A Beast's Tale

Chapter 41

"Hey, Chev, get up!"

Clavis' annoying voice woke me the next morning at eight o'clock, per my request. Which was a mistake. Not the time, just my choice of an alarm clock.

"Do you have to be so loud?" I mumbled, pushing the blankets back reluctantly.

"Maybe you'd rather I be more like Ivetta. How does she wake you up?" he asked teasingly.

"She hums." I stretched and sat up, rubbing my eyes.

"She hums? And that wakes you up?" Clavis asked incredulously.

"Have you heard her humming?" I stood up and went to the bureau.

"Yeah, from time to time. It's not very loud."

He didn't understand at all. The volume was irrelevant.

"What else does she do?" he asked, sitting down on the bench with a silly grin.

"She opens the drapes, and then she just talks about whatever comes to mind."

"You hate when I do that."

"You're a far cry from her." I took my clothes to the bathroom to change.

"And she's been doing this for the past month?" Clavis called from the bedroom.

"Yes."

"And it's been driving you crazy the whole time, hasn't it?"

"Not the whole time," I admitted.

"You've got it bad, Chev," Clavis said, laughing.

"No thanks to you."

"Aw, you noticed. I just gave you a little poke, here and there, pushing things along."

I finished dressing and exited the bathroom, stopping in front of him. "Your poking is no longer necessary," I said coolly.

He gave me a sly grin. "You've told me about the mornings - which, I might add, concerns me. Are you feeling okay?"

I sighed, irritated, and headed for the door. It wasn't like me to talk this much to Clavis about anything other than work. But I was feeling better than okay, especially since I'd be rid of him in a few moments and seeing Ivetta again.

"So, what about the nights?" he asked, following me out into the hallway.

"She wasn't here at night."

"You're forgetting one very important occasion, Chev," he said. "The night before she was captured. If I recall, she spent the whole night in your bed, didn't she?"

I wasn't forgetting at all, but his implication irritated me.

"She did. Asleep," I said shortly.

"Come on, Chev. Weren't you the least bit tempted? Maybe to put your arms around her, maybe to steal a kiss?"

Yes, and yes. And I did both.

"You're missing breakfast," I said firmly.

He laughed again. "I get it. A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell. Say hi to Ivetta for me."

I wanted to be annoyed with him, but his words got me thinking about kissing her again. The peck on the lips yesterday had been long overdue, but I was looking forward to kissing her properly. When she could handle it.

That would be quite a while coming, though.

She was still asleep when I arrived, and I sat down on the sofa to read while the doctor changed her bandages again.