Page 136 of Infernal Secrets

“Go eat dinner before Cyn comes up here,” I said, pushing off the doorframe. “I’ll check on her and wake her up for dinner.”

He gave a jerky nod, his eyes downcast. The slump of his shoulders made me hate myself for crushing his hope, even though I knew I needed to be sensible.

When he left the room, I braced myself and entered Rae’s darkened room. The sun had set, but her bathroom light kept part of the bed dimly lit. Not enough to discern more than vague colors, shapes, and a hint of her features.

Her pheromones hung thick in the air, intoxicating me.

She needed to eat. But with Zeke’s distress and the overwhelming strength of her perfume lingering on her skin, I debated whether waking her was wise. I considered bringing her dinner to bed.

“Ash,” she whispered.

I froze.

Did she know I was here? No. Her steady breaths implied she remained asleep.

She squirmed, the covers slipping down, exposing her lacy pink bra. When had I moved so close? Before I could turn away, her eyes fluttered open, and she gasped.

“Shh. It’s me, Ash. I’m sorry if I woke you.” When she relaxed, I said, “Dinner’s ready if you want some.”

She covered her face and mumbled against her palm, “It had to be you, didn’t it?”

I chuckled. “I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

“You didn’t disappoint me.” She dropped her hand and tugged the covers up, hiding her body. “I just…” She turned her head on the pillow, not meeting my eyes.

I sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “Hey, what is it?”

“Nothing.”

“I thought you said you didn’t like liars,” I said, laughing when she hit me on the arm. “It’s your house rule, not mine.”

“Dreams.”

“What about them?”

“That’s all I’m gonna say about it.”

I chuckled. “Are you dreaming about me, Little Blackbird?”

She slid down, pulling the covers over her head. “Go away.”

My humor died an abrupt death when the dots connected in my head. She’d said my name. She’d been dreaming of me while feeling what Zeke described—while smelling like paradise.

I cursed, and she peeked out from beneath the covers.

“I like that,” I whispered, then cleared my throat.

“What?”

“That you’re dreaming of me.”

She looked away. “Not the way you talked last night.”

“I told you, if the situation were different…” I reached out and traced her forehead to her cheek, nudging the covers down so I could see her face. “I’d give anything for the situation to be different.”

The truth of those words burned me.

She sniffed, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes as she tried to look away again.