Page 70 of Sword of Rage
She pulled on her nightdress over her head, letting the fabric slide down her body. Then she reached under the material, pushing her pants off.
He wiped the sweat from his brow.
With her back still to him, she unbraided her hair, running her fingers through it. When she turned around, her eyebrows rose in surprise. He hadn’t meant to sit there, frozen in place, watching her like a miscreant. To make matters worse, Harley’s nightdress was so thin, he could see hints of what lie hidden beneath. The temperature of the room increased, and he could barely breathe.
Harley rushed over to the chair, snatching the blanket draped over the back of it, wrapping it around her body. “I can sleep on the floor this time.”
The desire to pull the blanket away from her inundated him. Only, he didn’t want to stop there. He’d remove her nightdress, caressing her luscious body beneath. He needed to get a hold of himself. He couldn’t let her know the power she held over him. “I can’t allow you to sleep on the floor.” His voice sounded normal, surprising him. “Please take the bed. I won’t have it any other way.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, hesitating.
He took the top blanket from the bed, laying it on the floor, not giving her a chance to argue. When he laid down, he was happy to not be able to see her. It helped clear his head. Harley was Owen’s cousin. His future brother-in-law’s only kin. And she’d recently lost her husband.
“Why don’t you sleep in the bed,” Harley suggested, her voice barely above a whisper. “With me.”
He must have heard her wrong. His heart pounded so hard he feared she could hear it.
“It’s large enough for the both of us. We can even put pillows in the middle, separating our bodies. We’re both adults. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
He swallowed, unsure he could share a bed with her—even if it was platonic.
“Otherwise, I’m sleeping on the floor, whether you take the bed or not.”
Sucking in a deep breath, he stood. She was on the other side of the bed, standing there, not meeting his eyes. “Fine.” The bed was large. “I’ll take this side.” He stretched out on top of the blankets, using the one he’d had on the floor to cover himself.
Harley slid under the blankets, turning away from him.
If he’d gotten under them with her, he didn’t think he could make it through the night knowing she was only a few feet away. The covers kept a barrier between them—one that couldn’t be penetrated.
“Without a fire, it’s rather cold in here,” she whispered. “I’ve had the warmth from your body all day.” She shivered, the bed shaking slightly.
Those words almost undid him. He had to turn away, his back to her. “Goodnight, Harley.”
“Goodnight.”
As he laid there, he considered his precarious plan once again. Before, it had just been an idea. Now, he was seeing firsthand how love could be a dangerous weapon. Dare he harness that power? Because if he chose to, it could be the key to everything.
Harley
Harley woke up but kept her eyes shut as she tried to remember where she was. Warmth surrounded her along with strong arms. The events of last night gradually came back to her. She and Ackley were in Russek, waiting to speak to Kerdan. And she was in bed. With Ackley.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and found Ackley’s alert face in front of hers.
“Good morning,” he said. “I’ve been afraid to move and wake you.”
“Why are we hugging?” Because as much as his arms were around her, hers were equally clinging to him.
“Um, I’m guessing we were cold?” He raised a single eyebrow.
“That makes sense.” The lower half of their bodies were separated by a few covers. It had been smart of him not to climb under them alongside her. Who knows what state they would have woken up in.
He wiggled his arms free and sat up, running his hands over his face and through his hair.
Harley stretched, trying not to think about how she’d just been tangled together with Ackley.
“You should dress. That way when someone comes for us, we’ll be ready.” He went over to the window, his back to her.
Harley climbed out of bed, then padded over to the chair where she’d left her bag. Folded on top of it were thick wool pants and a fur-lined cape. “Ackley, did you procure these items for me?” Her hands shook at the possibility of someone coming into their room last night while they were sleeping.
