Chapter 9

I pushed the door closed behind me and stepped into the room, glancing down at her as she slept. Kneeling beside the edge of the bed, I frowned at the damp tracks on her cheeks—evidence of the tears she’d shed again after I left. Her face, usually so serene, was disturbed and weary, as though her dreams had tormented her through the night. I reached out gently and cupped her cheek; she exhaled a long, heavy sigh at my touch. Encouraged, I traced my thumb across her smooth, pale skin. Slowly, I watched the tension seep from her features, her brow unknitting, and her breath returning to an even, calm rhythm.

I studied her while the haze of sleep cleared from her mind—her delicate lashes, the gentle curve of her nose, and finally her lips. Small, pink, and soft, they made my pulse quicken, but I forced myself to pull my hand away, aware that I dared not cross that line. Just then, my phone buzzed sharply in my pocket, yanking my attention from her altogether. I straightened, my m