Page 53 of His Ruthless Match
“Or you could stay here. It’s a long drive back, and you’re exhausted.”
Her eyebrow arched in suspicion. “And you’d just let me stay? No strings attached?”
“You can take my bed. I’ll sleep out here.”
Her skepticism deepened. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” I said, shrugging as if this wasn’t a bigger deal than I cared to admit. “Unless you count dealing with Grelth tomorrow. He’s not exactly a morning person.”
She snorted, but the sound lacked her usual sharpness. “I’ll think about it.”
We stood there, the air between us practically electric. She shifted awkwardly, holding her wet clothes like a shield. As she moved, a scrap of red silk slipped from the bundle and fell to the floor between us.
Her panties.
Time stretched unbearably as we stared at it. Eva’s eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing deep red. My gaze lingered a second too long before I forced myself to look away. Gods, why was my throat so dry?
She bent and snatched up her panties.
My lips parted, words caught somewhere between my chest and my tongue. But nothing came out. My pulse hammered in my ears. She was naked beneath my clothing.
“You should… get some rest,” I finally managed, my voice rough and uneven.
She nodded, clutching the bundle of clothes tighter. “Yeah. Good idea.”
She retreated to my bedroom and closed the door. The soft click of it sounded like a gunshot in the quiet. Exhaling sharply, I dragged a hand through my damp hair. My cougar was unsettled and disappointed at the distance between Eva and me.
She’s off-limits, I reminded myself. Just a job.
But as I stood there, heart racing and mind spinning, the lie was getting harder to believe.
15
EVA
The soft sound of waves was the first thing I registered, their rhythmic pulse lulling my heart into a steadier beat. My eyes opened to an unfamiliar room bathed in early morning light. The faint scent of the ocean lingered in the air, mingling with something that smelled like pancakes. It took me a moment to remember where I was.
Jareth’s cottage.
I sat up slowly and smoothed down my hair. The bed had been so comfortable I’d fallen asleep instantly, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I hadn’t woken in the middle of the night, haunted by my ever-growing to-do list or anxieties.
As I walked into the living room, I caught sight of Jareth sitting out on the deck with a cup of coffee in hand. With the sunlight dancing off his dark hair, he looked... peaceful. Not a word I’d usually associate with him.
My stomach grumbled. I turned away from the glass doors and nearly jumped out of my skin when Grelth appeared, holding a steaming mug in one hand and a neatly folded bundle in the other.
“Good morning, Miss Eva,” he said as he handed me my dress. It was clean, pressed, and smelled faintly of lavender. “Your attire from yesterday. I trust you slept well?”
“Like a rock,” I admitted, offering a small smile. “Thank you for this. I really appreciate it.”
He inclined his head, his expression softening ever so slightly. “Would you like some breakfast? And how do you take your coffee?”
I hesitated. “I’d love some, but only if it’s not an imposition.”
Grelth glanced toward Jareth, who was still outside, staring at the waves. “Heis an imposition. You, Miss Eva, are not.”
A surprised laugh escaped me. I was growing fond of this little creature. “Typically, I take my coffee with oat milk and stevia, but I’ll just have it black.”
“Nonsense,” Grelth said. “I have oat milk and stevia, and you’ll take your coffee how you prefer.”
