Page 44 of Morning's Light

Her head was down when the shower curtain whipped aside with a clink of rollers. “What the hell are you doing? Running up my water bill?” Israel watched her, well away from the spray of water.

“You don’t pay for water.” Rivulets wound down her lips, wetting her words.

“If you wanted to warm up, you know I can accommodate. Your skin is turning red.”

She didn’t care. She could hardly feel it anymore. Detachment took over and she lost herself to her own misery.

Israel shut the water off and tossed a towel in her direction. “Here. Dry yourself off. I’d say you can stay but I do have some business to take care of today. I’ve got a lunch date and a meeting with my father later.”

“Fine. Whatever you say.”

It didn’t bother her. She’d expected the forced evacuation. At times Israel was warm and caring, to the point where she reconsidered their weekly rendezvous for casual sex and thought about a permanent arrangement. Other times, like now, his icy demeanor directly contrasted with his fire magic and set her mind at ease. She’d made the right choice by keeping it casual.

The status quo remained.

She peered up at him, wrapping the towel around her midsection. Today his suit cost more than the rest of his wardrobe combined. Charcoal-colored pressed wool pants blended seamlessly with a tailored silk shirt and red power tie.

She thought briefly of Elon and his second-hand ensemble from the night before. He’d dressed up just because. The two were on opposite ends of the spectrum.

“Do you think I can borrow a shirt and some pants? You’ll excuse me if I don’t feel like putting my trash clothes back on,” she said.

Israel waved her away, his eyes riveted on the swell of her breasts. She wrapped the towel tighter. “I already burned them. I have a few shirts, maybe they’ll fit you, and an old coat I was going to throw out anyway. Take your pick.”

“How charming of you,” she commented sourly. Aisanna padded out of the bathroom and headed toward the bed. A pile of multicolored clothing had been flung haphazardly among the tangled sheets. “I do appreciate it, of course.”

“Of course,” Israel repeated. He watched her from the door, one hip cocked to the side. “Maybe you let the towel drop and we’ll have a go at it? I can push my shit back for an hour or so. Especially if you make good on the maid idea. I like you on your knees.”

“Despite your delightful offer, I have to get home.”

Her first course of action was clear. It was back to the books, which meant she needed her sisters. She needed to find a way to keep Darkness from executing a full body takeover. The best place to search for that kind of information was the family library. Step one.

“Are you sure?” Israel took a step forward, loosening his tie.

“Positive.”

“Seriously? You come in here smelling horrible, dirty my shower, and refuse the boom-boom? Baby, that’s cold.”

“I have some business to take care of myself.” Aisanna belted the coat and stared at Israel. The garment hung loosely around her shoulders, meant for a person double her size. Still, it would offer good protection from the cold. Much better than anything else in the meager pile. “Got any wool socks?” At least that would provide some protection for her feet.

He turned and retrieved a pair from a bureau, then watched as she sat on his bed to put the socks on.

His grin spread slowly from ear to ear. “You look good enough to eat.”

Aisanna sighed, looping her wet hair on top of her head and securing it with a spare pin. “Sorry. I need to go. Thanks for the shower.”

Israel walked her to the door, mainly because he was going in the same direction. Aisanna didn’t care. Despite the shower, she felt unclean. The remnants of her lost night came back in flashes, bright reds and golds, fluorescent signs she could no more make out than the faces she saw. The man in a grey coat.

She smacked her head sharply, stopping before Israel could catch the movement.

They parted ways on the sidewalk, their breaths rising in white clouds. Israel never kissed her in public, instead bestowing her with a friendly pat on the back and a look in his eyes promising more to come later. She could give or take the contact, honestly. Sex was the last thing on her mind considering what had happened. She needed her control back.

She walked away in the borrowed socks and tried not to consider the damage to her nerves if she didn’t recharge her healing batteries.

It took several blocks to regret her decision to walk and another half block to smack herself in the head for the third, fourth, and fifth time. She should have had Israel call her a cab. It would have been much easier to owe him the money than hoof it to her shop.

By the time she reached the familiar façade, she no longer felt her legs up to the knees. Israel’s coat luckily kept the rest of her warm.

She’d made the executive decision to keep her shop closed through the weekend and a few extra days past. Until she felt well enough to handle the orders along with the rest of the shit in her life.

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