Page 47 of Compass Points
She counted to ten, still sprawled across his lap. She became hyperaware of everywhere they touched. Skin touched skin as her slightly raised shirt exposed her hip to his leg. The side of her chest draped across him, and one arm stretched past his knee. His hands were still lifted in the air. She couldn’t help but want them back in place. She felt their absence on her shoulder and side, where he must have cradled her as she rocked in her sleep. She wanted him to hold her close again and use his delicious warmth to chase away the bone-chilling wind from her horrible memories.
She tried to devise some quick reply to deescalate the intimacy of the situation but came up blank. Rose took a deep breath and sat up, pulling herself completely from his lap.
“Sorry if I accosted you. I promised to stay on my side, but it seems I failed.” She tried a smile. It was small but genuine, and he returned it warmly.
“It’s not a problem,” he reassured her. “Want to see about some breakfast?”
She nodded, more grateful than he could know for his attempt at normalcy when she felt the situation was anything but.
With Rose no longer sprawled on his lap, Luc got up and headed to the closet.
“Let’s go into Compass Lake Village. The baker makes the best chocolate pastries you’ve ever had.”
Rose couldn’t help but laugh. She knew precisely which pastries he was referring to, and they were better than he claimed. The door closed to the bathroom as she mentally went through the menu and decided which delicious items she would order. She was wondering how many she could eat without making herself sick when the door opened again.
He’d bathed. Though a clean pair of pants hung low on his hips, he walked out shirtless. His torso gleamed with remnant drops of water still meandering down the ridges of muscle. He was stunning. He must have felt her appraising gaze raking over his abdomen, chest, and shoulders. He had the audacity to wink at her as he grabbed a shirt from the closet and pulled it over his head.
“I can’t tell if the look on your face is for me or the promise of chocolate pastries.” His smile was devious. “But given my fragile ego, I’m going to choose to believe it’s for me.”
Rose still had difficulty formulating words. She coughed and started, “I..it…it’s the pastries. I’ve had them before, and they are very satisfying.” She cringed, her word choice reflecting the multiple thought paths her brain was currently proceeding down. There was no way that Luc would let such an easy target pass.
On cue, he responded, “I assure you that I could be every bit as satisfying as the pastry.” His smile held a laugh now as he made his way toward her.
She rolled her eyes. “How can you be so sure?” Now she was holding back a laugh too. “Do you count repeat business like the baker? Or do you collect comment cards from any lucky enough to sample your offering?”
Luc continued to close the distance between them, arching an eyebrow at her last comment. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” he said, offering her his hand.
Taking the walking paths around the lake instead of promenading on the boats was a nice change of pace. It gave Rose time to clear her head. She’d woken up in such a state this morning, and Luc had been so safe and reassuring. He flirted shamelessly with her to pull her mind from her pain, and she liked it.
He was the Suden Point. She somehow kept forgetting that part. She should be scared of him or, at the very least, wary of the fact that they could have no real future together once he knew everything.
That didn’t do much to douse her building desire. Even in their short time together, she saw that the Suden Point persona was one he wore as needed. There was a side to him that wasn’t quite soft but also wasn’t the hardened exterior he showed the world.
She’d think of this side of him as Luc, just Luc. The Suden Point was a brother, a doting uncle, and a fierce protector of those he cared for. She knew because, in their short time together, he seemed to treat her like she might be on that list.
She knew that the way he looked at her, like she was a gravitational force holding his undivided attention, was more than their fake relationship required. He saw her, he saw her strength and her pain, and he seemed to want to understand it all.
She believed that she was more than just a tool to him. She’d still evaluate his power and make him a weapon. She knew enough to know he’d use it to stop the mist plague. To prevent more like Tara from succumbing to endless sleep.
She’d shared more with him yesterday than she had with anyone in ten years. She chewed on her lip as they walked, knowing she still hadn’t shared enough.
If only her biggest secret were her mixed fae heritage.
Rose’s mind wandered as they walked, still holding fast to the crook of Luc’s elbow. She heard a familiar caw seconds before a large black bird dropped onto her shoulder.
“Good morning, Arie,” she said.
Luc turned, also nodding at Arie.
“Well, isn’t this quaint,”Arie spoke to Rose alone.“You two make quite the handsome pair.”
Rose turned her head to glare at Arie as he continued.
“I came by the room this morning, but it sounded like you were having a nightmare.”
Rose warmed again at the memory of waking up with Luc’s arms around her. Her body had been cradled in his lap.
“I just want to know if you are ok. I can’t imagine being here is doing anything for the countless memories you’ve spent years repressing.”
