I didn't want to bring it up, but it had been worrying me. I continued on in my somewhat worrisome tone. "I feel like someone's watching me all the time, and trying to find moments when I'm at my most vulnerable."
His face changed from playful to concerned and agitated in a flash. "McKee won't ever touch you again or I will kill him." I knew he wasn't joking as he continued speaking very quietly. "I know for a fact that bodyguards are not invincible to my power. I think there're a lot of reasons for you to worry about someone watching you, but you have people looking out for you all the time. It could just be their eyes."
It sounded like he was trying to convince himself of that more than he was me.
"Okay."
I just left it alone. I could tell he was worried, but he wouldn't admit it to me. I was exhausted from all the new information I had to process anyway.
I went to tell his family goodbye as he did some stuff he had been neglecting to do. They were all so wonderful to me. They acted as if I was their savior for opening the door for them to rejoin the light community. They had been secretly saving people for centuries. They had saved me. They were the heroes, not me.
Tallis came down the stairs with a bag thrown over his shoulder. I lifted my eyes curiously. "What's that for?"
"I have to have stuff to get ready with if I'm going to get ready at your house." He flashed me a smile.
"Thanks." He apparently couldn't tell me no after all.
Chapter 12
Intimacy and Jealousy
Two is company, three is a crowd, and one person always has to get hurt.
I knew I would have to get up a little earlier to get ready so that Tallis would have time to get ready. I didn't want him to have to use a guest bathroom on another floor.
I slapped my alarm as soon as it went off. He stirred a little, but not much. It was the first time I had been able to really wake up to him. His bare chest and abs were so wonderfully gift wrapped in my new white satin sheets he had bought me.
I watched the motion of his chest, expanding and contracting as he inhaled and exhaled. I shook my head to pull myself out of the hypnotic trance I was in.
I took a shower and began drying off, then I grabbed a second towel to dry my hair. As I raised my hand to open the cabinet for makeup, a light bulb burst, and a piece of it flew to my hand, cutting it open.
Bursting light bulbs were a common occurrence in the Bradbury and Verdan houses. Too much magic under one roof caused currents of energy to surge sometimes. There was literally a walk-in closet full of nothing but light bulbs because of the constant bursting.
Not to mention, Jay was an electric, which made every bulb around burst when he got angry. I had seen that first hand, though at the time I was unaware of who or what he really was. Now, I was just as used to it as all of them.
This time was different though. I gasped as I saw the blood pouring from my hand in a relentless flow. Tallis was suddenly in the bathroom, wrapping a small towel around my hand and applying pressure. I stood up and the towel fell from my hair. My long locks fell into place, still dripping wet. He stared as the water rushed down my chest until it reached the second towel that was locked into place.
His breathing was heavy, and his eyes were locked on mine. He got closer and closer. His shirtless body was so close, and his loose shorts hung low on his waist. Every line on his stomach was defined with such perfection.
Before I knew it, his body was pressed completely against mine. His right hand was tangled in my hair, and his left hand was around my waist, pulling me to him in a slow motion.
I moved as he moved, trying not to spook him. He was leading the moment. We were so close that water from my hair was now dripping down his body. His lips lowered themselves toward mine.
Loud footsteps running through the hallway toward us gathered our attention. No! No! No!
It was McKee. He rushed to where we were and Tallis withdrew from me.
McKee glared at Tallis while speaking softly in a concerned manner. "Aria, are you okay? I felt you in trouble." He continued staring at Tallis as his tone turned bitter. "I guess I was right."
I rolled my eyes and responded with exaggerated annoyance. "I'm perfectly fine. A light bulb burst and cut my hand. Tallis took care of it." I pulled the towel off my hand and raised it up as evidence that I was telling the truth. "See? It's already quit bleeding."
McKee continued to stand there, and now he had noticed I was only wearing a towel. Tallis stepped in front of me, blocking his view. I could tell he was annoyed with McKee's uncomfortable and unnecessary lingering; however, his tone remained soft as he addressed him.
"You heard her, McKee. She's fine. I already handled it. You can go now."
"I don't need you telling me what to do," McKee barked, threatening more in tone than in words.
I stepped in between them. McKee stared at my towel which was barely hanging on to my body as Tallis wrapped his arm around me.