Chapter 353: Caring_Part 2
Evenly opened the box and took out the medicine creams. She uncapped one, dipped her two fingers into the transparent ointment, and moved closer to apply it on his neck.
Rav stiffened, feeling the air knock out of his lungs at her closeness and at the strands of her hair that tickled against his opened torso. Knowing that if he breathed, he would breathe in her scent, he held his breath and tensed his muscles, as though trying to force himself to be less aware of her presence.
To be honest, this was the very first time since his wife’s death that another woman had come this close to him, or even touched a hair on his body. After losing his wife and son, he had sworn to himself that until the day death carried him to wherever their souls were, he would never allow himself to touch another woman. He had promised to remain loyal until death to his wife, which was why he had turned himself cold and unfeeling toward any desires for women, refusing even the slightest touch.
Now, for the very first time in a long while, a woman was touching him. Though it was not in the sense of a sexual touch, it still did not feel right that he let himself become so aware of her gentle fingers against his wounds, the soft strokes of it sliding over his Adam’s apple and across his collarbone.
Rav dared to lower his eyes, but stopped when his gaze caught sight of her small nose and her long lashes lowered over his skin as she worked. The uncomfortable feeling in his heartbeat returned, hammering against his chest, and he fought the urge to press a hand against it. Why was it that whenever she came close, he felt as though something inside his chest was fighting to break free?
Sitting still while her fingers stroked across his wounds was a kind of torture. He could not even feel the pain of his injuries anymore, only her touch. His lungs were already burning for breath by the time she was finally done and moved back a little. Then she lifted her light red eyes to his and said,
"All done. If you can wear a light nightwear to sleep instead of your regular day clothes, it will help the healing go faster."
It took a few seconds for her words to settle in Rav’s muddled head before he replied without thinking,
"I don’t have a nightwear."
He realized what he had said as soon as the words left his mouth. He saw her nod as though she had already expected that and then she remarked,
"I noticed that, which was why I selected few set of nightwears for you when Belle told me to help you pick some attires. Let me get it for you."
Evenly set the medicine box down on the stool and strode toward the bags they had brought back but had yet to open because of the situation that had forced them to rush home before finishing their purchases.
With Belle and Angel’s condition weighing heavily on her mind, Evenly had not dared to think of their shopping. If not for the assistant girl in the shop who had followed them to the carriage with the bags of items they had managed to purchase before Angel’s scream had alerted them, Evenly doubted she would have carried the bags at all.
Now she walked to them, opened one, and pulled out a fine set of men’s sleeping wear made of soft, light fabric. She walked back to where Rav was fastening his buttons again and said,
"You can’t wear that shirt. Take it off and wear the nightshirt instead. You can change behind the wooden divider." Her voice was gentle and good-natured, as if this, too, was something completely normal.
Rav had never owned a nightwear before, not even when he had been with his wife and family. He had always slept in his old worn-out attires, turning them into makeshift sleepwear, even though many might find that uncomfortable. He stared down at the fine off-white set of nightclothes handed to him and hesitated only a moment before taking them, knowing that if he refused, she would only command him to take it anyway.
"Thank you, ma’am," he said softly as he stood and gave her a slight bow before making his way behind the wooden divider. He felt her eyes follow him until he disappeared behind the screen.
A few minutes later, he came out, looking uncomfortable in the new nightwear. They seemed almost as if they had been made for him, fitting loosely like the fine sleepwear of a nobleman. Yet, to Rav, it felt as though he was wearing less clothing than ever. The fabric was so light and soft that he knew if he stood in front of a light, it would become transparent.
It was so fine that he felt his rough body wasn’t suited for something this good. The smoothness of it against his skin was so strange that he had to stop himself from continuously running his fascinated hands along the fabric as he walked back into the room.
Rav stopped short when he noticed Evenly bent over, fixing his sleeping place on the floor.
"You don’t have to do that, ma’am. I will do—"
"Shut up and wait for me to finish. You have bruised your ribs, and bending down might not be good for your healing." She interrupted firmly as she smoothed out the double blanket and set the pillow in place, trying to keep herself busy and distract her mind from the thoughts she knew she would not be able to avoid once she got into bed herself.
When she was finished with the arrangements, Evenly stood and turned toward Rav. Her eyebrows lifted slightly in amazement at how the nightwear she had picked looked on him.
He was tall and lean, not too lean, as he carried muscles in all the right places from years of hard work. The long-sleeved shirt reached almost to his knees, and the trousers hung loose around his legs. Yet he stood before her with his hands held in front of him, like a servant awaiting orders from his lady. And Evenly realized she did not like seeing him this way.
Though she had been raised as a noble lady who always had servants at her beck and call, she had never truly liked them fussing too much over her. And because she had once believed Rav to be a heartless man, the one who had turned her into a vampire and cared nothing whether she lived or died, she had treated him harshly whenever she could, putting him in the place she thought he belonged, which was that of a servant.
Now, however, seeing him standing so still, avoiding her gaze and keeping his head lowered, a strange heaviness pressed against her chest.
Evenly stepped away from the sleeping place to give him space.
"You can lay down now," she said.
Rav nodded with a small bow of his head in thanks.
"And make sure not to sleep on your chest like I noticed you did last night," Evenly added softly. "Sleep on your back for now."