Chapter Eight
He couldn’t believe the woman’s sass and how much he enjoyed it. He bit back his urge to chuckle.
“Do you really want to find out?” he asked gruffly.
“I… Um, no.”
“That’s smart. Finish eating.” He turned to walk away.
“Wait, Cason. Can’t we share the bed? It looked really large. I think we’d both have enough room.”
He sucked in a breath when his body went from hard to painfully rigid. She had turned him on before the shower, but now with her being clean, he could see all her skin, her hair, and not the dirt that had covered all of her, and his desire for her getting worse. Her suggestion to share a bed took it over the top.
“Oh, I don’t think…”
“Why are you afraid of sleeping with me? Do you think I’ll hurt you?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, baby. I’m not afraid of you at all. It just might get uncomfortable.”
“How?”
God, he had to remember she was a virgin, and although she most likely learned about sex in books, she didn’t know how it felt or how it could take all reason from a person.
“Please,” she pleaded. “I’ll feel awful if I keep you from your bed. Besides, I’d feel safer with you right next to me.”
He exhaled. Fuck. “Okay, fine. We can share.”
She smiled brightly. “Thank you.”
He pointed to her bowl. “Are you about done?”
She nodded.
“Then finish your milk.”
He saw her grin. “What?”
“You’re starting to sound like a daddy. Is this the way those other guys are with their women?”
Cason studied her expression. “From what I’ve seen, I’d say yes. They have the control in the relationship. Would you be able to handle a relationship like that?”
She bit her lip for a moment like she was deep in thought before she shook her head. “Yes. I don’t think it would bother me. In fact, I think I’d be happier that way.”
He slid his hand down her head to her back. Her hair was still a little damp, but it was dry enough for her to go to bed. “That’s good to know.”
After waiting for her to finish, he lifted her off the stool, took her hand, and pulled her into the bathroom. He opened a drawer and handed her a new toothbrush and then the toothpaste.
“Brush your teeth while I turn down the bed.”
Cason walked into the bedroom and around to the farthest side, then pulled the comforter down to the bottom and then folded the blanket back.
He went to the windows and closed the dark curtains, thankful he’d bought them. They had come in handy when he and Devon worked late and then slept in the next morning. Now the curtains would help her get some rest.
She came out of the bathroom.
“Over here, honey.”
She absolutely took his breath away. She looked like a perfect little doll, and when he stared into her incredible eyes, he felt the cold core of cynicism and distrust he had melt away.
“Your eyes are very beautiful and unusual.”
He could tell he made her uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, honey.”
“No, I’m glad you like them. It’s just one of the reasons the monster wants me. He thinks I’ll bring him luck because of my light-colored hair and weird eyes.”
“Here, slip into bed. I want to ask you a few questions.”
He smiled when she scampered into bed and lay down. He pulled the blanket up and then sat down by her hip.
“You met the monster, right?”
“Yeah, a few times.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“He came to the house, and my mother called me down. It always felt weird because she never did that before. He came to me and grabbed my hand. Then he stared at me with a look on his face I still don’t understand, and he wouldn’t let go of me until my mother told me to go to my room.”
“What else? What did he look like? Did he have an accent? Things like that.”
“He was old. Older than my father, at least. He has black hair and dark skin. He did have an accent, but I don’t know what kind.”
Oh, fuck. What he knew of some men from the Middle East was that they were incredibly superstitious. If this guy thought she brought him good luck, he might not stop very easily because he thought his luck would fail without her.
“Okay, we’ll figure it out. Anything else?”
“He had a lot of men with him. I thought it was funny that he had servants follow him everywhere.”
Oh, hell. It just got worse.
“Okay, we’ll talk more later. Get some rest. Call out for me.”
“Okay. Thank you, Cason.”
“You’re welcome, honey.”