Page 99 of Rise of the Melody
“I won’t be a diversion from your stress,” he bit out. “I’m not my foolish cousin.”
He stepped back, causing a chill to invade our warm circle, cooling the moment. I let my hand fall.
“It’s not like that,” I said, feeling defensive, but even as I said it, I realized it had kind of been like that when it came to Teague, and I felt bad. But what I felt for Zar was something different from any guy I’d ever met. I couldn’t categorize it and I felt like a silly little girl in his eyes. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he wasn’t interested in me in the same way I was. And yeah, that was embarrassing.
I’d never been denied by a guy. It was humbling.
When he broke our stare, yanking his eyes from mine, sudden exhaustion overcame me. I felt heavy. Disheartened.
“Okay then,” I whispered, glancing around awkwardly. “I’m going to bed.”
At this, he looked at me again and his eyebrows went up. “Am I to leave?”
How strange. Before he’d shown up, all I’d wanted was to be alone. Now, the thought of him leaving sent a bolt of panic through me. I wanted to say no, and ask him to please stay, but after what had just happened between us I felt like a bratty kitten who’d had their nose smacked. “I don’t care if you leave or stay. I just want to sleep.”
He motioned to the bed. “I’m not stopping you.”
So, he wanted to stay. An exhale of relief escaped me. I unlaced my boots and kicked them off, then peeled off my socks and tossed them in my laundry bin. I felt him watching me but kept going. The leggings were next, shimmied down my legs with a wiggle of my hips. Into the hamper. I tried not to feel any sort of way about standing before Zar in my underwear with no pants.
The sweatshirt was pulled over my head next, revealing a black ribbed tank top. I reached underneath and unclasped my lacy bralette in the back, pulling it down one arm at a time without taking off my tank. I finally met Zar’s eyes, which were staring straight at my face. Meeting his intense gaze sent a zing through me.
“Did you think I was going to bed fully clothed?” I asked.
“I didn’t say a word.” His voice was husky.
I blushed. Talk about mixed signals.
“A gentleman would at least look away.”
He huffed a dry laugh at that. “Would you like me to look away, Colette? Because you seem to be the type of girl who lets her mind be known.”
He was right. If I didn’t want him watching, I would have said so. This whole situation would be a lot easier if I wasn’t attracted to him. Or at least knew how he felt for sure.
“I’m not getting naked, so whatever.” I launched my bralette across the room to land next to the other bra on my dresser, then I walked to my bed and climbed in, trying not to moan at how nice it felt on my bare legs. I burrowed down into the blanket and nuzzled my pillow.
I grumbled, “You can sleep wherever you want.”
I shouldn’t have let myself feel so comfortable in front of a boy who made it clear he didn’t trust me, but I didn’t believe he wanted to hurt me. In fact, I felt safer with him there. I cracked my eyes one last time to see him sitting in the window seat where I always sat. He stared out at the water, just like I always did, lost in thought, like I always was.
And I fell asleep.
Chapter32
Confrontation
Awarm lick on my cheek woke me. My body needed more sleep, but I groggily cracked open my eyes to see CooShee standing over me, his face inches from mine. I gasped and sat up.
“Coosh!” I hugged him around the neck, and he let me. “What are you doing here?”
I looked him over, and he appeared as strong as ever. He lifted a giant paw and sat it in front of me, showing me the rectangular patch on his leg where he’d been shaved for an IV. He glowered at me.
“Oh,” I said. “They did that to you. I see. The audacity.” Hehmphedand I held back a laugh. “I promise they were helping you, and I’m sure Dr. Patel worked some magic because you were in rough shape last night.”
He pulled his paw away and sat up regally, as if to say he’d been just fine. What a proud harbinger. I reached up and scratched behind his ear until he relaxed.
“Thanks for your help last night. We’re a pretty good team. But…” I thought about how he’d been there fighting the kelpie while I’d been singing. “You’re immune to my song, aren’t you?”
He nodded. Coosh freaking nodded, and I laughed, hugging him again.
