Page 15 of Turret

“I know, but I want to repay you all the same. Would you truly deny me that request?”

His lips twitched. “How can I refuse you anything, Gemma?” A deeper emotion seemed to fill the way he said my name and the accompanying look he gave me, possibilities hidden within his words I ached to explore.

Flustered, I hastily lowered my gaze and resumed washing away the blood from his cut. When it was clean, I dipped my finger into the pasty green remedy and carefully applied it to his thumb. He stiffened at first before relaxing as I carefully rubbed it in.

“Does it hurt?” I finally allowed myself to peer up at him, telling myself it was to monitor his well-being…only to find myself staring at the rather adorable way his bangs fell across his damp brow.

He gritted his teeth and shook his head. I wasn’t fooled by his act of gallantry but didn’t want to increase his discomfort. If he wanted to hide his pain from me, then I’d let him.

I rubbed another layer of remedy across the gash, which stretched halfway down his thumb. Despite each gesture being solely for medical reasons, I felt a strange thrill with every touch. It ignited something inside me, deeper and warmer than even the spark I’d felt from studying the herbs.

I wasn’t entirely surewhatthis feeling was, only that it nourished a need inside me, acting not only as a balm for my constant loneliness but for a deeper need I had no name for.

Not only had I never touched Quinn in such a way before, but I’d never noticed the golden flecks in his hazel eyes, each gentle line of his features, and the rather adorable way his rather large ears stuck out from his mass of brown hair that fell untidily halfway down his neck.

Each look and every touch stoked an unfamiliar fire I only now realized had been lit inside me. The feeling grew as his fingers gently brushed mine, his look intense yet still soft. It seeped right into my heart, causing my breath to catch.

No, Gemma, I silently ordered myself.You’re misinterpreting things, seeing what youwantto after Melina’s ridiculous assumptions.

I refused to convince myself I cared for Quinn simply because she’d caused me to wonder if he cared for me in such a way. I’d known him for years, and it was only after Melina had put such foolish ideas in my head that I’d begun to question our comfortable friendship.

Yet I couldn’t deny Ilikedthese questions…as well as the way his fingers grazed my hand, his movements almost unconscious but gentle…and all too pleasant.

Before I could get too used to the feelings he was causing to stir within my heart, I hastily yanked my hands away, causing his brows to draw together. “What’s wrong, Gemma—Princess?”

“Nothing,” I stuttered.

But it wasn’t nothing. Whatever was happening between us was rather alarming. I tried to convince myself that what had transpired had been entirely innocent, just a few touches, ones natural to make while I’d been tending his wound. I wouldn’t allow myself to misconstrue our relationship, and thus I wouldn’t explore whatever feelings his touch had caused to stir life into my heart.

“Nothing,” I said again. “I’m just feeling…out of sorts. Melina can wrap your wound. I…need to lie down.” And before I could convince myself to stay, I hastily left the kitchen, running not just from him but from the truth slowly settling over me:somethingwas occurring between us, and I was too terrified to examine what it could possibly mean.

Chapter 6

Despite desperately trying to resist the impulse, I found myself once again noticing my guard. My gaze had been repeatedly straying from the book open on my lap to him for the past hour, just as it’d done every day in the week following my tending his wound. As usual, he stood rigidly near the library door, his attention focused straight ahead, just as he spent much of every day…all because he’d willingly chosen to enter this prison with me.

But despite the companionship our imprisonment had allowed us to enjoy these past three years, we’d rarely spoken of matters beyond the tower, leaving me knowing little about him. The desire to learn more grew with each passing day…along with the new feelings stirring to life within my heart, a need aching to be fulfilled.

I tried to push them away and return my attention to my book, which my diversion had caused me to make very little progress on, but the words and lines blurred together on the page, making reading impossible and leaving me no distraction from the questions now filling my thoughts.

“Is something the matter, Princess?”

I startled at Quinn’s sudden inquiry. “Of course not.” I forced my attention back to my book and once more pretended to read. He was silent a moment, leaving me grateful he didn’t press the matter further…until he spoke once more.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but you seem rather inattentive; it appears to be diverted…elsewhere.”

My cheeks warmed as I stole another peek over the rim of my book to find him watching me with his usual concern. I’d been foolish to think he wouldn’t notice my nervous behavior—after all, the man was aguard,myguard—and thus paid nothing but the most devoted attention to me.

“Nothing is wrong. I’m well.” Once more I tried to return to my book, but pretending to read didn’t silence my anxious thoughts…nor the newly discovered desires budding within me. After a moment’s debate I gave up the fight. I closed my book and turned my full attention to him, no longer bothering to pretend hehadn’tbeen the reason for my distraction.

“Do you ever get bored?” I asked.

He blinked at me, clearly startled by the question, one that was admittedly not the first one I’d planned on asking. “Bored guarding you?” By his tone, one might think I’d spoken blasphemy.

“You stand around all day doing little else.” A fate that seemed more torturous considering he’d never asked to be trapped here with me. With how often he spoke of the outside world and encouraged me to be a part of it, he undoubtedly missed it a great deal.

As if sensing my unspoken worries, his expression gentled. “It’s my greatest honor to protect you, Your Highness. Please be assured that I’m never bored, especially when there’s much to occupy my thoughts.” A blush enveloped his cheeks at his words, a rare change to his usual stoic expression.

I frowned, puzzled by his reaction. Why would he…but I’d no sooner wondered the reasons for his embarrassment than Melina’s suspicions of Quinn’s true feelings filled my mind. WasIthe one who occupied Quinn’s thoughts?

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