You’re not, body. No.
I finally roll to my back and sit up. I’m going to need a coffee, a lot of water, a lot of food and a lot of painkillers. That’s just to get me through the morning. We still have another night here, and I’d rather be anywhere else.
A knock on my door has my head whipping towards it.
“Waverly?” Dax calls. “You awake?”
Shit. I glance at my wet, muddy clothes on the ground. I need to get rid of those asap before he sees them and knows that I didn’t go straight to bed last night. Then I need to get changed so he doesn’t see that I’m wearing something different pajamas. “One moment. I’m just getting dressed.”
“No problem. I’ve got breakfast for you. Come out when you’re ready.”
Of course he does.
I exhale and rub my face, and then I push to my feet, find a plastic bag, and wrap my clothes, shoving them to the bottom of my suitcase. I shower, change, and proceed out to where everyone is sitting at the breakfast table. A spread of bacon, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, fruit and yoghurt line the table, and my eyes widen at the sight.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Dax says, and I meet his gaze which is still all warm and affectionate.
God dammit.
I’m not going to get away with not discussing or repeating our kiss for long. How the hell am I going to get out of that one?
I have no idea.
“This looks amazing. Did you do this yourself?”
He nods, pulling out a chair. “What can I say? I’ve had plenty of years to learn to cook so I did . . .”
I take a plate and give Amy and Bobbie a small smile, which they return. I don’t look at the other two men. I can’t stand them and I know if I glance over, my face will give me away. They’ll know I want to claw their bloody eyes out just for being here.
I take some pancakes, fruit, yoghurt and eggs and slowly begin to eat. I don’t want to overload my stomach—not after last night. “I’ll get you some painkillers,” Dax tells me. “I know you haven’t been feeling well.”
I glance up at him, and see he’s looking at Bobbie with a skeptical, knowing glare. She keeps her eyes cast down to her lap, and I feel bad for her. I mean, she drugged me, but I still feel bad. She’s obviously not a great person, but her life has led her to that point. Is she truly to blame? I immediately shut that thought down, because Dax’s life led him to this point too, and I am fully blaming him.
“Thanks,” I murmur, before putting a grape into my mouth and carefully chewing.
Dax brings me back some coffee, water and painkillers, and I’m grateful. I swallow the pills and pray I’ll feel better soon because I don’t know how I’m going to get through the day if my health doesn’t improve.
“We’ll do some water sports today if you’re up for it. Enjoy a swim, and then tonight, we’ll all dine at the restaurant over the water. Does that sound okay?”
I look up at Dax and nod. Whatever he wants. That means I don’t have to sit here alone with him.
I need to find a way to get into the cabin and see Alarick before the morning is through. He’s going to want to make sure I got back to the house safely and I don’t trust that Mykel is going to give him the correct run of events. No, I’m fairly certain Mykel isn’t going to do anything but be, well, Mykel.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to go for a bit of a walk and clear my head. I won’t be long?”
“I can come with you, if you’d like?” Dax offers.
I stand, shaking my head. “No, if it’s okay I’d like to go by myself. I’m really not feeling well. I wouldn’t want you to see me like that.”
I give him a shy look, and a small smile.
That does the job. He smiles back at me, and nods. “I’ll await your return.”
Yeah, okay, prince charming.
I take a plain pancake, get my shoes, and then give him another bashful look before walking out the front door.
The air is crisp and cool, and the water is gorgeous and flat. There’s not a cloud in the sky and people are already out frolicking on the shore and enjoying the day. I walk towards the cabin where Alarick is staying, even though I find myself a little confused for a few minutes, trying to remember how to get to it. With a quick glance behind me to make sure I’m not being followed, I walk up the small dirt road that leads to it.
Everyone is sitting on the patio, having breakfast, and when they see me, they all stop talking. Briella makes a relieved sound and jumps out of her chair, running towards me. She throws her arms around my body. “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re okay, honey.”
“I’m okay. Feeling a bit stupid and sore, but I’m okay.”
She pulls back. “Don’t feel stupid. It’s not your fault. At all.”
I nod, and then glance up at Alarick, Samson, Kendric and Mykel, who are all sitting around the table, eating. Mykel’s eyes meet mine, and I get a funny feeling in my chest. A feeling I’m not familiar with. It almost feels like a schoolgirl crush, only I’m not a schoolgirl and I don’t crush . . .
I look away towards the rustic cabin and swallow, walk up and say good morning.
“How are you feeling?” Alarick asks. “You were in a bad way last night.”
“I’m okay. Not feeling great, but I’m okay,” I say softly. “Dax has been surprisingly nice and made sure I’m
