Page 52 of Touch of Death
“What?” I hiss, my eyes snapping to him.
“Do not worry. Your things are safe. Though, I was surprised by the boo—”
“Where is it?” I growl, my patience drawing thin as the room darkens around me.
“On the chair behind the screen,” he answers quickly.
Glaring at him, I move behind the screen he points to near the bathroom. I let out a small sigh of relief at finding the book, as well as my other things exactly where he said.
Bending to pick them up, movement out of the corner of my eye draws my attention. Turning, I realize the bathroom door has not been closed all the way, leaving a small crack for me to see through.
Her back to me, I am momentarily entranced by the length of her bare leg, the soft curve of her hip … and then I quickly look away as I realize that she is not wearing anything at all.
Shame sickens me as I chide myself for not looking away the moment that I realized the door was not fully closed.
I distract myself by focusing instead on putting on the new outfit that Eros has picked out. Stripping out of my clothes from the previous night, I shake out the shadowsilk and set it aside to give it a moment to breathe while I inspect my new garments. Holding up the new pair of pants, I suddenly realize there is absolutely no way these are going to fit.
Turning to grab the clothes I just took off, I suddenly find them missing.
“Eros,” I growl, clutching the new pants over me for modesty. “Where the hell are my clothes? These new ones do not fit.”
“Is that so?” Eros asks, drawing my attention as he steps behind the screen, his head cocking to one side as if sizing up my form. “Ah, I see. Just give me a minute to sort things out.”
He disappears before I can say anything, and I abruptly find myself standing face to face with Hazel as she appears in the doorway just behind where Eros last stood.
“Hazel,” I breathe, my heart thudding in my chest at the sight of her. I nearly forget my own indecency in the wake of her presence as I step slightly to one side to conceal the small book behind me.
“I-I’m so sorry,” she gasps, her skin flushes, and I suddenly realize how little she is wearing. If I thought last night’s dress was revealing, it is nothing in comparison to this one.
Eros seems to have forgotten to add fabric to the dress he gave her. The sheer dress falls to her feet in soft waves, but it does little to hide her body. Just enough of the white fabric has been layered across her breasts and hips to give it the illusion of modesty.
My body reacts against my hand, and I suddenly worry that she will soon become aware of far more than just my naked torso.
“Eros, what is the meaning of this,” I roar, twisting my shadows up around me to better conceal myself. “Explain yourself!”
24
Hazel
Idrop my eyes to the floor, my heart pounding so hard in my ears that I can barely think.
If I thought it was bad seeing Eros naked, seeing Death like this is so much worse. The moment I realized the state of his undress, my body practically burst into flames, nearly crippling me with unabashed desire for him.
Eros warned us of denying these feelings, but how am I supposed to appease them with a man I cannot touch?
“Apologies,” Eros says, bursting back into the bedroom with a handful of dark fabric. “I nearly did not catch her in time.”
He tosses the clothing to Death, who catches it in his free hand, before his eyes flash to me.
“Do you mind, little one?”
The heat burns more fiercely in my cheeks as I quickly turn away, realizing I’d started staring at him again.
Eros sits on the bed, smirking as we both wait for Death to finish dressing.
When he finally steps out from behind the screen, his hands are balled into fists at his sides. Shadows rise up to lick at him like inky flames as he points one gloved finger at Eros.
“Explain yourself.”
