Page 51 of A Midnight Romance
The delicious scent of leather with a hint of spice washes over me, and without thinking too much into it, I tuck my head into his neck.
“Are you taking her to the East Wing?” I hear Sebastian ask him.
“Yeah. She’ll have plenty of room there,” River replies.
We enter the elevator together, and although I can’t fully make out their hushed conversation, I can tell Sebastian is wary of my involvement, which seems to cause some tension between him and River. All of a sudden, River’s movements slow, prompting me to pull open my eyes to see a vaulted ceiling with ornate wooden walls spread across a dimly lit hall.
“This will be your bedroom,” he says, lightly lowering me onto a soft bed. The tip of his nose grazes my cheek as he pulls away, leaving a tingly sensation across my skin. “How are you feeling?”
My heart skips a beat from our closeness. “I’m still a little shaky, but I’ll be okay.”
“Do you…” He pauses, a piece of his dark hair falls to his forehead, and I get the urge to brush it away, but hold back because I’ve already been too vulnerable. “Do you want me to stay?”
My stomach fills with butterflies, replacing what had been nausea a short time ago. “Yes.”
River draws back and sits on the bed next to me. “Okay, I’ll stay with you for a bit.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you need anything?” His eyes drop to my bottom lip as I pull it between my teeth.
Only one thing comes to mind. “I’d love a shower.”
“I can start one.” River walks into an attached bathroom that’s larger than the entire bottom floor of my townhouse. The light sound of water echoes before River walks back into the room. “There should be everything you need in there, but if anything’s missing, just ask.”
As I push on the mattress, I extend my arm to prop myself into a seated position. The ringing in my ears has lessened, but my body is still heavy with exhaustion.
River is instantly at my side, sliding his arms underneath me. “I’ve got you.”
Once inside the steamy room, he gently places me on a bench outside of the shower before lowering to his knees. “Can I help you?”
I nod, and the hot steam is thick around us, only relaxing me more.
He unties my shoes first, then removes them. His fingers glide along the arch of my feet, sending chills up my leg. River is a dangerous man, but seeing him on his knees in front of me, with a gentle, commanding presence is jarring.
His demeanor is warm but confusing at the same time.
How can he be two completely different people at the same time?
There seems to be so much more to him than what he shows others.
“Tell me something about yourself, River,” I say, hoping to learn more about this mysterious man who has practically tripped and fallen into my life.
“What do you want to know?”
“Anything.”
His intense gaze captures my eyes. “My dad used to love building things.”
Used.Past tense.
“Is he not around anymore?” I ask carefully. He’s clearly not one to share personal details.
“No.”
“Was this the home you grew up in?”
“The manor wasn’t built until after…” He trails off, a distant look on his face.
