Chapter 799
“Set the room temperature to fifty degrees.”
Charlotte sent the message, handed her phone to Anthony, and stood up to shrug off her heavy jacket.
Lower the temperature?
Anthony’s brow creased as he noticed she was only wearing a thin white blouse. He started to ask, but Charlotte spoke first. “My grandmother has a heart condition. She really can’t handle heat. If the room gets too warm, she starts to sweat, and it puts stress on her heart.”
While she talked, she rolled up her sleeves, her pale arms slender and graceful. “I’m going to give her a head massage. It helps her circulation.”
“But…” Lavinia’s worry was written all over her face as she glanced at Charlotte, so fragile-looking in the chilly room. “Your grandmother has blankets, she’ll be fine. But what about you? Aren’t you freezing in that?”
“I’m alright.” Charlotte sprayed her hands with disinfectant, her eyes steady and calm. “If I wear too much, I can’t move properly.”
Lavinia pressed her lips together, clearly concerned but unable to argue.
“You should all step out for a bit,” Anthony said quietly. His eyes lingered on Charlotte, worry softening his normally sharp expression. “Lottie and I have Grandma covered.”
“Alright.”
Lavinia nodded and left the room, taking the doctor and the maid with her.
The room fell quiet.
Charlotte bowed her head, her fingers moving gently over Patricia’s scalp, pressing and massaging the pressure points with practiced care.
The massage went on for nearly two hours.
When she finally finished, Anthony was quick to drape his coat over Charlotte’s shoulders and gather her into his arms.
“Are you cold?”
“I’m okay.” Charlotte leaned into his chest, her face showing just how tired she was. “Once the medicine gets here and Grandma takes it, she’ll be fine.”
Anthony glanced at Patricia, who already looked better, but then he looked down at Charlotte in his arms-her face was so pale, it made his heart twist. He scooped her up and carried her out of the room.
“There are doctors with Grandma. You need to rest now.”
“Okay.”
He told a maid to make some ginger tea, then carried Charlotte upstairs to the bedroom.
But instead of putting her on the bed, Anthony brought her straight into the bathroom.
He tossed a towel onto the counter and set her down on it.
The sound of running water filled the room, steam curling into the air. When Anthony’s cool fingers brushed her skin, Charlotte finally seemed to realize what he was doing.
“What’re you doing?”
“I don’t want you catching a chill. Take a hot shower before you sleep.”
Anthony kept talking, but his hands didn’t stop. Slowly, he undid the buttons on her blouse.
Underneath, she was only wearing a white camisole. As the blouse slipped off her shoulders, the light caught her smooth collarbones and fair skin, making her look almost luminous.
Anthony swallowed, feeling his throat go dry.
“Alright.”
Charlotte didn’t move, just braced her hands on the counter and watched him from beneath her lashes.
Two long minutes passed before Anthony finally picked her up and set her gently in the bathtub. He dropped a few bits of essential oil into the water to help her relax.
“Mmm.”
Once everything was ready, Anthony straightened up, a fine sheen of sweat on his brow.
“Soak for a while. I’ll wait outside.”
Charlotte stretched her arms along the edge of the tub, her face half-hidden by the steam, looking even more alluring.
As Anthony turned to leave, she frowned and grabbed his hand. “Why are you going outside?”
“Why do you think?” Anthony gave a helpless fittle smile, then bent down and pressed a deep kiss to her lips, his breath coming a little uneven. “If I stay you’re not getting any sleep, tonight content