Chapter 65

Blood, bedraggled, and soaked, Mari was still stunning. With her clothes off, she was mind-blowing. Her curves were full and lush, not the emaciated angles so popular these days. Generous alabaster breasts were tipped with plump dusky rose nipples. Pebbled from the cold, they made his mouth water. He couldn't help but wonder if they tasted as good as they looked.
"If you'll lie down, I'll get dressed."
That sounded like a plan to him. He twisted, leaning his good shoulder against the headboard and swung his legs onto the bed. He'd been having a bitch of a time resisting the urge to change and let his body heal itself. He just wasn't all that sure about what was going to happen with Mari when he did, and he needed to talk to her while he was still capable of doing so.
When she leaned over him to plump a pillow and slide it under his bad arm, he couldn't resist the urge to graze his lips across one of those nipples, and was delighted to see it tighten even further at the brief caress. He inhaled deeply, smelling sea water, sweat, blood, and under it all, the scent of sweet, aroused woman.
"Behave." She tapped him on the nose as she pulled away, but not before drawing the sheet and blanket up to his waist. When she turned to the duffel bag on the dresser, her ass was as sweet as the front view, round and soft and swaying while she moved. She held up a pair of sweat pants. "You want these?"
"No." He gave her a wink. "They won't fit when I shift."
"Ah. That I understand." She pulled his Canadiens jersey on over her head. It came almost to her knees, obscuring his view. Then she stepped into the sweatpants which were a good foot too long. It would have looked comical if it hadn't been somehow so damn sexy to see her in his clothes. "I'm going to go turn the water off in the tub. Can I get you a drink of water or anything?"
"No. I'm fine."
She was gone for a minute or two, and then he heard the toilet flush. When she returned, she immediately started straightening the room, picking up his boots and setting them into the minuscule closet.
"Mari, please. Have a seat."
She nodded and sighed. He gestured toward the one armchair in the tacky little room, then watched as she curled into it, tucking her bare feet up under her.
"Are you really going to be okay?" She twisted one long straight lock of hair around her finger. Her plump lower lip had a mark in it where she'd bitten into the flesh, and he wished he could go to her and kiss it better.
"I promise. In four or five hours, I'll be perfectly fine."
"Is there anyone I can call for you? Anything else you need?"
"No. But I need to know you're going to be safe. Is there someone you can call to take you home?" He didn't like the idea of letting her go, but he had to change soon, and she wasn't going to want to see it.
"I'm not going anywhere, Remy."
"Mari - "
She held up her hand. "I know you're going to change. I can handle it. But I want to be here to make sure you're all right when you come out of it. I don't have to go to work tomorrow, there's nobody at home waiting for me, and I want to talk to you. So go to sleep, or do whatever you need to do. I'll be fine over here."
"You're cute when you change. I'm not." The faint smile that flitted across her lips was worth the effort of his lame attempt at flirting. "Sure you can handle it?"
"I'm sure." A huge yawn split her jaws.
"I'd tell you to come share the bed, but a stone statue isn't very comfortable to sleep with. We can trade. I'll take the chair, you can have the bed."
"You're hurt, Remy. I'm not. I'll be fine over here."
"Once I turn to stone, I rest the same, no matter what position I'm in."
He threw back the covers and stood, staggering only slightly.
"Remy - "
"Please. In just a few minutes, I'm going to shift to my gargoyle form. Almost immediately, my body's healing mechanism is going to kick in, and for the next few hours I'm going to be a large hunk of solid marble. I don't need the bed. But you do. You need to get warm, and you've got to be sore. I'll worry a whole lot less if you're in the bed."
He watched her weigh his arguments, then she stood. She took the spare blanket from the closet and lined the chair with it, then hauled the chair over next to the bed. "Sit," she told him. She climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged on the edge.
He eased himself down. "What was that for?"
"You can put your feet up. There's plenty of room for me on the other half of the bed." Once he did, she tucked the blanket around him. It was an unnecessary gesture, but so sweet he had to smile. "Go ahead and change. I'll be here when you wake up. And thank you. For saving my butt tonight."
"It's a very nice butt," he teased. He waited until she'd fluffed the pillows and curled up on the far side of the bed, her sweet face turned toward him. "It's worth preserving."
She flipped a hand out and turned off the light, as if sensing that he didn't want her to see him change. "Goodnight, Remy."
"Good night, cherie. Sweet dreams."