Page 56 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
I grit my teeth, waiting to see which one of us will be the first to point out the absurdity of this situation.
Instead, Ras asks, “Hungry?”
I blink. Are we doing that thing where we pretend nothing out of the ordinary happened?
Okay, I can get on board with that.
“No. I’m going to shower. Maybe you should do the same.”
“You saying I look like I need one?” He arches a brow, a soft grin on his stupidly handsome face.
When I don’t answer because words are difficult to come by at the moment, he huffs a quiet laugh. “I probably do. Didn’t want to leave you until you were on the other side of it.”
Oh God.
I pull on my bottom lip with my teeth and look away. He really has been here the whole time.
Then I remember something. “Did you…take off my clothes?”
“Ah, so you noticed.” He stands and grabs his jacket and shirt.
My cheeks prickle. “Ras—”
“You were soaked with sweat,” he says, glancing at me from under his brows while he adjusts his hair tie. “I couldn’t let you sleep like that. It would have made the nightmares worse.”
I don’t know what to say, so all that comes out is a strained, “Oh.”
He studies me, his hazel eyes shimmering with something guarded. His voice drops lower. “I had to. I was quick.”
Rough hands brushing over my bare skin, nudging my shirt over my breasts. When he sees my lacy bralette, his eyes darken.
“Do you like it?” I breathe, delirious.
He sweeps his thumb beneath the strap over my shoulder and then sighs and jerks his hand away. “Put this on.”
I blink a few times, my face all hot.
That wasn’t a dream either.
Something desperate rises inside of me, and its only intent is to bring us back to safer ground.
Wherever that is, it’s not here. Not in this room. Not in these memories.
“Now you want me to believe you’re capable of being a gentleman?” I ask.
It’s as if the walls suck in a collective breath.
The air stills.
Ras’s eyes flash with hurt before he gives me a withering look that fills my chest with bright, hot shame.
This is better, isn’t it?The voice in my head is feeble.
“You think I’d take advantage of you while you’re sick and unconscious?” His jaw hardens. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”
Is this how you thank him for what he’s done for you?
I slump against a bedpost. No, this isn’t right. I should apologize.
