Page 40 of Smoke and Mirrors
Eventually, exhaustion overtook me and I succumbed to the darkness of sleep.
When I woke up, my eyes opened to meet a familiar black dragon gliding across the muscles of Raz’s back. A long, pale arm wrapped around my waist from behind, holding me tightly. I broke eye contact with the inked dragon to turn around, meeting Hunter’s sharp, golden eyes.
“Hey,” he greeted softly, caressing over my back and ribs.
“Hi,” I answered, my voice choked and raw.
“Do you need anything?” he lifted up to his elbow. “Food? Water? A hot bath?”
“Um,” I rubbed my face, still tender and swollen. I must’ve looked like hell too. “All of the above sound great, but where would I get a bath?”
The handsome wolf shot me a mischievous grin. “Turns out Raz has a tub that he hauls around when he travels. The guy likes his comforts on the road.”
I let out a suppressed giggle. After seeing the Persian rugs, the knife collection, and the finest king-sized air mattress money could buy, it was clear that Raz enjoyed his luxuries.
“That’s what I like to hear.” Hunter stroked my face and kissed the bridge of my nose. “I love your laugh.”
A shuddering sigh wracked through me. I didn’t want to talk or think about what happened in the hospital. I already hurt too much and hoped Hunter wouldn’t try to make me talk about it.
“Come on, let’s get you in a bath,” he pulled me gently toward the edge of the bed. “I’ll get some food ready for you.”
I followed him reluctantly out of bed and out of the tent. “That small tent,” he pointed, “is where the bathtub is. It has its own propane heater and everything. Go ahead and soak,” he kissed my forehead, “and I’ll bring you food.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, leaning my head against him for a moment. Those two words couldn’t even touch how grateful I felt for him and Raz.
“Of course.” He gave me a final kiss and went to the main fire, where a large, cast iron pot sat on a grate above the flames.
The tub was small, although a perfect size for me, and looked to be made of a hard plastic. Probably easier to carry around that way. It was already filled with water, which felt comfortably warm to the touch. A folded towel, bars of soap, and a loofah had been placed on a wooden crate next to it.
I blinked away tears as I shed my clothing. The guys must have prepared this for me while I was sleeping. And that food smelled like it had been simmering for a while. What did I do to deserve thoughtfulness and care like this?
“Ahhh,” I couldn’t help but moan as I sank into the water, the heat enveloping me and sinking in my muscles like a full body massage. “You’re a genius, Raz.”
I leaned my head back to let my hair soak, the warmth on my scalp doing wonders for my headache. After soaking for a few moments, I picked up a bar of soap and began scrubbing it over my arms and chest.
“Mel?” Hunter scratched at the tent flap.
“Come in,” I called.
His blush was adorable as he averted his eyes from me politely. While the edge of the tub just came over my shoulders, I had no bubbles to hide anything below the surface of the water.
“Is the temperature okay?” he asked, setting a bowl of stew next to the soaps. “Raz boiled the water a little while ago to purify it, then shut it off to cool down for whenever you were ready.”
“It’s perfect,” I smiled. “Is he still asleep?”
Hunter nodded, laughing. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d figure he was a cat shifter. That dude sleeps constantly.”
“Reptiles sleep a lot too, don’t they?” I asked, blowing on the stew to cool it. “Since they only eat like once a month.”
“No idea,” he grinned. “How’s the food?”
“Delicious!” It really was. Although mostly meat and potatoes, I did find a few rogue vegetables as I spooned through the thick broth. So thoughtful for my human stomach. “Thank you, Hunter.”
“Of course.” He looked apprehensively toward the door. “Do you want me to leave you alone?”
“No,” I answered. “Please stay. And you don’t have to avoid looking at me, either.” I playfully grabbed his chin and made him face me. “I figured you’d see me naked eventually. It’s only fair, right?” I laughed.
A grin widened across his face. “I just didn’t want to be rude.”
