Page 65 of A City of Hearts and Feathers

"What?"

"Nothing."

Kahil raised a brow at her. "Zoe Kartal, are you lusting after my body?"

"I'm just eager to get in the steam."

"Of course," he said, grabbing two bottles of water and some extra towels. He locked the exterior door. "So we don't get interrupted."

Zoe's brain was too fuzzy to do anything but smile. His back was as amazing as his front, covered with tattoos and scars. It was a sight she didn't think she would ever get tired of looking at.

The next room was made of marble and stone and a walk-in aqua pool in the center under a white and gold dome.

"For when you get too hot," Kahil said with a wink.

Jesus. She was tempted to throw herself in the cold water already. She had a hard enough time believing he was interested in someone like her as it was. Her self-esteem wasn't bad, but she had a fucked-up sense of worth. She wasn't tiny and perfectly groomed in every way. Kahil didn't make her feel like she had to be, and that was what scared her. He wanted her just as she was, and it messed her up.

Zoe's tangled thoughts went quiet when Kahil opened the door to the hammam. Like the pool room, it was made of marble, with copper taps and pans for pouring out water. There were benches around the circular room with fragrant steam rising from vents in the floor.

"This is amazing," she said, looking around her. Kahil spread the towels out on one of the benches. Zoe sat and leaned her back against the hot stone behind her. "Oh, god."

Kahil went to a copper basket next to one of the sinks. Inside it were fragrant soaps and sponges. He pulled out a glass vial of an amber liquid.

"This is for those rocks in your shoulders," he said, walking up the marble bench before sitting on the one behind her.

"I take back every mean thing I've ever said about you," she replied.

He positioned her between his knees and knotted up her hair so it was off her neck. "What mean things?"

"Well, I did think you killed my father for most of my life. That was pretty mean," Zoe said.

"I'm still annoyed at your mother for that," Kahil muttered, opening the cap on the oil bottle. He tipped some into his hands before rubbing them together. Zoe melted with the first press of his thumbs into her shoulders.

"Oh, Jesus, do you have to be so good at everything?" she said with a groan.

Kahil kept massaging her as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You're going to benefit from it. Also, I think we've established I'm bad at Coptic and playing with others."

"I noticed. I wanted to ask you about that. You're one of the easiest people to get along with that I've ever met, and everywhere we go everyone just calls you a war dog or tries to ignore you," Zoe said. She jumped when he hit a particularly tender knot.

Kahil was quiet for a long moment. "I suppose it's because I hate nearly everyone, and I don't bother to hide it. I've never played the political games. We are meant to be neutral, and I take that seriously. I've also had to kill, imprison, or maim anyone who has stepped out of line for centuries. It doesn't make you friends, no matter how necessary the task is. You're the first person I've actually liked for centuries."

Zoe couldn't imagine how lonely and how hard it must be to live with that responsibility. She kissed his knee. "I like you too, and everyone else is missing out by not knowing you."

Kahil chuckled. "You're the only one who gets to see my good side, Zoe. You bring out things in me that I thought long gone."

"Such as?" she asked, biting her bottom lip to stop from smiling.

"I'm almost mad wanting to protect you to the point I was starting to panic tonight when you still hadn't come out of the library. That's not natural for me. I want to take care of you. Make sure you're eating right and getting enough sleep." Kahil let out a frustrated sound. "That's not what the Order's toughest war dog should be feeling. I've never been soft like that for anyone."

Zoe turned about slowly so she could face him. "Come here."

Kahil leaned down to hug her, and she kissed him softly. His words made her heart crack in two, and she tried to articulate why. "Thank you for looking after me. No one has wanted to do that for a long time. I was always so capable because I didn't want to upset my mother, and she thought it was empowering for me. I'm not used to someone wanting to help me just with the everyday stuff so that I have a moment to breathe."

"It's driving me crazy because that's all I want to do," he admitted with a shy smile. "I just want to wrap you in a blanket and kill anyone who looks at you funny."

"Okay, that is a bit crazy, but I appreciate that side of you too. I wouldn't have survived this long in Istanbul without you. You know that."

Kahil kissed her forehead. "I do know. You are far too lovely for those monsters, and for this one too. Now, turn around so I can finish getting these knots out."

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