Chapter 252
Gregory’s hand slid under the hem of Anathea’s nightgown.
“Gregory!” Anathea cried in protest as she reached out to stop him, but his free hand gripped her wrist.
“Don’t worry, I’m not trying to take advantage of you. I just don’t want to see you suffer like this.” Gregory’s voice rang out above her head, and he sounded like he meant well.
Anathea snorted. “Oh, gee, I wonder who caused my suffering in the first place? Why bother pretending you care about me now?
་་
She didn’t need his fake compassion.
“Nat-”
“Don’t call me that! It makes me sick,” she spat, cutting him off.
Gregory could explain all he wanted, and she would still refuse to believe him. She would only believe what she’d seen with her own eyes.
After clearly witnessing everything he’d done and his behavior, what reason did she have to take him at his word? Gregory stopped short, and his voice was soft when he asked appeasingly, “Alright, what should I call you if not ‘Nat‘?”
“Don’t call me anything because I won’t answer!” Anathea snapped. She wouldn’t bother responding to him even if he called her anything else.
“I’ll call you Annie, then. I think that’s a nice pet name. Much nicer than ‘Nat.“” Gregory decided. “How about it, Annie?” Anathea broke out in goosebumps, and she frowned. “No!”
“Annie it is, then.” Gregory took the salve from her and said gently “Be good while I put this salve on you, Annie. It might sting a little.”
After that, he lifted the hem of her nightgown. When he saw the abrasion and the red, swollen skin around it, his lips pressed into a grim line, and he apologized, “I’m sorry, Annie.”
Anathea made no reply. After all, she didn’t accept his apology at all.
Gregory dabbed some salve with his finger and applied it to the abrasion on her thigh.
The burning pain soon subsided as the cool salve worked its magic, and Anathea’s body, which had been coiled tight with pain, finally relaxed.
When Gregory was done, he tugged down the hem of her nightgown.
“The doctor said you must apply this salve for at least two days before your wound recovers fully. Until then, you’re on bed rest and avoid walking around too much.”
ed to be
Anathea heard him, but she didn’t respond and instead tried to get off his lap.
Seeing this, Gregory slid an arm under her knees and another around her waist, effortlessly scooping her up. Cradling her, he left the bathroom and set her down on the large, soft bed.
Anathea felt him staring and lifted her gaze, her eyes wary.
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything.” Gregory let out a breath as he pulled the blanket over her. “Your fever just broke not too long ago. You must be tired. Get some sleep.”
With that, he returned to the bathroom and took a shower.
Anathea lay in bed and closed her eyes. She was indeed exhausted.
1/2
)
to him.
The bathroom door opened a moment later, and Gregory stepped aut with
The next
second, Anathea felt the other
side of the bed dipy
with a sudden
the refreshing scent of soap
weight; Gregory had gotten
clinging
in bed.
He hadn’t slept
more than an hour last
night and was equally tired
Anathea flipped on her side so that she had her back to him. In the dim lighting of the bedside lamp, he could make out her beautiful but fragile shoulder blades under the thin fabric of her nightgown.
Gregory’s s eyes blades.
flickered with indescribable emotions at that moment. He leaned over and placed
a
soft
kiss on
her shoulder
Anathea’s fingers curled.
His heart started racing when he felt her go rigid. It hammered so hard against his ribcage, he thought it might fly out of his
chest.
He’d never
felt
this way
in
all the
29
years of his life.
So,
this
was what love felt like.
felt like a
lonely, lost soul
and scooted close until he was pressed against her back. He As realization set in, he kissed her hair who’d finally found a trace of warmth after spending a century traveling through freezing, barren snowfields.
Perhaps
his soul had
been frozen
for
so long that he
no
Even when he chance, okay?”
He couldn’t help o it, but at the
spoke, it I was in
longer recognized
he same time, was scared that the warmth would disappear. And
warmth, yet instinct had him
drawing closer
anyway.
d so, he moved carefully.
a tentative tone. “Annie, I don’t know how to
express love,
but
I’ll 1
try. I love
you. Give me
another
25 BONUS
