Page 39 of Tarnished Crown

Kirill let out a bark of laughter and clapped his friend on the back while I took my opportunity to head inside. My toes were sufficiently numb, and the rest of me was quickly getting there.

I spun around to head back to the cabin, but instead collided with a steaming, naked chest.

“Lemmikki,” Evander grunted as he took a step back, adjusting the towel around his waist that I had apparently knocked loose.

“LordAalio,” I greeted in return, averting my gaze.

“You know, I wasn’t afraid of your hair before, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t now, after seeing it in the sauna...” he commented.

I narrowed my eyes, looking up at him to see his attention was fixated on a frozen curl that had escaped my towel.

While his own towel was now securely wrapped around his waist, another was draped across his shoulders, hanging down his back. It was unexpectedly modest, unless he was merely cold, but that didn’t seem likely.

His hair was slicked back, all but one small wavy strand that insisted on hanging over his brow. I twisted my wayward curl around my finger.

“Well, you should...see your hair. It’s disgusting.” Even I knew how ridiculous I sounded.

He didn’t call me on it, though. At least, not verbally. He only arched a single, skeptical eyebrow.

Instead of waiting around for any more delightfully uncomfortable interactions, I practically sprinted around him.

Now I just had to get to my room without running into any more naked men.Easier said than done at this cabin.

CHAPTER29

Once I was in my room, I changed into the nightclothes Taisiya had packed. It was one of the new sets, leggings and a long, loose shirt in the same soft, patterned fabric Evander’s had been in.

I was curled up in the chair in front of the hearth, using the heat from the flames and a fresh towel to dry my hair, when a familiar indolent knock sounded at my door.

Knowing full well who it was, I was tempted to ignore it, but curiosity had me padding over to the door and wrenching it open.

Evander stood there, in his nightclothes also, which struck me as oddly amusing. Had he decided to come here at the last minute?

“We should talk about tomorrow,” he said without preamble.

He moved past me into the room, and I didn’t have it in me to argue propriety when that ship had sailed.

“By all means,” I muttered, gesturing to the small chairs near the fire before sinking into the one I had been using before.

He sank into the chair but didn’t speak right away, instead taking a long sip of the drink he had brought with him while he stared into the flames.

Something in his expression was less guarded than usual, making me wonder how many imbibements he had consumed before this one.

The thought made me long for a stiff drink as well.

“If you’re going to bring a drink for yourself, the least you can do is share.” I held my hand out expectantly.

He raised his eyebrows but surprisingly didn’t argue, passing the glass my way.

My fingers bumped against his as I took it from him, sending an uncomfortable zap straight through to my spine. I pulled the glass away a little too quickly, only barely managing to avoid spilling it.

I took a healthy swig, noting that the vodka was even better on ice. Or perhaps this was just better vodka, period. The smuggler had clearly been holding out on us.

When I was finished, I set the glass on the small table between us, not wanting to risk contact with him again.

Evander’s gaze followed the motion, his lips twisting wryly.

“Tomorrow?” I prodded him.