Page 17 of Fates Fulfilled
“Is there another way to shower?”
Good point.
What if this was her last luxury in life?
It turned out taking even a cold shower ranked high when things like food and proper shelter weren’t an option. “Okay, what do I need to do?”
Without a word, Garrin created an ice partition between him and Lex inside the igloo. It was about six inches deep and six feet high, and if she stood on her tiptoes, she could see his face.
“Undress,” he said, and a shiver ran down her spine.
That word spoken from his lips was distracting.
Was she really doing this? Getting naked in front of Garrin? True, he couldn’t see her through the foggy partition, and Zirel and Amund were out somewhere taking their morning constitutional, but… “No peeking.”
He made a sound in the back of his throat. “I assure you, I am capable of controlling myself.”
Lex frowned. Did he have to make it sound so easy?
“Fine.” She stripped off her clothes rapid-fire, tossed them over the partition—and thought she might turn into an ice cube on the spot.
Her teeth chattered and her body shivered uncontrollably, the snow beneath her feet burning, it was so cold. “This was a bad idea. I can’t do it. Too cold,” she said, but before she got out the last word, a rain of warm water drizzled on her head.
“Aah.” She reached up and rubbed the heated water into her hair and down her body, trying to soak up the warmth. “More!”
More warm water poured down her, and when she looked up, she saw that it was coming from the ceiling. Garrin was melting the igloo on top of her head.
Lex ran her hands through her damp hair and squeezed out whatever she could to clean it, and then he handed her what looked like a snowball. “You said you wouldn’t peek!”
“I’m not looking. That is to wash yourself.”
She stared at the snowball. “What, like an ice loofa?” She tossed it from hand to hand—the thing was cold, and her bare hands weren’t happy.
“I do not know what a loofa is. The shaved ice will melt quickly under the water, but it can be used to clean before it melts.”
She rubbed the ice under her arms and down her body, shaking and shivering at the warmth from above and the cold in her hands. “Okay, I’m done.” Even with the warm water dripping on her, the snow under her feet was freezing and now slushy.
The water coming from above her head stopped. Just in time, too, because she could see the hazy blue-gray sky. Garrin handed her a small rag. “Dry off with this first.”
She did as he said, and he handed her clothes piece by piece so they didn’t sit in the snow while she dressed.
Lex hurried around the partition and hopped on her bare feet. “Cold, cold. Shoes.”
But instead of handing over her shoes, Garrin picked her up.
“What are you doing?”
“Keeping you warm,” he said, and sank onto the blanket they’d slept on, with Lex in his lap.
The blanket was made of the same material their coats were and stayed dry on top of the snow.
He opened his coat and wrapped it around her, which put her flush with his superheated chest.
She felt the ridges of his muscles through the thick knit tunic he wore and cuddled into him, tucking up her bared feet.
“You’ll need to put on your boots,” he said.
“Can’t,” she said without moving. “Too cold, and you’re warm.”
