The soft rustle of Alaric moving with vamp speed broke through her reverie, pulling her back into the present. She blinked and turned her head slightly, catching a glimpse of Alaric rubbing something between his palm. The sound of his slow, deliberate movements grounded her, drawing her back to the warmth of the bath, the intimacy of their shared space.
She felt her heartbeat quicken, but this time, it wasn't from the old wounds of memory. It was from the new, unfamiliar feelings stirring in her chest—feelings that tied her to the man undressing before her, a man who had seen more of her in a few days than anyone else had in a lifetime.
Her breath hitched, her pulse drumming in her ears. He was different. Here, with him, her health and well-being were noticed. Her heart swelled with a quiet sweetness. 'He respects me. He cares for me. I think'
But one question lingered. 'Why did he marry me?'
