Page 101 of Madness Becomes Her

He’s processing what happened, and I think I need to give him the time and space to do so, as he’d do for me if the roles were reversed.

“I miss you,” I whisper, knowing he won’t hear me but needing to say it, nonetheless.

An hour later, I’m dressed and leaving the Bog with Lewis. Hatter never comes out of his workshop to join us, and I spendthe day being celebrated and doted over, when my mind is anywhere but with the people of Wonderland.

I have to wonder if it’s the end of my misadventure with the Mad Hatter, and this is where he sends me home, even if it breaks my heart even to think about it.

Walking inside the house,I close out the revelry happening around the tea table. Far too much funny punch was had, and I’m confident I’ll find all kinds of folk asleep on the ground in the morning.

The punch is coursing through my veins, and a buzzing urges me to stay upright. Lying down would make the world spin, even though I know I should probably go to bed.

My hand rests on my door knob as my eyes wander down the hall.

Light filters from beneath Hatter’s workshop door, and my heart races as I think of the man behind it.

What the hell could he be doing in there?

Spurred forward by spiked punch and delusion, I storm down the hall and burst into the room.

Hatter looks up from the table where he’s working, his eyes narrowing at me over the rim of dark glasses on the tip of his nose.

Removing a pin from his lips, he straightens. “Eleanor? Are you alright?”

“Nope!” I slur. “I demand to know why you’re mad at me.”

“What?! I’m not mad at you.”

“You haven’t spoken to me or slept in the bed with me for days. Something’s the matter, and I demand to know what it is.”

“Are you drunk?”

“No.” I swallow thickly as he moves around the worktable. He is wearing no shirt and is only in tight, gray sweats. “Well, a little. I had some punch at the Frabjous Day celebration that you were supposed to be at, by the way!”

“Frabjous Day?! Was that today? Good heavens, I lost track of time.”

“Yes! It was today, and I had to go alone because you were holed up in here doing God only knows what, while I was preoccupied worrying about how to make you love me again.”

“Oh, Tiger Lily.” He stops walking when he’s close enough to loom overhead. “Nothing could ever make me stop loving you. I’ll love you beyond death. I love you beyond reason.”

Now, it’s impossible to swallow altogether. “Well, then.”

He smirks at my loss for words. “Did you come in here to scold me?”

“Yes. Is it working?”

“Maybe.” He lifts me, turns me, and plops me onto the worktable. The room spins a bit, and I close my eyes.

His hands on my hips distract me from my anger, and when his lips crush to mine, a moan I try to keep at bay meanders out of its own accord.

I wrap my legs around him as his hands explore.

His lips break from mine, skimming down my throat, teasing.

“I’m very mad at you,” I breathe, squeaking, when he nips my pulse point.

“I heard.”

“Don’t you care?” Gasping at the way his hands sink beneath my shirt and cup my breasts, I close my eyes.