Not afraid." Her words were whispered. When he picked her up, she snuggled into his chest and let her head rest against his neck. He smelled good, sweet and spicy though he wasn't all that warm. "You won't hurt me."

"No, I won't."

"Mm, hmm." She snuggled against him and her arms came up to wrap around his neck. She mumbled something else that was pretty unintelligible. He pushed open the door to the hallway and saw the door into his bedroom was open and Rodney was just coming out of the one that had been Celesta's. It had connecting doors into his room.

"Giselle is changing the sheets, sir....