Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Rupert's eyes were dark, intense—like a wolf about to pounce.

Sylvia's breath hitched. Her skin, still flushed pink from a hot shower, seemed to glow in the soft light.noveldrama

Her gaze shimmered through the lingering mist. There was something dreamy and inviting about the way she looked at him.

Rupert leaned in slowly. The usual edge of dominance in his movements was gone, replaced by a rare hint of hesitance.

Sylvia stared up at him, mind wiped blank. For a moment, she completely forgot to resist.

But just as Rupert was about to close the distance between them, a tickle in Sylvia's nose snapped her back to reality.

She shoved him aside and rolled over, letting out a loud sneeze.

"Achoo!"

She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand, wiped her nose, and tossed it away. As she looked down, she realized a warm comforter had been draped over her shoulders.

Rupert was already lying on his back, eyes shut and voice rough with fatigue. "Just get some sleep."

Sylvia rubbed her nose, curling herself up on the edge of the bed. She figured she could make do for now; the day had been a rollercoaster, and she was utterly drained.

She fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow-but it was freezing. Every inch of her backside felt icy, even though she could sense warmth radiating from Rupert beside her.

The contrast drove her half-mad. When she was hovering on the edge of dreams, shivering, a strong, gentle hand slid around her waist and pulled her close.

Suddenly pressed to his warmth, Sylvia relaxed, nestling her head against his chest. Her cold fingers instinctively searched for more heat.

Then, a bigger hand closed over hers.

From above, Rupert's low voice rumbled, "Careful where you put your hands. Unless you really don't want to sleep."

Sylvia froze, and decided to behave. Soon, she drifted off, finally warm and safe. She didn't wake until her phone buzzed, Eloise's name flashing on the screen. The sound startled her, and for a moment she felt like her soul had just caught up with her body. She stared at the empty bed, dazed, before answering.

"Sylvia, come downstairs for breakfast," Eloise said.

"Yeah, okay," Sylvia croaked, her voice rough.

"You sound wrecked. Didn't sleep well?"

"No, I'm fine. I'll be right there."

She hung up, jumped out of bed, and hurried through her morning routine before dashing downstairs.

...

Dining Room.

Sylvia was surprised to find Bridget already there.

"Sylvia, good morning! Sleep well?" Bridget asked, a little too intently.

Sylvia wasn't sure what she was getting at, so she just replied, "Pretty well."

Once they'd all sat down, Eloise started running through the plans for the afternoon's jewelry showcase.

"Oh, and Sylvia, I know you didn't bring a dress for the event. Luckily, a friend of mine has a studio here, so I borrowed one for you."

She handed Sylvia a big shopping bag from beside her chair.

Sylvia peeked inside the color was exactly her style. "Thank you, Ms. Eloise."

Eloise nodded, then turned pointedly to Bridget "Ms. Simpson, I assume you're all set? With Mr. Rupert- around, I doubt you need my help. I'm not exactly connected enough to get the top designers, anyway."

She sounded humble, but Sylvia could hear the slight dig in her words.

After last night's dinner disaster, Bridget had jumped up to point fingers at Sylvia. The

misunderstanding had turned

Bridget into a bit of a laughingstock

among their peers.

Bridget clearly caught the subtext but kept her smile gentle. "No trouble at all, Ms. Eloise. Mr. Rupert already took care of everything for me."

Sylvia had heard enough of these not-so-subtle hints before. She kept her head down, focused on her breakfast, ignoring Bridget completely.

Bridget seemed annoyed by her lack of reaction, but after a moment, she just smiled again.

Putting down her fork, Bridget remarked, "The hotel breakfast is lovely, but honestly, nothing beats the fried doughnuts and coffee at Pike Place Market."

Sylvia paused for a second at the mention of the market.

Bridget watched her, then continued, "Last night, I wasn't feeling well at dinner, so Mr. Rupert went out to find me some snacks. He even made sure Orson brought them back while they were still warm.”

She gave a bashful little laugh. "He said he was coming down with something and

decided to sleep in another room-didn't want to risk getting me sick."