Fever (Breathless #2)(24)

Her brow crinkled at the addition of “for now.”

He smiled as if realizing the source of her confusion.

“Eventually you’ll move in with me but I accept that you need time to adjust to our . . . situation.”

“You are crazy,” she muttered. “I’ve been kidnapped by an insane person.”

Jace scowled as they pulled to a stop in front of an ultramodern high-rise across from Central Park. A steady rain was now falling. He reached across to take her hand, pulling her toward the door as he climbed out.

“Hurry so you don’t get wet,” he said even as he rushed toward the entrance.

She was forced to run to keep up with him and by the time they got inside, she was out of breath. She grimaced as the denim stuck to her knees ripped away, aggravating the scrapes all over again.

Jace saw her expression and he swore as he stared down at her torn jeans. Taking her arm, he directed her toward the elevator and ushered her inside. Despite his effort to get them inside before they got wet, her clothes clung damply to her and she shivered.

The elevator opened into an elegant foyer with marble floors and a huge, crystal chandelier suspended from the ceiling. He nudged her forward and she stepped hesitantly into his apartment.

“We need to get you out of those clothes and I need to tend to your injuries,” he said grimly.

His statement made her hug herself tighter as if she could keep her clothes on with her action. Yes, he’d seen her naked, but the idea of being naked in front of him again made her feel extremely vulnerable.

She’d called him crazy, but she was more insane than he was because she was allowing this. It could be said he’d given her little choice, but she hadn’t fought that hard.

“We need to talk, Jace,” she stammered out. “This is nuts. I can’t be here with you. I don’t even know why you were at that shelter or how you knew I’d be there!”

He put a finger to her lips and his expression brooked no argument. “There’ll be plenty of time to discuss our situation after you’ve had a hot shower and I’ve looked at those scrapes. You’re right. We have a hell of a lot to discuss, and believe me, we’ll get there. But my first priority is ensuring that you’re taken care of.”

She glanced down at her bedraggled appearance and decided that a hot shower would definitely be welcome. Whatever his explanation was, she’d deal with it a lot better when she was warm and dry.

“Okay,” she murmured.

His mouth twitched suspiciously. “There. That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

She frowned. “What?”

“Giving me control. I’ll warn you now, Bethany. I’m very used to getting my way.”

What the . . . ? She hadn’t said anything about giving him control!

She opened her mouth to tell him just that but he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her, thoroughly shutting her up in the process.

Chapter ten

Bethany sat on the bathroom counter as Jace meticulously examined every scrape and cut on her body. And he was thorough. She was completely naked and he hadn’t left a single inch of her skin unexamined.

His lips were set into a fine line but he remained silent while he tended her wounds. She was still cold. Cold on the inside. Bone deep. She wasn’t sure she’d ever feel warm again.

After she’d spent several minutes shivering, Jace cursed—something he did commonly around her—and lifted her down from the counter.

“I’ll start the shower. You need to warm up. After you get out, I’ll bandage the scrapes. I don’t think you need stitches in any of the cuts but I’ll apply antibiotic ointment so they don’t get infected. While you’re in the shower, I’ll fix us some dinner.”

He didn’t wait for her agreement. That was pretty laughable since he hadn’t asked her for her opinion once. He leaned in, turned on the shower and then came back to where she was standing without a stitch of clothing on. And to think she hadn’t thought her day could get any more bizarre.

He slid one hand up her bare arm to her shoulder, squeezed reassuringly and then left the bathroom. She sagged against the counter and then turned to survey her reflection in the mirror. She looked like death warmed over. Tired. Haggard. Worried. Scared.

There were a million words that swirled in her mind.

She closed her eyes and swayed precariously until she gripped the edge of the counter to steady herself. For tonight, at least, she was safe. Even if she had no idea what had possessed Jace, she was fiercely relieved that he’d brought her here. Where no one could possibly find her. Where even Jack wouldn’t know where she was.

A reprieve. However short it was, she welcomed it.

Knowing she was wasting hot water, she stepped into the shower and groaned as the heat cascaded over her aching body. It was sheer bliss. The most wonderful thing she’d ever felt.

She tossed her head upward, letting the spray wash over her face and down her neck. Her scrapes stung as the hot water abraded them, but she was careful to clean all the cuts in her skin.

She remained in the shower until her body grew heavy and sluggish from being exposed to the intense heat for so long. After rinsing her hair one last time, she reluctantly turned off the water and stepped out.

Warm air washed over her, surprising her. She glanced upward to see that Jace had evidently turned on the bathroom heater and it was nice and cozy after her half-hour shower. He had decadent towels. Huge and fluffy, so soft that she felt surrounded by a cloud. She could almost wrap it twice around her body.