stretch. I still hurt.” She wasn’t sure if Diego would be coming back like he had promised either. She had no idea how she was supposed to feel about it if he did.
Laney sat on the edge of the bed with Houston, smoothing the blankets. She glanced up, then away. “He, um, didn’t…you know…hurt you, did he? Maybe you should go to the hospital anyway. Get checked out?”
She reached for Laney’s fingers, squeezing them. “I’m all right,” she informed them quietly. “He didn’t get to do anything more than scare me.” At Houston’s deep frown, she added, “He didn’t do anything I can’t talk about, Houston.”
“All right, then,” he conceded grudgingly. “See you later?”
Titania pulled her robe tight, grateful she’d slept in it. There was nothing beneath it. “Yeah. Let me get cleaned up.” She watched their concerned faces until they left, then she sighed a long sound of relief. She climbed from the bed and padded into the bathroom. Seeing herself for the first time, she gasped a small squeak. She was a walking train wreck. The bruising was still apparent on her jaw, and her eye had a lovely shade of fading purple.
Diego was a miracle worker. If that was what she looked like now, without his help, her eye would have been swollen shut and she would have been living in misery. She dropped the robe, inspecting the rest of her body.
She knew how hard she had hit the ground, how hard Thomas had struck her. There was no doubt she owed Diego for his help. Really, for her life.
The steamy water felt good on her battered muscles, relaxing some of the waking stiffness from them. She braided her hair when she was done in the shower, stripping the water out of the length with long pulls. She would’ve cut it long ago if it wasn’t her most renowned and appealing factor.
“That depends on who you ask. Although I do happen to like it myself.” The unexpected slow drawl of Diego’s words in her mind made her jumped.
She jerked a towel off the rod to cover herself, then laughed at her foolishness, wrapping up with a calmer hand. “You have got to stop sneaking up on me like that.”
“But I am not even there.”
“Well, what are you doing walking around in my thoughts anyway?” she huffed, smirking at her reflection.
“Making sure you are safe and well this rising. You are still in discomfort. I will be there shortly.”
“I appreciate this, Diego. I owe you,” she told him, humbled by his kindness.
His voice was a warming caress. “ No, cara. I owe you.” And then he was gone.
She decided on clothes to wear and was looking for her sandals when there was a knock on her door. She walked up to it, her gaze absently still peeking for the missing shoes, when she just stopped. It wasn’t Houston on the other side.
“Who is it?” she called, throwing up walls at the first rush of anger. Sweat broke out on her skin. Heavy emotions rolled over her in waves, easily breaking through her casual barriers.
She didn’t have time to reinforce them before a buzzing began to swell in her ears. For some reason, she had to open that door. A voice, a low mesmerizing cadence, twisted her thoughts. Told her to open the door and invite him in. The voice hissed evilly. It was time to accept her punishment for interfering.
She followed in horror when her hand lifted. Another barrage of anger hit her, followed by a shriek of triumph.
Chapter Five
Diego shot into the sky, absorbing the night air and testing his surroundings, listening to what the wind had to tell him. He was alone, surrounded by the craggy depths of the ravine he had found. Far from town, though not at home. He could not be far from her.
It was a clear night, the sun’s rays obliterated by the growing multitude of stars overhead. The night had never looked as colorful, as magical, as it did knowing he had Titania in his life.
Leaves shined with an emerald brilliance, the darker veins cutting them into mosaic patterns cast
Laney sat on the edge of the bed with Houston, smoothing the blankets. She glanced up, then away. “He, um, didn’t…you know…hurt you, did he? Maybe you should go to the hospital anyway. Get checked out?”
She reached for Laney’s fingers, squeezing them. “I’m all right,” she informed them quietly. “He didn’t get to do anything more than scare me.” At Houston’s deep frown, she added, “He didn’t do anything I can’t talk about, Houston.”
“All right, then,” he conceded grudgingly. “See you later?”
Titania pulled her robe tight, grateful she’d slept in it. There was nothing beneath it. “Yeah. Let me get cleaned up.” She watched their concerned faces until they left, then she sighed a long sound of relief. She climbed from the bed and padded into the bathroom. Seeing herself for the first time, she gasped a small squeak. She was a walking train wreck. The bruising was still apparent on her jaw, and her eye had a lovely shade of fading purple.
Diego was a miracle worker. If that was what she looked like now, without his help, her eye would have been swollen shut and she would have been living in misery. She dropped the robe, inspecting the rest of her body.
She knew how hard she had hit the ground, how hard Thomas had struck her. There was no doubt she owed Diego for his help. Really, for her life.
The steamy water felt good on her battered muscles, relaxing some of the waking stiffness from them. She braided her hair when she was done in the shower, stripping the water out of the length with long pulls. She would’ve cut it long ago if it wasn’t her most renowned and appealing factor.
“That depends on who you ask. Although I do happen to like it myself.” The unexpected slow drawl of Diego’s words in her mind made her jumped.
She jerked a towel off the rod to cover herself, then laughed at her foolishness, wrapping up with a calmer hand. “You have got to stop sneaking up on me like that.”
“But I am not even there.”
“Well, what are you doing walking around in my thoughts anyway?” she huffed, smirking at her reflection.
“Making sure you are safe and well this rising. You are still in discomfort. I will be there shortly.”
“I appreciate this, Diego. I owe you,” she told him, humbled by his kindness.
His voice was a warming caress. “ No, cara. I owe you.” And then he was gone.
She decided on clothes to wear and was looking for her sandals when there was a knock on her door. She walked up to it, her gaze absently still peeking for the missing shoes, when she just stopped. It wasn’t Houston on the other side.
“Who is it?” she called, throwing up walls at the first rush of anger. Sweat broke out on her skin. Heavy emotions rolled over her in waves, easily breaking through her casual barriers.
She didn’t have time to reinforce them before a buzzing began to swell in her ears. For some reason, she had to open that door. A voice, a low mesmerizing cadence, twisted her thoughts. Told her to open the door and invite him in. The voice hissed evilly. It was time to accept her punishment for interfering.
She followed in horror when her hand lifted. Another barrage of anger hit her, followed by a shriek of triumph.
Chapter Five
Diego shot into the sky, absorbing the night air and testing his surroundings, listening to what the wind had to tell him. He was alone, surrounded by the craggy depths of the ravine he had found. Far from town, though not at home. He could not be far from her.
It was a clear night, the sun’s rays obliterated by the growing multitude of stars overhead. The night had never looked as colorful, as magical, as it did knowing he had Titania in his life.
Leaves shined with an emerald brilliance, the darker veins cutting them into mosaic patterns cast
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