She nodded. “I’m fine. Just got up too fast.” She shook her head, walking to the bathroom. “I hope Bai stays away today, though.”

“I hope Bai stays away forever.”

She looked up at him, a weak smile passing over her lips. “Not much chance of that.”

I simply want you. That’s what Bai had said. The words hung heavily between herself and Theo, unspoken.

So when did an Atrika ever not get what he wanted?

SHE CAME OUT OF THE BATHROOM RIGHT WHEN Theo was walking down the hall to his bedroom. “Oh, sorry.”

He crowded her a little against the wall and Sarafina didn’t have time to wonder if it was on purpose before all the saliva in her mouth dried up. His breath eased over her shoulder and his chest rubbed against hers. Under her shirt, her nipples hardened.

He stayed that way. Right. Up. Against. Her.

“Uh, listen, Theo. I know you said we had to stay close, but does it have to be this close?” Her gaze flicked down to his towel.

“Does my state of dress bother you?” His voice rumbled out of him and reverberated deep within her.

She tried really hard not to stare at his chest. “I think you mean your state of undress, and let’s just say that you walking around like that might give me a heart attack. If you wanted, you could save Bai all the work.”

“That would be a pity, but I’m happy to know I affect you that way.”

She snorted. “You’d affect any woman that way. The charming thing about you, Theo, is you don’t know it.”

He reached out and took a strand of her hair between his fingers. She had no nerve endings in her hair, but that didn’t matter. Sarafina felt that touch straight down to her toes. “You scared me last night. Bad. You take risks that I don’t like, Sarafina.”

“Why do you care what risks I take? You barely know me.”

“Maybe I know you better than you think.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Maybe I’m starting to like you, too.”

Her heart rate kicked up a bit. “I didn’t think you liked anyone.”

“You thought wrong.” His gaze was intense, like every part of Theodosius Winters. He said nothing more, but his eyes had gone dark and that said everything. His pupils were dilated, which meant he was turned on.

She glanced down and hooked her freshly dried hair behind her ear. “Listen—”

He pulled her up against his chest and kissed her. His mouth slanted over hers and consumed her gasp of surprise. There was no sweet tasting like there had been last time, this was all taking. Her hand pressed against his chest as he parted her lips and slid his tongue in to brush against hers. Sarafina’s knees went a little weak at the hot taste of him.