Chapter 21

Caroline

*****

An obnoxious alarm penetrated the veil of sleep curtained across my mind. I groaned, my consciousness awakening and my dreamworld collapsing. The bed shifted around me, like someone else was here. For a moment, I believed it was Valentina and that I was back in my bed at Freya's.

I flew up and looked around. This wasn't room, though. My eyes followed the rumpled sheets to where a shirtless Marshall stood, stretching. He turned to face me and his ruffled hair, overgrown beard, and piercing eyes brought back the memory of yesterday. I took my time checking out his broad chest and muscular abdomen. His beauty was ethereal, almost blinding, and all-encompassing.

He rounded the bed to my side and I shrank down into the covers. His mouth peeled back in a half-smile, amused.

"You can't hide or escape from me, angel," he said in his oaky morning voice. "Here I'd thought you'd learned."

My cheeks flamed while I still attempted to bury myself under the sheets. Maybe if I went dee