Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Skye
My heart tripped in my chest. His grip on my arm was gentle, but his dark eyes were molten.
It would be so easy to fall for the hot Vandar.
He was, after all, tall and muscular with handsome features and enough scruff and long, untamed hair to make my pulse flutter.
But he was also injured and not totally aware of who he was.
Sure, he was remembering bits and pieces, but so far, he hadn’t recalled that he hadn’t been my biggest fan at first. The first version of Kolt barely tolerated me because I was a human female.
I pulled my arm from his grasp. “I’m fine. Venturing into the theatre wasn’t dangerous, and the footsteps I thought might be Zagrath were only theatre people. Now that you aren’t losing blood or at risk of infection, you need to sleep.”
Emphasis on sleep.
I stepped deftly away from him and reached up for the light pull.
“Stop.” Kolt sat up on one elbow, his expression pleading. “I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re on the floor. In fact, I will refuse.”
This made me laugh despite my irritation. “You’ll refuse?”
Even now, exhaustion radiated from him. The injury and escape had drained him, not to mention being literally depleted of blood. I suspected he wouldn’t be able to stay awake if he did try.
He lifted his chin. “I will. But I also promise not to make any advances on you.” He held up a flat pillow. “I will even put this between us.”
Ah, a pillow wall. Made of a single, flimsy pillow.
Impressive protection indeed. But from the looks of Kolt, he would be asleep before he could even contemplate making a move on me.
And for some crazy reason, I believed his promise.
I wouldn’t have believed the old Kolt, but I believed this one.
Also, it would save me time and breath to agree and then slip out of bed as soon as he was asleep.
“Fine,” I said. “Scoot.”
He gaped at me for a beat, clearly shocked that I’d agreed so quickly.
“You had more convincing arguments?” I asked, smirking at him.
He nodded guilelessly and slid closer to the wall, putting the pillow on the other side of himself. “I did. Many.”
“Sorry to spoil the fun, but I’m exhausted.
” I tugged the light string to plunge us into total darkness and then groped my way to the bed.
When I touched hard muscle, I stopped and snatched my hands back .
With a murmured apology, since I wasn’t sure where I’d just groped, I crawled onto the bed, glad it wasn’t as narrow as the bench in the prison cell or even some cots I’d slept on before.
Kolt made a rumbling noise in the back of his throat as he shifted to accommodate me. I turned onto my side but faced away from him with the pillow at my back. As I’d suspected, it was a paltry barrier. I could still feel his hard body behind me and the heat pulsing off him.
Ignore it, Skye. He’ll be asleep soon, and you can move to the floor.
Which would be much harder and colder. But much less distracting, I told myself as I lay with the big Vandar at my back and his body warming me.
He’ll fall asleep soon, I told myself as I listened to the rhythmic sounds of his breathing.
Even though I was trying to stay awake, the chaos of the day had seeped into my bones.
My entire body ached from the tension and stress, and despite my best efforts to stay alert, I found my muscles uncoiling.
Do not fall asleep, Skye, I scolded myself. Don’t even think about it.
I gave my head a gentle shake, but I didn’t want to move too much as Kolt’s breath was deepening. As soon as he drifted off, I could slip off the bed and onto the floor. Just a few more minutes, and he would be completely asleep.
The moment he let out a soft snore, I slid one leg onto the floor. But before I could slide fully off the bed, Kolt huffed out a warm breath and threw an arm over me.
“Snow weasels,” I cursed under my breath as his heavy arm trapped me in place. He sighed and pulled me close to him, the thin pillow the only thing between our bodies.
Well, this was fucking great. I could either elbow him hard, wake him up, and read him the riot act, or I could wait until he relaxed his grip.
I didn’t relish the idea of waking him. Part of me felt bad for the guy after everything he’d been through.
He needed rest, and I seriously doubted he had any clue what he was doing in his sleep.
Then again, it could be fun to give him a hard jab in the gut and watch him panic and apologize.
As I lay in his arms contemplating what to do, I realized I was comfortable. His body was the perfect warm blanket, and his steady breath was lulling. My eyelids drooped heavily, and I let them close.
Just for a few seconds, I thought. Just until he rolls over again or loosens his grip.
Anyway, was it really so bad to sleep next to him? It wasn’t as if we were doing anything but sleep. Kolt was dead to the world, and unless I fought hard, I soon would be too. Would it really be so bad to share the bed?
Suddenly, I couldn’t recall all the rational arguments I would normally have made. It wasn’t as if I’d never shared a bed with a man. I’d just never shared one with a guy who didn’t remember that he despised me.
There was a first time for everything, I thought as I drifted into sleep.