Forest of Dreams

Chapter twelve

When I woke in the morning I felt like death. Ayol was dressed and sat in a chair, putting his shoes on. I cringed at the thought of stripping to my underwear in front of him.

'Morning,' he said, a wicked smile on his face. 'How are you feeling today?'

'Please don't,' I replied feebly, 'I'm in no mood to be teased this morning. Can you open a window? It's so warm in here.'

He opened the window and brought me a glass of water, placing it on the bedside table.

'Thanks,' I muttered, eyes half closed.

He perched on the edge of my bed and put his hand on my forehead. 'That feels nice,' I murmured, enjoying the feel of his cool fingers. He drew them back and I let out a small moan of disappointment.

'You are warm,' he said, 'I don't know why though, you're hardly wearing anything.'

'I asked you not to tease me.'

'But you make it so easy,' he said with a gentle laugh.

I blushed now. I was wearing a deep green lacy set, it was beautifully made and comfortable, but he was right, there was hardly anything to it.

'I was very drunk last night. Garrett is a bad influence.'

'And you're easily led astray.'

I sat up in the bed, face to face with him, holding the sheet to my chest to cover myself. 'Where are you going?'

'I have business to attend to.'

'So mysterious, as always. Don't you trust me to tell me your secrets?'

'What do you plan to do today?' he asked, ignoring my question.

'So evasive, as always. Why should I tell you when you won't tell me?'

'Fine don't tell me if you don't want to. Judging by the state you're in I doubt you'll be doing much today,' he said smugly.

I laughed. 'I've already asked you to stop teasing me. I don't want to have to ask you again.'

He looked at me with a devilish grin. He opened his mouth to speak but I reached and put my hand over it, muzzling him playfully. 'Don't you dare say whatever nasty thing you're about to,' I said. I felt him smiling under my hand, his eyes bright and engaged. He was clearly enjoying this flirtation as much as I was. I released my hand slowly, he was still grinning - both of us were. I realised I'd let the sheet drop, and was feeling more demure than my drunken self last night so pulled it back up to cover me. 'I'm going to go to the cemetery, the one you told me about, to look at the graves from the last three months. I thought I'd check to see if there are any with her name on or unmarked who could be her.' I was serious now, the thought had sobered me.

He looked at me with pitying eyes. 'Go back to sleep for now at least,' he said as he got up from the bed. 'Will you be here this evening?'

'Yes. Where else would I be?'

'Would you like to go for dinner with me?'

I hesitated to answer.

'It's fine,' he interrupted, turning his back to me, 'you don't have to.'

'I don't want to go and eat at another tavern, I just want to stay in the room. I was going to ask if you could bring something for us to eat here tonight. But I realised I shouldn't be asking you that - you're not my servant. And I don't want you to feel obliged to babysit me.'

He laughed. 'I'm not babysitting you. Besides, being your servant would give me great pleasure, I'm sure,' he said. His voice was deep and so seductive. 'But how will you reward me for my services?'