Read Online Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) by Elianne Adams - Free Book Online Page B

out.
    The air shivered with his presence, or maybe it was just her awareness of him, making her freeze below the water’s surface. Evan was close. Heart racing, she came up again, gasping for air as she covered her breasts with her arms. “What are you doing? Get out.”
    Evan’s gaze met the floor, affording her some privacy as he held out what looked to be a neatly folded T-shirt toward her. “I bring a peace offering.”
    “I don’t need a peace offering. I need you to get out.” Her voice rose with every word. “Now.” Once again, heat crept up her neck and into her face. Would she ever stop blushing around this man?
    “I’m sorry if I offended you. I didn’t mean to seem ungrateful. Your assistance has been invaluable.” Still gazing at the floor, he took another step closer.
    “Apology accepted. Besides, I wasn’t offended. Now get out, and take your clothing with you. I can wear what I have.”
    Silence filled the chamber. When he looked up, meeting her glare, stark determination shone in his eyes. His gaze drifted to her barely concealed breasts, lingering there for a moment, making his eyes darken and his jaw stiffen. “Suit yourself. You don’t need to accept my peace offering.” Mischief sparkled in his eyes again. “I may prefer you to decline it after all.”
    Before she could register what he was doing, Evan dropped the items he held and grabbed all of her clothing, then stalked out of the cave, leaving her with nothing but a towel and his T-shirt to wear and her mouth gaping open.
    Shock soon gave way as the hilarity of the situation hit home. What on earth had just happened? Had he really marched in and stolen all of her clothes?
    Brienne’s soft giggle followed Evan down the tunnel back to the chamber. When she had left the cave, he’d wondered if he had insulted her or hurt her feelings by calling attention to her humming, which was why he had decided to go after her to apologize. Truth be told, hearing the tune had done something he hadn’t thought possible anymore. It had allowed him to think back to his childhood with fondness for the first time in over thirty years. Besides, it had been cute as hell.
    A wide grin split his face. When he’d grabbed her clothes, he’d expected to hear her scream and name him every kind of bastard, but her soft laughter had spilled out of the bathing chamber to curl around him as he retreated, lifting his spirit more than any healing ever had. He wasn’t foolish enough to think she wouldn’t retaliate, but it would be on his terms. If she wanted her clothes back, she would have to come and get them. He just had to be ready for her when she did.
    He should have known better than to go to the bathing pool. Hell, he did know better. The way she had sashayed from the cave with those gorgeous hips of hers had sent all the blood rushing from his head to pool in a lower and much more sensitive area. Sure, he had wanted to make amends, but it was more than that. His phoenix was restless. The moment Brienne left, it had squawked and pushed him to follow. By the time he had gotten to the basin, she’d already stripped and gotten in the water. It took everything in him not to jump into the pool with her.
    He hadn’t bothered to do any healing on his leg before following her, and the trip to the hot bath had hurt like hell, but he would do it again in an instant. He grinned to himself again. She would be furious if she knew how little had been covered by her hands and how much he had enjoyed the view. Her long, bare back had lifted with the buoyancy of the water, giving him an enticing view of her backside before she had lowered herself again. He hadn’t been looking straight at her for the most part, but the phoenix’s eyes never missed a thing.
    Brienne had done a great job healing his injuries, making him an even greater jerk for having teased her. Now that he had rested and his more critical injuries were healed, he could take care of his leg, but that