parts that weren’t so honest. Animals really did love my mother. Earth witches seemed to have an affinity with them. Even Coral had the occasional cat following her home.
“How many?”
“Huh?” My own wandering thoughts made me forget where we were in the conversation. Heat crept up my cheeks.
“How many sisters do you have?”
“Two. We’re triplets.” I tried to swallow but it was useless. My mouth was the Sahara. “I’m really thirsty,” I said again.
“I bet. Go on ahead.”
I padded on my bare feet across the wooden floor, feeling the edges of a rug here and there. I was careful not to trip on the ends of the sweatpants that flopped over my feet. Before stepping through the doorway, I looked for the light switch and flipped it on.
Inside was a walk-in closet to die for.
Eyes wide, I took in the mostly empty space with its hanging rods on either side. Only a few winter coats hung on one side and a handful of board games were stacked on the shelves over the racks. I’d always wanted a walk-in closet, but after spending more years in a tent than in a house, any closet was good. This one would cause a knock-down, drag-out with my sisters.
The thought made me smile as I opened the next door and reached for the light switch. I carefully closed both doors so the noise wouldn’t wake Vanir, then leaned over the sink. There was a paper cup dispenser next to the switch. I snatched the bottom cup and filled it with water. The cool liquid was heaven on my tongue and throat. Three of those and I felt a little better—good enough to take a look at myself.
And instantly wished I hadn’t.
I looked even worse than earlier. Still had the road-mapped face and dirty, scraggly spikes of hair, but now I could add dark circles standing out on death-pale skin. I filled one more cup with water.
The door clicked open.
Vanir placed one finger over his lips before pulling me out of the bathroom and into his room. He softly shut the door behind me.
My nose hit the middle of his chest—that nice, wide chest. Now that the rune tempus wasn’t scrambling my brain, I could pay better attention. His white T-shirt was snug and did nothing to hide the muscles I had noticed earlier. He kind of made me feel like the fairy sprite my mom called me. The weird thing was that it didn’t bother me. Well, other than the warm, gooey feeling I had in my gut while standing this close to him.
In fact, I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt more like a girl.
He’d obviously showered because he smelled fantastic. Sort of woodsy, spicy. Plus, his hair, freshly washed and dried, was something to see. I kind of wished we’d stayed in the bathroom light because it looked like the color of ripened wheat I’d seen in Nebraska cornfields. It slid silky and thick around his face. Oh, I wanted to touch. See if it was as soft as it looked.
Then I remembered my own not-so-soft hair and changed my mind. His fingers would stick. On second thought, it was a good thing the room was lit only by moonlight.
He tugged me away from the door. The sweatpants bagged over my feet, threatening to trip me, so I did what I could with my free hand to tug them up. I did not want to let go of his hand. Like in the other room, I felt hardwood beneath my feet, followed by a rug and then wood again. He had a big room with a queen-size bed. I tried not to stare at the bed, with its messy white sheets, and failed.
About a million butterflies sprang to life in my stomach.
Ripping my gaze away, I caught moonlight glittering off a monitor in the corner and I nearly started drooling. I’d give anything to own a computer of my own. Hell, I’d be happy to have a room of my own to put it in.
Near the window, he stopped and lifted my face into the moonlight, his thumb slipping softly over my chin. I held my breath.
“You look better than when you nearly face-planted in the kitchen.” His whisper brushed over my face. My chest tightened as his hair slid forward, throwing
“How many?”
“Huh?” My own wandering thoughts made me forget where we were in the conversation. Heat crept up my cheeks.
“How many sisters do you have?”
“Two. We’re triplets.” I tried to swallow but it was useless. My mouth was the Sahara. “I’m really thirsty,” I said again.
“I bet. Go on ahead.”
I padded on my bare feet across the wooden floor, feeling the edges of a rug here and there. I was careful not to trip on the ends of the sweatpants that flopped over my feet. Before stepping through the doorway, I looked for the light switch and flipped it on.
Inside was a walk-in closet to die for.
Eyes wide, I took in the mostly empty space with its hanging rods on either side. Only a few winter coats hung on one side and a handful of board games were stacked on the shelves over the racks. I’d always wanted a walk-in closet, but after spending more years in a tent than in a house, any closet was good. This one would cause a knock-down, drag-out with my sisters.
The thought made me smile as I opened the next door and reached for the light switch. I carefully closed both doors so the noise wouldn’t wake Vanir, then leaned over the sink. There was a paper cup dispenser next to the switch. I snatched the bottom cup and filled it with water. The cool liquid was heaven on my tongue and throat. Three of those and I felt a little better—good enough to take a look at myself.
And instantly wished I hadn’t.
I looked even worse than earlier. Still had the road-mapped face and dirty, scraggly spikes of hair, but now I could add dark circles standing out on death-pale skin. I filled one more cup with water.
The door clicked open.
Vanir placed one finger over his lips before pulling me out of the bathroom and into his room. He softly shut the door behind me.
My nose hit the middle of his chest—that nice, wide chest. Now that the rune tempus wasn’t scrambling my brain, I could pay better attention. His white T-shirt was snug and did nothing to hide the muscles I had noticed earlier. He kind of made me feel like the fairy sprite my mom called me. The weird thing was that it didn’t bother me. Well, other than the warm, gooey feeling I had in my gut while standing this close to him.
In fact, I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt more like a girl.
He’d obviously showered because he smelled fantastic. Sort of woodsy, spicy. Plus, his hair, freshly washed and dried, was something to see. I kind of wished we’d stayed in the bathroom light because it looked like the color of ripened wheat I’d seen in Nebraska cornfields. It slid silky and thick around his face. Oh, I wanted to touch. See if it was as soft as it looked.
Then I remembered my own not-so-soft hair and changed my mind. His fingers would stick. On second thought, it was a good thing the room was lit only by moonlight.
He tugged me away from the door. The sweatpants bagged over my feet, threatening to trip me, so I did what I could with my free hand to tug them up. I did not want to let go of his hand. Like in the other room, I felt hardwood beneath my feet, followed by a rug and then wood again. He had a big room with a queen-size bed. I tried not to stare at the bed, with its messy white sheets, and failed.
About a million butterflies sprang to life in my stomach.
Ripping my gaze away, I caught moonlight glittering off a monitor in the corner and I nearly started drooling. I’d give anything to own a computer of my own. Hell, I’d be happy to have a room of my own to put it in.
Near the window, he stopped and lifted my face into the moonlight, his thumb slipping softly over my chin. I held my breath.
“You look better than when you nearly face-planted in the kitchen.” His whisper brushed over my face. My chest tightened as his hair slid forward, throwing
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