Page 102 of Midnights
I clutch the strap of my bag tighter, trying to shake the thought.I don’t need to be wondering about what Kane is doing.
He stops in front of a large wooden door, pushing it open to reveal a room bathed in the soft glow of firelight. The warmth hits me first, then the smell of aged wood and something faintly spiced. A fireplace crackles in the corner and it's all so beautiful, I could cry.
There's a massive bed that sits against the far wall, layered with plush blankets that look almost too perfect to disturb. It’s the kind of bed you could sink into and never leave.
Another door on the other end of the room is open, giving me a glimpse of what I can only assume is the bathroom and the infamous tub waiting to erase the entire night from my memory.
I step inside slowly, letting the warmth settle into my bones, and just letting myself breathe. Then, I make the mistake of looking at Kane.
I was going to say something…Athank you, maybe. Goodnight? Some type of acknowledgement. But the second my eyes land on him, the words vanish like smoke.
I’m no stranger to the male body, but Kane? He’s another beast entirely. He's all sculpted muscle and raw power. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he spent every spare moment chiseling himself into perfection at some exclusive, underground, Greek-gods-only gym.
His muscles have muscles.
It would be so much easier if that was all it was. Just a ridiculously unfair body, attached to another frustratingly attractive man with nothing else to offer. But no.
It can't be that easy.
It’s everything else that’s throwing me off balance.
I really hoped drenching him would make him look like a wet dog so I could use it to fight off whatever this is. But no, that would be too convenient. He somehow pulls off drenched and disheveled like it’s a damn fashion statement.
And because luck is not on my side, he catches my lingering stare, and a slow, knowing smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.Kill me.
I snap right out of my trance so fast, I'm surprised I don't get whiplash.
“You sure you don't need anything?”
“Nope, totally fine. Thanks.” My voice comes out too forced and I can only hope he missed how breathless it sounded. Judging by his smile, he didn't.
I wonder if he has any idea what’s running through my head right now.
“Thanks for the experience.”
Before I can muster a single response, he’s already disappearing through the door.
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out, again. I stand there for a second while heat creeps back into my cheeks and my brain tries to catch up. It's not until I hear the door click that I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Stellar performance. Maybe next time try using actual words.
I roll my eyes at myself.
The warmth from the fire wraps around me, but it does nothing to settle the restlessness thrumming under my skin.
If there’s one thing I know I can do for myself right now, it’s sink into the scalding hot water and pretend I don’t exist for at least an hour.
While I'm waiting for the tub to fill, steam curls into the air, making it nice and cozy. I snoop through all the neatly arranged salts on the shelf, picking out a few. I don't know why I'm surprised this place has every luxury bath essential a girl could ask for. It's stocked like a damn five-star spa.
I sprinkle a generous handful into the water, watching the colors swirl around each other. The smell wraps around me in a soothing, floral warmth that feels like slipping into a dream.
The second I step into the tub and sink down, I let out a slow exhale. I can feel the heat working its way into my muscles, unwinding knots I didn’t realize I had, and for a moment, I let myself get lost in the flickering candlelight, watching the way the flames dance on the walls. Their rhythm is slow and hypnotic.
There's an undercurrent of something that hums in the water. It’s subtle at first, like a whisper just out of reach. But the longer I sit there, the stronger it gets. My fingers start to tingle again, and the feeling crawls up my arms in slow, pulsing waves.
Not again.
I flex my hands under the water, watching the colors swirl around my fingers, but the feeling doesn’t go away.
