“Yeah?” he appeared in the doorway in a pair of gray pajama pants.
Nothing else.
I’d seen him shirtless earlier this week, but somehow he appeared even more sculpted and defined now. It had to be the lighting. Every divot on his chest and abdomen was clearly etched, as if he were made of stone. Only, he radiated heat, his skin a soft tan color that contrasted with my pale skin.
Definitely not very vampy, in terms of the legends.
But the sinful curve of his mouth certainly appeared wicked. “Ella?” he prompted, arching a reddish-brown eyebrow.
Uh, right. I’d called him in here.
With a shake of my head, I turned to give him my back. “Can you help extract me from this satin prison, please?” I met his gaze in the mirror. “Or, if you have something sharp, can I borrow it to cut myself out of this thing?”
He studied my gown as he considered. “Ruining such a beautiful dress would be a shame, Ella.” He pushed off the door frame. “I’ll loosen it for you.”
I gripped the counter, my limbs locking as he tugged on the ribbon hanging off my tailbone. Warmth climbed up my neck, a result of his nearness and the woodsy aftershave taunting my senses. Why did he have to be so damn hot? Was it a fae thing? Because Kols was just as attractive as his brother. And their father also possessed a handsome charm, only heightened by his youthful appearance.
Vampires were notoriously good-looking, right? At least in legend. So maybe all the fae were, too.
An entire world of sexy males with penchants for biting. Talk about a real-life wet dream. I swallowed and closed my eyes. Clearly, I need a nap. Because these types of thoughts were not okay or desired or even mildly appropriate. Especially with Tray standing so close to me.
Undressing me.
Caressing me.
I shivered as his breath kissed my exposed shoulder, the air between us seeming to thicken with every inhale. The fabric slowly loosened around my waist, the ribbon releasing a soft sifting sound as he unthreaded each loop. Goose bumps pebbled down my arms, my gloves long forgotten somewhere in the house. Or had I removed them in the limo? I couldn’t remember, my focus entirely owned by the man behind me.
Fae, I mentally corrected. But he certainly feels like a man.
My stomach twisted, butterflies taking flight in my lower belly. His kiss earlier had consumed my mind, body, and soul, introducing me to sensations I’d only ever read about. But was it him or the magical powers he possessed? He’d promised it wasn’t compulsion, yet it’d felt a lot like falling under the influence of a hypnotic drug.
Maybe I should kiss him once more to see if it happens again? I blinked open my eyes to gape at myself for the idiotic notion.
And found Tray watching me in the mirror, his gaze a smoldering black that stole the air from my lungs.
“It should be loose enough now,” he whispered.
“Thanks,” I managed to say, my throat dry.
He gave a nod and disappeared, leaving me to change. Or maybe to breathe. Both were tasks I needed to do.
I quickly exchanged the satin for the comfort of his cotton shirt and boxer shorts. Then I wasted some time in the bathroom finger-brushing my teeth and whatnot. My cheeks weren’t as rosy in color by the time I returned to the bedroom, but my skin still felt hot all over. Which only intensified when I found him lounging on the couch with all those abs still on display.
He popped up onto his feet without a word, brushing by me as he wandered into the room I’d just left.
Right.
This wasn’t awkward at all.
I eyed the bed against the wall, then took in the seating area. The sofa seemed safer. So I retrieved a few pillows and I was just putting them on the sofa when Tray returned. “I’ll, uh, sleep here,” I told him without looking at him.
“The hell you will,” he retorted. “You’ll take the bed. I’ll be on the couch.”
“It’s your room,” I reminded him. “And I’m perfectly fine with the sofa.”
“You’re right; this is my room. Which means you’ll be taking the bed, Isabella. End of discussion.”
Oh, no, he did not just try to command me. I spun around to face him, hands on my hips. “You can’t make me sleep somewhere I don’t want to sleep.”