Stumble into Love by Megan Hart

Author:Megan Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chaos Publishing

Chapter 6

Spending the night sweating and writhing around on his bed would have been fun, except, of course, that he'd done it alone. Hal sluiced cool water over himself, rinsing away the night's stickiness. Sleeping in the room had been like sleeping in a sauna.

He really wanted a shower, not a half-hearted soak in the claw-foot tub. Something brisk and refreshing to wake him up. He hadn't slept well. Between the heat and the erotic dreams he'd kept having about Laila, the hard and lumpy loveseat had seemed even more uncomfortable.

"Are you almost finished?" Laila rapped on the closed door. "I'm starving!"

"I'll be right out." Hal stepped out of the tub and toweled off. He brushed his teeth and ran his fingers through his hair, then opened the door.

Laila tapped the off button on the remote and laid it on top of the television. In the morning light, her eye looked even more horrific than it had the night before. Added to the swelled eye and cut brow were assorted other bruises on her cheek and forehead. He'd really nailed her.

She hadn't bothered trying to conceal the wounds with makeup either. Hal admired that. He knew her face would raise a lot of questions, but if Laila was willing to face them, so was he.

"Another day in the Alster family week of torture!" she intoned lightly. "Prepare yourself for another day of hiking, arts and crafts, and general merriment!"

"It hasn't been that bad," Hal said, watching her smile. He could watch her for hours.

"Not yet." Laila raised her uninjured brow. "There's still time."

"Starting with breakfast," Hal said.

She groaned, holding her stomach. "It's all too much!"

"Your family really isn't that bad," Hal told her.

Laila laughed. "I meant too much food, Hal. But thanks. They just haven't started the real grilling yet. Give them time."

Though the room was still stifling, the air outside was chill. Gray clouds hung low in the sky. Laila shivered as she stepped out and Hal joined her. It was more than just cold out here; it was downright bitter.

"I'm glad there's no ride scheduled for today," Laila remarked as they set off on the now-familiar path toward the main lodge. "I think I'm just going to stick by the fire."

That sounded good to Hal, too. Prop his feet up, read a good book. Laila would rest her head on his shoulder, and-- Whoa, he was getting carried away. Hal fought off the daydream. There was no sense in thinking about things that would only be fake, if they happened at all.

"'Morning!" Laila called to the table reserved for her family.

Hal braced himself for the comments on Laila's bruises, but none came. The table fell silent as they approached it. The subdued air was vastly different from the previous meals the family had shared.

Hal saw Laila's mother and Bubbe share a look as he and Laila sat down, but neither said anything. In fact, nobody said anything at all until little Henry spoke up.

"Gee, Aunt Laila," he said with syrup-smeared lips.

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