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 ne and immediately heard about your mess. My suitcase is still at the nurse''s station."


    "Yeah," Rupert replied, ncing 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 exined 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 shed back to their earlier kiss. She frowned and tried to look away, her cheeks burning.


    It was only when she felt something cool dabbed onto her swollen cheek that she realized Rupert was just putting ointment on her face.


    She quickly dropped her gaze, hiding whatever thoughts had just raced through her mind.


    Rupert noticed anyway. Watching her squirm, he smirked. "Rx. With a face like this? Not exactly kissable right now."


    Sylvia''s hands curled into fists on herp, her face growing even hotter.


    She red at Rupert. "Uncle Rupert, that''s not funny! I can do it myself!"


    She reached for the ointment, but Rupert twisted away in his wheelchair, and in the scramble, Sylvia lost her bnce and practicallynded in hisp.


    Rupert looked down, his grip on the ointment tightening, his eyes suddenly darker.


    Sylvia wasn''t just pretty-she was carefully put together, every detail seemingly polished to perfection. When she tumbled forward, the loose neckline of her hospital gown slipped, revealing more than she intended. Even with her bra on, what he saw was enough to make him feel ufortably warm.


    Rupert forced himself to look away.


    But Sylvia''s long dark hair slid off her ear and brushed against his pants. Even for a man with his self-control, his mind was filled with thoughts that were anything but innocent.


    Sylvia, oblivious to his changing expression, reached again for the ointment—until


    his warm hand suddenly settled at her waist.


    She hesitated, ncing up at him, and noticed him deliberately looking away. She looked down, realized what he''d seen, and quickly yanked her neckline up.


    "You saw?" Sylvia hurriedly scrambled back onto the bench.


    Rupert nodded, deadpan. "Yeah."


    "You..." Sylvia could only sputter. Now he was being honest? Normally, he couldn''t be bothered to exin anything.


    Fuming, Sylvia stormed off to the bed, yanked up the nket, and wrapped herself tight.


    Rupert, his back to her, let a small smile curl his lips. He capped the ointment and tossed the trash from the table.


    When he heard the rustling settle behind him, he finally spoke. "It''s not the first time, you know."


    Sylvia, mortified, immediately


    remembered the night they''d spent huddled


    warmth in the cave She


    blurted, "I was wearing clothes that time!"


    They weren''t exactly naked-just close.


    Rupert turned his wheelchair, resting his chin on one hand. "You were. Anyway,


    get some sleep. I''m heading out."


    The door closed with a quiet click. Sylvia rolled over, fuming. She definitely *was* wearing clothes!


    But suddenly, a thought struck her. She jumped up, opened the closet, and spotted the clothes Naomi had bought for her after they''d left the cave.


    She pulled out the lingerie-just ayer of sheerce.


    Might as well have been nothing at all.


    Groaning, Sylvia mmed the door shut and buried her face in the nkets.


    At the hotel.


    Chris, exhausted, dragged himself to his room and opened the door-only to find chaos.


    High heels. Men''s jackets. And, draped over a ck motorcycle helmet, a pair ofcy women''s panties.


    ssic.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!