Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Chapter 360

Chris grabbed the room key without even looking at it and slipped it into his pocket.

"Nice, man. You really went all out—already got my room sorted. I'll head back now. I got off the plane and immediately heard about your mess. My suitcase is still at the nurse's station."

"Yeah," Rupert replied, glancing at him, not bothering to say much more.

After Chris left, Rupert told Orson to have someone keep an eye on him.

The room slipped back into silence.

Sylvia looked a little confused. "Uncle Rupert, what kind of keycard was that?"

"Hotel room key," Rupert said, as if that explained everything-which, of course, it didn't.

Sylvia rolled her eyes and reached to clear the leftovers from the table.

"Come here," Rupert said, nudging his wheelchair and pointing at the bench across from him.

Sylvia sighed, clearly not in the mood for more drama, but sat anyway. "What now?"

Suddenly, Rupert leaned in close. Sylvia froze, startled. She tried to scoot away, but he caught her chin, gently pulling her face back toward him.

He wasn't rough-just insistent enough to get her to stay put.

Sylvia's mind flashed back to their earlier kiss. She frowned and tried to look away, her cheeks burning.

was only when she felt something cool dabbed onto her swollen cheek that she realized Rupert was just putting

gaze, hiding whatever thoughts had just

With

curled into fists on her lap, her

glared at Rupert. "Uncle Rupert, that's not funny! I

reached for the ointment, but Rupert twisted away in his wheelchair, and in the scramble, Sylvia lost her

down, his grip on the ointment tightening,

detail seemingly polished to perfection. When she tumbled forward, the loose neckline of her hospital gown slipped, revealing more than she intended. Even with

forced himself to

off her ear and brushed against his pants. Even for a man with his self-control, his

oblivious to his changing expression, reached again for the

hand suddenly settled

noticed him deliberately looking away. She looked down, realized

scrambled back onto

Rupert nodded, deadpan. "Yeah."

only sputter. Now he was being honest? Normally,

off to the bed, yanked up the blanket, and wrapped herself

let a small smile curl his lips. He capped the ointment

him, he finally spoke. "It's

Sylvia, mortified, immediately

night

the cave