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Danse Macabre :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 423 из 427It was like watchingthe light fade from him. «Did you ask me to sit so you could grind the knife in deeper?»
«If I want to grind a knife in, you'll know it. I'm just trying to talk.» I had to cough to clear my voice. «Is there water?»
Asher looked around the room. It was Remus who found a pitcher of water and a little cup. He poured it, then hesitated, and finally handed it to Asher. The two men had a moment where you could almost feel the battle of wills, then Asher finally took the cup, and came to the bed. He would not look at me as he offered the water with a little bendy straw in it.
The water tasted stale, but it was cool, and felt wonderful in my mouth and throat. I raised my untaped arm to help hold the cup. My fingers brushed Asher's hand. He jumped, as if it had hurt, but I knew it hadn't hurt. «Have I spilled water on you?»
«No, just a little on the sheets.»
«You are the only woman except Belle who has ever made me feel clumsy.»
Ixion was there with a handkerchief. Asher took it and dabbed at the few spots he'd gotten on the sheets.
«Is that a compliment, or an insult?» I asked. My voice sounded better, less hoarse. It made me wonder how long I'd been unconscious. I didn't ask, because if it had been a long time, then Asher would feel worse, and I'd be more scared. I let it go.
He finished trying to soak the water up, handing the handkerchief back as if he expected Ixion to simply be there to take it. He was, and he did, but the offhand quality of the gesture made me wonder again how long had I been out. «It is neither, just the truth. You have made me feel awkward from the moment I met you.»
«I tend to have that effect on ladies' men.»
He looked at me then. I tried to read his expression and failed. «I am a ladies' man, am I?»
«Belle Morte made certain that all of you were good with the ladies.»
«And the men. Do not forget, Anita, she made certain we knew how to pleasure men, as well.»
I nodded, and stopped, because the bandages pinched. «I've grasped that concept, thanks.»
«But you are not happy with it.»
«More puzzled by it.»
He smoothed the sheets where he'd dampened them. I think he was looking for anything to fuss over, rather than what we were doing. I'd never seen him this uncomfortable.
I did what I'd wanted to do since he walked into the room. I laid my hand on his. He went very, very still under my touch. That awful, unnatural stillness, where it feels like you're not touching anything alive.
«If I want to grind a knife in, you'll know it. I'm just trying to talk.» I had to cough to clear my voice. «Is there water?»
Asher looked around the room. It was Remus who found a pitcher of water and a little cup. He poured it, then hesitated, and finally handed it to Asher. The two men had a moment where you could almost feel the battle of wills, then Asher finally took the cup, and came to the bed. He would not look at me as he offered the water with a little bendy straw in it.
The water tasted stale, but it was cool, and felt wonderful in my mouth and throat. I raised my untaped arm to help hold the cup. My fingers brushed Asher's hand. He jumped, as if it had hurt, but I knew it hadn't hurt. «Have I spilled water on you?»
«No, just a little on the sheets.»
«You are the only woman except Belle who has ever made me feel clumsy.»
Ixion was there with a handkerchief. Asher took it and dabbed at the few spots he'd gotten on the sheets.
«Is that a compliment, or an insult?» I asked. My voice sounded better, less hoarse. It made me wonder how long I'd been unconscious. I didn't ask, because if it had been a long time, then Asher would feel worse, and I'd be more scared. I let it go.
He finished trying to soak the water up, handing the handkerchief back as if he expected Ixion to simply be there to take it. He was, and he did, but the offhand quality of the gesture made me wonder again how long had I been out. «It is neither, just the truth. You have made me feel awkward from the moment I met you.»
«I tend to have that effect on ladies' men.»
He looked at me then. I tried to read his expression and failed. «I am a ladies' man, am I?»
«Belle Morte made certain that all of you were good with the ladies.»
«And the men. Do not forget, Anita, she made certain we knew how to pleasure men, as well.»
I nodded, and stopped, because the bandages pinched. «I've grasped that concept, thanks.»
«But you are not happy with it.»
«More puzzled by it.»
He smoothed the sheets where he'd dampened them. I think he was looking for anything to fuss over, rather than what we were doing. I'd never seen him this uncomfortable.
I did what I'd wanted to do since he walked into the room. I laid my hand on his. He went very, very still under my touch. That awful, unnatural stillness, where it feels like you're not touching anything alive.