Chapter 41: Only Us
Evie’s heart thumped loudly in her chest as she locked eyes with Ezra. Wh-what? Did he really want her to stay in his room even after Shane had left? They had only agreed to this arrangement to keep Shane from finding out, and now that he was gone, it made no sense for her to linger.
"Why?" Evie wanted to ask, but what came out was, "I don’t think that’s necessary, Ezra." She then mentally cursed herself.
He pulled back slightly, narrowing his gaze, and she pressed on. "We only shared a room because of Shane. Now that he’s gone, it’s best if we return to our previous arrangement," she stated, meeting his gaze head-on. Ezra stared back at her, unblinking, before finally nodding in agreement.
"If that’s what you want," he muttered, and Evie pressed her lips together, feeling a mix of relief and disappointment. She returned to her old room while Ezra went to his. Flopping onto the bed, she stared at the ceiling, biting her lower lip as a whirlwind of thoughts flooded her mind. Why had she insisted on not staying? Now that she was back in this room, the silence was deafening, and she felt boredom hit hard. She narrowed her eyes at the door, wondering what Ezra was doing. Was he going to come back and knock? But why should he? She had drawn the line and now she wanted him to cross it. Was she really being that unreasonable?
Just as these thoughts circled in her mind, a sharp knock on the door snapped her back to reality. She shot up, heart racing. Ezra!?
Clearing her throat, she rushed to the door, only to find the butler standing there. "Sam?" she inquired, disappointment creeping in as her shoulders slumped.
"Miss, would you like to have anything?" he asked.
Evie paused for a moment before replying, "Can I get tea?"
"What kind of tea?" Sam inquired, knowing there were numerous options.
"A calming tea," Evie responded decisively.
"Right away, miss. Anything else?" he continued.
"No, just that," she confirmed with a smile, bowing slightly before he left.
Standing by the door, she stole a glance into Ezra’s room, where silence reigned. Did he go to sleep? A wave of curiosity tugged at her, but instead of checking, she retreated into her own room and shut the door behind her.
Moments later, Sam returned with the perfectly brewed tea, steam rising from the cup. "Thank you so much, Sam," Evie said, grateful.
"Anytime, miss," he replied, leaving her once more.
Outside, the darkness thickened and the wind picked up, trees swaying ominously in anticipation of rain. Evie locked her windows and dove into bed, wrapping herself in the duvet as she sipped her tea. It tasted great, a brief moment of comfort before she set the empty cup aside and settled in to sleep. Just as she drifted off, a sudden flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a deafening crash that jolted her awake. Heart racing, she jumped out of bed, eyes locking onto the window, now shattered and glass scattered across the floor. A branch had struck, leaving a gaping hole.
"What the hell?" Evie thought, scanning the chaos around her.
A knock resounded at her door. "Come in," Evie called, her heart still pounding.
Sam stepped inside, concern etched on his face. "I’m sorry, miss, but I heard a loud noise and had to check on you."
Evie pointed toward the window. "The window is broken," she stated.
"I need to inspect it," Sam said, crossing the room with care as his shoes crunched on the glass. After taking a quick look, he turned to her. "Miss Evie, there’s nothing I can do tonight. You need to spend the night in Master’s room. The window will be fixed by morning."
Evie’s heart raced. She had no choice but to seek refuge in Ezra’s room. Still weighing her options, she heard Sam’s voice again, pointing out the obvious. "You can’t sleep here like this, miss."
She knew he was right.
"I know," Evie agreed firmly. "I’ll go to his room. Thanks for checking up on me." She turned to leave, rubbing her arms as a chill ran through her. The rain lashed outside, lightning striking, and she couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Even though Ezra’s room was just down the hall, it felt like an eternity before she reached it. She knocked on his door but received no response.
"Ezra?" She asked, pushing the door open and peeking inside. Her frown deepened when she found the room empty. With another flash of lightning, she hurried inside, shutting the door tightly behind her.
"Ezra?" she called out, scanning the room with growing apprehension; it appeared darker than she remembered. She could feel her heart racing, half expecting something to jump out from the shadows. A small light caught her attention, and as she approached it, she pulled back the curtain to reveal Ezra, lounging in a bathtub, a sleep mask covering his eyes and headphones over his ears. Relief surged through her. So this is what he was up to.
"Ezra?" Evie tapped his shoulder, and he lifted the mask from his eyes, meeting her gaze before removing his headphones.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone curious.
Evie took a steadying breath. "I
... My... window broke. I can’t sleep Ezra," she admitted, rubbing her cold arms.
There was a pause as he absorbed her words, then he asked, "Do you want to come in?"
Evie’s eyes widened. "In there?" She gestured to the small tub, questioning if there was enough space for both of them.
"Yeah," he replied, his expression sincere. "It’s warm."
She hesitated but finally nodded. "Okay. I’ll change," she said confidently, ready to remove her clothing.
She began unbuttoning her jacket, momentarily pausing when she noticed Ezra’s unwavering gaze on her. He didn’t look away. She took in a deep breath. She was still in her bra, it wasn’t as if her breasts would bounce out any moment from now. She shrugged off the jacket and slid down her pants, placing them aside, and standing in her underwear. She glanced at him, noticing how his eyes traced her form, and his gaze intensified.
"Come in," he urged, and she moved with purpose, sliding her leg into the tub, letting the warm water envelop her.
"Careful," he said, steadying her hand as she shifted her other leg in. Once she was settled, he instructed her, "Sit here," and she positioned herself between his legs, her back against his firm chest, water surrounding them. Heat crept into her cheeks as her heart raced.
"Are you comfortable?" he asked, his voice low and close to her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Hmm," she responded, swallowing hard. The warmth of the water contrasted with the heat radiating from him. Their heartbeats synced in a rhythm, and she pushed down the rising tension; the sound of water was the only thing breaking the silence.
"Would you like a massage?" Ezra asked, his insightful tone cutting through the air as he sensed her tension.
"You know how to massage?" Evie questioned, a hint of skepticism lacing her voice.
He didn’t answer but soon set to work, his warm hands gliding over her neck and shoulders. Each touch sparked an electric current through her, melting away her tension. She leaned back into him, silently urging him to continue. "Does it feel good?" he inquired.
"Yes," Evie replied, her eyes closing to fully embrace the sensation. Ezra splashed water over her shoulders, his fingers deftly massaging her as she felt herself slipping into a state of bliss. The soothing warmth almost lulled her to sleep, but the closeness ignited her senses.
His hands traveled down her arms, intertwining with hers, pulling her back into the moment. She opened her eyes, unable to find the words. "I’ve been meaning to tell you something, Evie," Ezra said, his tone serious.
Her heart thudded harder. "What is it?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with anticipation.
He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear, sending a delightful shiver through her, and her toes curled. "That I want you," he said.