Page 51

“Everything fits,” I called. “No worries there.”

I exited the tent, intending to help him clean up a bit, only to find he’d already eaten and put everything away. I picked up my waterskin and used some of the water to wash my face, then got out the toothbrush and paste Darcy gave me, scrubbing my teeth.

As I got ready for bed, the warden did the same. Only, his version involved being very hot and half-naked. I gaped, my toothbrush stilling against my molars, as he stripped out of his uniform’s shirt. Packed muscle rippled and tensed beneath his hide, the colour turned a velvety indigo under the light of the three moons and stars. He doused his face and ears with water, then swiped the moisture along the hard planes and muscled curves of his abdomen and chest.

Then, his hands went to his belt.

Oh fuck.

I spat out the toothpaste, clumsily rinsed my brush (nearly soaking my own boots in the process), and sprinted for the tent. I skidded inside it just as I heard the click of a metal buckle and the sound of a big warden’s trousers hitting the ground.

I can’t believe he was going to drop his pants right in front of me.

I can’t believe I’m not horrified.

If anything, I was almost beginning to regret my hasty exit. I could have taken a little longer with my teeth. Maybe gotten a better look at what Darcy and Cherry had tried so hard to draw last night…

No. Bad Tasha!

You were the one going on and on about what’s appropriate!

I put down my things in the tent, breathing hard. I sat down on top of some kind of leathery bedding, pulled off my boots, and set them outside while being very careful not to look at anything going on out there.

A few minutes later, I heard the rustle of fabric.

Then, he came inside.

“Do you have pants on?” I squeaked.

“Of course. Why? Would you prefer I took them off?”

“No! Sorry! I just… I saw you start to take them off outside…”

“I cleaned up and put on a fresh pair.”

“Ah. Of course. Thank you.”

“‘Thank you?’ You are thanking me for putting on clean trousers?”

“No! Yes? I don’t know.” Holy hell, I needed to stop talking now. Of course, I didn’t. Because that’s what a sane person would have done and, obviously, I was no longer included in that demographic. “Thank you for the pyjamas, Warden Tenn. They’re amazing.”

He was nothing but the barest hint of a silhouette in the darkness.

Until his eyes went bright white.

“You don’t have to call me warden,” he said. “You can just call me Tenn.”

My stomach flipped.

“I don’t know. That seems a little…”

“Inappropriate?” he said wryly.

“Maybe?”

It was probably stupid to keep worrying about that. Even though he’d put on pants, the man was shirtless as he lowered himself down beside me. We were about to spend the night together, for better or for worse.

He stretched out on his back, his hands behind his head. His eyes either went back to their original colour, or he closed them. I couldn’t tell which, but either way, the white light vanished.