The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 22

"Thought you weren't going to sleep."

Iris awoke with a start at Char's teasing voice in her ear. She had cuddled up to him under the blanket while she slept, and she jerked away, her cheeks burning as she clambered out of bed to put distance between them. She swallowed and looked around the room for something to focus on, anything but him.

There weren't many options.

"I guess you were comfortable."

He chuckled. "Comfortable. That's a new one."

Her eyes landed on the window and the blizzard that was still raging outside it. She went to it and put her hand on the cold glass, wondering what was happening to her. Spending a night dancing at a party with a man she'd just met, sharing passionate kisses in front of perfect strangers, and then spending a night with him in bed?

She could blame the alcohol for the dancing and kissing. But sleeping with him...

And then she realized something was wrong. Something she should have noticed before now.

"Why is it snowing? It's summer."

"I've been wondering that myself."

Char's voice was right behind her, and her pulse skyrocketed again. He slid his hands around her waist and stepped closer, his chest coming flush with her back, and she was back on the dance floor, warm breath gusting across her ear and soft lips touching her neck.

A shiver that had nothing to do with the weather ran down her spine.

"Char—"

"Good morning, Iris."

Her mouth went dry. He was good at this. Really good.

But he had a lot of practice, she reminded herself.

She swallowed, summoning her resolve. "Sh-shouldn't you introduce me to your friend now?"

"In a minute."

He turned her to face him, and her meager resistance evaporated. His green eyes were so persuasive. The fingers tilting her chin up were only asking her to do something she was already doing; the kiss on her lips was only adding fuel to butterflies already in motion in her stomach.

This was why he'd kissed her when he'd found her in that cave, she realized. He'd expected this reaction. This was the way girls usually responded to him.

But even knowing that, she couldn't help giving him a shy smile. "Good morning, Char."

"I don't want to leave you, Iris."

Her heart did a somersault, but she averted her eyes, unsure if she could take that at face value. "I bet you say that to all the girls you sleep with."

He guided her chin up and her eyes back to his, and when she saw the earnestness in them, her heart did another somersault.

"None until now. And I haven't actually slept with that many girls."

"You're just saying that."

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. Rath is the playboy in our family, not me."

"But all those girls at the party—"

"I like to dance. That's all." He kissed her again, a light, tender kiss, and somehow, she believed him. "Ready for breakfast?"

"Wait. Is my hair okay?" She pulled free from him and combed her fingers through her hair. "And my dress is wrinkled from sleeping in it..."

"I can help you change, if you'd like."