skin heated and I clenched my thighs unconsciously. My insides squird in all kinds of pleasant ways. Part of wanted him to take the next step and kiss .
But I resisted the urge to inhale his scent and lick my lips. This was not the kind of man I wanted to have anything to do with, especially not what he was implying!
I snapped my eyes open.
Soren was leaning over , his face inches away from mine.
Our eyes locked together and for an agonizingly long mont, I was transfixed. I couldn’t look away and he seed just as unable to either.
Shaking my head, I sat up quickly and pushed him back.
“Mind your distance,” I warned, sitting straight with my spine stiff against the headboard and glared at him.
Soren smirked but obliged and backed away.
“Who are you and why did you bring here? What do you want from ?” I blurted out all the questions at the forefront of my mind.
Soren stared at for a long mont. His brow furrowed ever so slightly.
Why did he look confused?
“You don’t rember ...?” he asked slowly and deliberately.
Was I supposed to rember him? Quickly, I racked my brain for the answer. I rembered struggling through the desert in the sandstorm. I rembered thinking I was going to die out there and feeling all my strength evaporating. Then, I rembered being in a soft bed with others talking around and taking care of .
No, I didn’t rember anything about Soren, except his voice and how it had grounded . Slowly, I shook my head and gave him a suspicious look.
Soren’s eyes widened for a mont and then he smiled lightly. Almost like he was happy I didn’t rember him. That didn’t bode well...
“You ca here several nights ago wounded, poisoned, and half dead from the sandstorm,” he explained.
“I rember that,” I muttered. For so reason, I felt exposed in front of him, even though I was fully clothed. I grabbed the sheet and lifted it around my torso and chest.
Soren’s eyes glinted, apparently finding that amusing.
“I saved you, more or less, but... Well, you should know that sothing happened–”
“I appreciate your help,” I cut him off. “In fact, I’m even grateful. But you didn’t have to save .”
Again, he just stared at . I couldn’t tell if he was shocked or relieved.
He cocked his head to the side, a slight upturn to the corners of his mouth.
Intrigued. That’s how he looked at .
I shifted my gaze to my lap, ignoring his obvious curiosity about . All I cared about was getting my stuff and getting the hell out of there. I needed to put as much distance between myself and my pursuers as possible.
Yet, the way he looked at was almost soft and friendly. I got the feeling that he wasn’t going to hurt . He was dangerous but he wasn’t a threat to .
To keep from looking at him, I started scanning the room. I knew that I had a pack on when I’d gone into the desert. I’d brought so water, spare clothes, a knife and so other possessions.
It would make feel a lot better if I could get my knife back. I’d need it for self-defense or to help escape.
Soren chuckled again and walked to the dresser. He rummaged through one of the drawers and turned around with my pack in his hands.
“Looking for this?” he asked, arching an eyebrow at .
I stared at the pack warily. Why was he just offering it back to ? If he’d searched it, then he’d know I had a knife and so valuables. If he hadn’t searched it, then he was an idiot.
Tentatively, I reached out and took my bag.
“Thank you.”
Our hands brushed as he handed the bag to and I pulled away with a gasp. I avoided looking at Soren again and peeked inside the bag. All my stuff was still inside. I hugged my pack to my chest and relaxed a little.
Hurried footsteps in the hall made turn my head to the door. Ashley rushed into the room, her eyes wide when she saw sitting up.
“Oh, you’re awake,” she said, surprised.
Her eyes shifted between and Soren. He was still standing close to , our hands just inches apart from when he’d handed my pack.
Ashley scoffed and crossed her arms. I could see her dissatisfaction with our proximity. I wondered if Ashely and Soren were together.
Not that it mattered to ...
“It is good that you’re awake. Now that you’re up, you can leave,” Ashley requested sharply.
“You’re right. I really should be on my way. I’m not going to overstay my welco,” I agreed with a nod.
If they weren’t going to keep prisoner and I didn’t have to stage an escape, then I was happy to just walk through the front door.
“Thank you for your help–”
“Ashley, give us a mont alone before our guest is on her way,” Soren’s voice rang.
Ashley stared at Soren with absolute disbelief, however, she didn’t fight with Soren. Turning on her heel, she stomped away.
I looked at Soren with wariness. Was I too hopeful to think he’d let go easily?
“Don’t worry about Ashley. She is a little spoiled by her brother and is very direct. She doesn’t have that filter which tells her when not to say sothing,” Soren said fondly.
I was starting to think there was sothing going on between the two of them. Every ti I heard them talking, he was so gentle and kind with her.
“Deep down, she’s really a sweet girl,” he continued.
I scoffed and shook my head. “I’m not really concerned about the type of person she is. She does have a point, though. I really should be on my way, now that I’m awake.”
Hugging my pack, I tried to stand up.
My knees wobbled and my head swam dizzily. The world tipped sideways and I was falling!
Soren’s arms ca around and he held upright. The room stopped spinning and I slumped against him slightly. If he hadn’t caught , I would have smashed my head on the headboard.
“Th-thank you,” I stuttered.
He kept his arms around and our eyes locked again. Deep, stormy pools of blue-gray. So restless and endless like the sea. His dark hair gave him an imposing look but close up, I could see how attractive he was. His angled features weren’t as sharp and he looked almost kind.
What was I thinking? He was the enemy. Everyone was the enemy, as far as I was concerned.
“You’re too weak to head off on your own. You should stay until you’re stronger,” he suggested.
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