Chapter 68

The warm glow of sunlight fell on Lia's closed eyelids. She could feel the cold winter morning air on her nose along with the clean smell of snow.

Did the fire go out while I was sleeping?

Lia curled into a ball for warmth when someone pulled the covers over her.

Who is that in my room?

She could hear the rustle of the sheets as her mysterious companion slid out of bed, and she felt a hand gently sweeping back her hair. Lia squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in the pillow. She didn't want to wake up—not yet.

She was afraid what had happened last night was all but a dream, a concoction of her mind. But it was far too vivid and too embarrassing to face now, sober and in broad daylight.

'If you keep acting like this, I can't promise I'll be gentle with you. My patience is already so thin, Camellia.'

'You've fooled me this whole time, with a body like this?'

The voice she'd heard—whether it was angry or holding back laughter—was undoubtedly Claude's.