She curled her lip and watched him disappear into his room. She might think he was hot and more than a little mysterious, but she had no intention of trying to jump his bones. Good thing, since he’d just made it clear there would be none of that, anyway. He’d rejected her before she’d made a move . . . and she hadn’t even been planning to make a move!

Teeth gritted, she went in and took a hot shower. Finding a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top, she declared them “appropriate.” She assumed he wanted her body as covered as possible, but she didn’t own any grannie nightgowns that covered her from throat to ankle. He’d simply have to settle for her normal nighttime attire.

Wincing, she made it over to the bed and collapsed face-down. Her eyelids immediately drooped. The hot water of the shower had made her muscles feel a little better and it had made her extra sleepy. Grosset bustled into the room, followed by Theo.

Wordlessly, Theo started on her right foot, massaging it competently with strong hands. Sarafina groaned, feeling all the tension and soreness leak from her body the farther he moved up her leg.

And the farther he moved up her leg the more poignantly aware she became of his touch. He worked silently and in a very businesslike manner. This was not a man who’d suggested the massage as a way to try and get into her pants. Clearly, he meant only to work out the knots in her muscles so she could sleep better and they could get back to work the next day.

Considering what he’d told her about her clothing being appropriate, she should be offended. She certainly should not be enjoying the slide of his calloused palms over her skin and the deep, strong pressure of his fingers massaging her calves and thighs. It relaxed her body and also made her feel tingly in places he most certainly was not touching.

His touch also made her feel oddly comforted and protected. When she gave in to the fact that she liked his hands on her—really she didn’t have any energy left to fight it, anyway—her body tipped so far into drowsiness that it was impossible to recover.

When Theo reached her shoulders and turned the muscles there into melted butter, the comforting darkness of sleep closed over her head like a wave crashing onto the beach.

THEO NOTED SARAFINA’S BREATHING DEEPEN TO slumber as he finished working the tension from her back. Once he was satisfied that he’d helped her recover from the stress and strain of the grueling week she’d put in, he withdrew and took a moment to watch her sleep, totally unable to resist the urge.