I assumed his concept of time was goofed up due to the fact that he was immortal. I wasn't going to be pushy about it either, at least not right now
I finally decided to agree to his terms. "Okay. Deal. Tomorrow I question, and you answer. No diverting."
He yawned before responding. "Good, because I'm so beat." He slid me down into his arms and pulled me to his body.
I wasn't sleepy at all at first, but as his fingertips trickled up and down my arm, I found myself more at peace. My eyes got heavier and heavier until finally I was out.
The alarm sounded its infuriating buzzing noise. I rolled over to my stomach and pulled a pillow over my head. I heard it suddenly cut off. Then there were two hands on my shoulders, massaging them.
I loved it when Tallis touched me for any reason.
"That feels good," I mumbled, relishing the strength and softness he used.
That fire didn't seem to be blazing inside me as it usually did under his touch. I assumed I was getting used to it.
I still had my head buried under the pillow as the massaging continued. I was in a pair of boy-cut panties and a white tank top. I didn't realize I had kicked my shorts off during the middle of the night. Now I could feel a gentle breeze hitting my skin, alerting me to that fact.
I didn't race to cover up though. I was thinking it might encourage him to move things along a little faster if he got a tiny little peek. I smiled to myself as I thought of my scandalous plan. Then I rolled over as his hands were rubbing my lower back.
As I turned around, I was greeted with a horrible realization. It was McKee, not Tallis. I screamed.
"What the hell are you doing?"
He put his hands in the air, playfully surrendering.
"Easy, Aria. I just came to see if you needed a ride. Nice bedtime attire, by the way."
"Get out of my room!" I grabbed a sheet to cover myself with.
"Hey, no reason to get all upset. It's nothing I haven't seen on a girl before. Bathing suits show more than that, you know. I just came to tell you I think you should ride with me today. We really need to talk."
I could hear the agitation growing in my tone now. "About what?" I was completely uninterested in anything he had to say at that point.
He lost all the playfulness in his eyes as seriousness swept in. "About your new boyfriend getting lost. He shouldn't be within a hundred feet of you, let alone with you twenty-four hours a day. You don't need him skulking around when you have all of us. I don't like him or the fact that he's spending every night with you. Call me crazy, but I think it's a little undignified."
His arrogant, condescending tone infuriated me to the point where I was shaking.
"Oh, I'll definitely call you crazy. You can leave now," I said through gritted teeth, trying not to scream again.
"I'm not leaving until you agree to come with me. I promise you'll want to hear everything I have to say."
"I can promise you that there is nothing you can say that will make me stop seeing Tallis. I don't want you touching me... ever again. I don't want you following me, and I don't want you anywhere near me right now! You will leave or I'll scream for Iris."
I was completely enraged.
"Go ahead. She knows I'm not a threat. She'll laugh at you for being such a drama queen. Tallis isn't here anyway, so you need an escort."
I heard a slight swish of wind from the window. Tallis was suddenly in the room with his arm around my waist from the front, holding me behind him.
"I think she's told you to leave more than once. I think that's probably a good idea."
He sounded so forceful and protective. He had been treading lightly with McKee because of how strongly tied he was to our family. Tallis had not wanted to make waves unless necessary. I was so glad he found it necessary then. I was also glad that he had shown up so quickly.
"I just thought you might have had something else to do at some point in your life. I was going to give you a little reprieve. She's being way too dramatic."
He was trying his best to belittle my reaction to his unwanted presence.
"If she doesn't want you around, then don't be around her. If you ever put your hands on her again, I'll blow them off," Tallis said threateningly without ever raising his voice.