He shook his head. “Nothing,” he mumbled. “Come on, get in the chair.”
She really didn’t feel like eating but she thought he might force feed her if she didn’t try. Or, he might snap. Deciding to heed his wishes, she slid from the bed and plodded slowly over to her armchair in the corner. He placed the tray in her lap, pulling the cover off the plate of food. She frowned down at the toast and oatmeal.
“Your stomach probably couldn’t handle a big meal right now,” he explained.
Cassie glanced up at him, managing a wan smile. Picking up the spoon, she picked slowly at the oatmeal. She was surprised by how good it tasted, but she simply could not work up an appetite. “Are you going to watch me the whole time?” she asked softly, picking up a piece of toast.
He eyed her wearily for a few seconds. “I could use a shower.”
Cassie smiled at him, waving her hand toward her bathroom. “Go on, I promise I’ll eat it all, but you’re making me nervous.”
He managed a small grin before nodding briefly to her. Turning away, he plodded into the bathroom and shut the door. Cassie ate slowly, listening as the water turned on. She wasn’t fooled into thinking he would be in there for long. Focusing her attention on the oatmeal, she forced more of it down. It wasn’t until the shower turned off that she realized the rest of the house was oddly silent. Where were Chris, Dani, and Melissa? They had been her constant shadows for the past two weeks, never letting her out of their sight, but she could hear nothing beyond Devon’s shuffling around.
The bathroom door opened, Devon’s head popped out. His black hair was tussled and damp; it curled boyishly across his forehead. His eyes narrowed on her half eaten oatmeal. Cassie’s mouth went dry and parted slightly; her eyes almost bulged out of her head as he stepped out of the bathroom.
He had not placed his shirt back on, leaving the hard muscles of his chest, and the ridged lines of his abdomen revealed to her. His skin was still damp, the glistening water only served to highlight the carved muscles that ran through him. He was magnificent, beautiful and hard. Her heart turned over, it pounded in her chest as excitement spurted through her, causing her toes to curl.
Her forgotten spoon hung limply in her hand. Despite the intimacies they had shared, she had never seen him without his shirt on. Now, she never wanted to see him with it on again. Taking a deep breath, Cassie fought back the shiver of desire that raced through her. She raised her gaze slowly to his, finding his emerald eyes upon her, watching her keenly. An answering spark of hunger and desire glimmered brightly from them.
She was unable to keep back the shiver again as it raced through her, tearing up her back, and leaving her weak. She dropped her spoon, knowing that she would not get another bite into her, not now. Lowering her gaze to the tray, she was ashamed at the heat that flared through her cheeks, crept down her neck and set her skin aflame. “I’m done,” she managed to whisper, her voice choked and hoarse.
“Maybe you should eat more.”
She shook her head, unable to meet his gaze again. She had been gaping at him like an idiot, completely revealing her inadequacy around the male form. Around his form. She had always been a little embarrassed by her lack of experience around him, now she was mortified. He must think she was an idiot.
“Cassie…”
“I’m good,” she interrupted shyly. She had just proven that she was a child; she didn’t want to be treated like one too. Her mind flashed to Isla, beautiful, seductive, knowledgeable Isla. She wouldn’t have blushed at the sight of Devon’s chest, in fact Isla had seen far more of him, and Cassie was certain that Isla had not been at all bashful about it. That realization made Cassie feel like even more of an idiot. Though she knew Devon had never loved Isla, at one time she had been exactly the type of woman he liked. A type that was nothing like her.
She heard him moving around, and then he was in front of her again, gently taking the tray from her hands. She glanced shyly up at him; her face flaming even hotter as she saw that he had put his shirt back on. He knew that it had unsettled her. She truly was an idiot, she thought with an inward groan. An immature, foolish, idiot.
He placed the tray back on the bureau and swiftly returned to her. Taking hold of her hands he knelt before her again. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
She glanced at him from under lowered lids, trying desperately not to blush even more, but failing miserably. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable. Really.”
It wasn’t a lie, he hadn’t made her uncomfortable. He had made her many things, but uncomfortable was not one of them. He leaned in closer, looking wonderfully boyish and hopeful as he peered up at her. She couldn’t help but smile at him, enchanted by his emerald eyes. She had missed him so much, ached for him every day, and yet she had turned him away. What had she been thinking?
Though she knew that she had been hurt, deeply wounded, stricken with grief, it was still not an excuse. “You look exhausted,” he said softly.
Cassie shrugged absently, fiddling idly with the pleat in the workout pants she wore to bed. “Maybe a little,” she whispered.
“When was the last time you slept?”
Shrugging again, she glanced past him to the doorway. She had slept in bits and spurts but nothing solid, and it was always plagued and restless. “I’ve slept here and there,” she admitted softly.
His eyes flickered with that brief flash of worry again. Cassie frowned, surprised by the distress that came from him. “You need to sleep.”
Cassie shook her head. “The nightmares,” she whispered, frightened by the horrifying images that haunted her sleep. Nightmares about what her grandmother’s last moments must have been like, how frightened she must have been, and how painful they must have been.
“I’ll keep the nightmares at bay.”
Cassie’s eyes filled with tears, she reached out to gently stroke him, loving the feel of his hard cheek beneath her palm. She managed a tremulous smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but doubtful that he could actually keep them away. She nodded though, knowing that all he wanted was to take care of her and make sure that she was well.
“Yes.”
He took hold of her hands, helping her to her feet. Cassie was surprised by the relief that filled her as she climbed onto her bed, curling beneath the comforters he draped over her. The pillow felt like heaven, the sheets were deliciously soft against her skin. Devon closed the door and turned off the light, moments later he was crawling into bed beside her. Cassie cuddled against him as he pulled her tight to him.