Page 23 of Tyr

He wrapped his shirt around her bare torso and pulled her against his chest. “What are you doing?”

She looked up at him. “I’m sick of being in your room, and since you’ve taken to becoming room service only, I figured I’d come down to talk to an actual human… well… immortal, I guess.”

Tyr stared down at her. “But… you don’t have clothes on.”

“I have my underwear, and my boobs are covered by the sling. You only brought my leggings and I can’t get them on or off by myself. Remember, you helped me?”

Herm choked and coughed. Tyr glared over his shoulder, and she caught a glimpse of Vid whacking Herm on the back harder than necessary.

“Anyway, you never brought me anything else, and I figured you wouldn’t be too keen on me looking through your closet, so here I am in the only thing I have.”

Tyr shook his head and stared at the ceiling before speaking in a language she didn’t understand.

Herm burst out laughing, and Vid grabbed Herm by the arm, dragging him toward the stairs to the basement.

Tyr turned her as they got close so they couldn’t see her.

Herm pointed at Celeste. “I like her. I like her a lot.”

“Let’s go,” said Vid.

“I can’t. You know how Tyr gets if we leave a mess in the kitchen. He’ll kill us if we leave coffee everywhere.”

Vid yanked on his arm. “He’ll kill you if you don’t.”

Hermódr and Vidar disappeared down the stairs, and Tyr turned back to her.

“You shouldn’t be down here.”

“What did you say?” she asked. “In another language. What did you say?”

He blinked several times. “I’d rather not repeat it.”

“Well, if you don’t want me to read your thoughts, then I ask you not to speak in a language I can’t understand.”

He worked his jaw for a minute and then licked his lips. “Fair enough. Now, what are you doing down here?”

“I… I… uh…” Her heart pounded as he wrapped her tighter in his arms. Again, security washed over her. “The guy who hurt me kept me locked up. I needed to get out.”

Tyr nodded. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean you couldn’t come down, I just meant?—”

“You don’t want me down here without clothes on?”

“Well, yes. It’s not that I don’t think a woman has the right to walk around in what she wants or doesn’t want. It’s just Herm, he’s…”

It took a minute, but then Celeste smiled. “It flusters you that I’m almost naked, doesn’t it?”

“I’ve seen lots of naked women. I don’t mean lots. I mean…” Tyr groaned and shook his head. He stayed silent for a moment and then looked her directly in the eyes. “Yes. It flusters me and frustrates me. You’re Sy’s daughter, and he asked me to protect you, not…”

He didn’t need to finish. So that was the problem. Tyr was attracted to her, but he was her father’s friend. A thousand-year-old god. Of course, he didn’t want her half-naked. To him, shewas his friend’s daughter. No wonder he’d run from the room after taking off her leggings.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to… fluster you.”

His thick eyebrows pushed together.

“Have you heard from him, by the way? My father. I haven’t heard from him at all.”

“Not yet. But it could take some time. Be patient.”

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