They’d moved their own base of operations to the ranches, flying wherever they needed to meet clients and liaisons. “No one can get in the house. Falcon is standing guard. My brothers and Ash are around. The workers have been posted to let us know if they see anything suspicious. Try to sleep.”
She moved stiffly toward the white lace pillows. “I’m not as brave as you think I am.”
“Yeah, you are.” He settled into the wingback chair. “You’ve had a shock. It’s just now hitting you. Maybe some hot tea would be calming.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to stay awake.”
“I’m right here. No one’s coming through that door.” He put his gun on the tiny table. “You’re safe.”
“Okay.”
She lay down, her body rigid and stiff under the covers. He could see her tension, knew that nerves had finally hit her, and awareness was cutting into the bravado she’d been shielding herself with.
He moved the chair closer to her bed, pulled off his boots and put his feet up on the end.
“Thank you for being here,” she said, her voice small.
“Go to sleep. Or I’ll have to hypnotize you,” he teased.
“I can’t. I know you’re not comfortable, and it’s making me worry. Stretch out here beside me so I can sleep.” Kendall put two king-size ruffled pillows down the center of the bed. “There’s your wall of fire.”
He sighed. “Barbie, a wall of fire like that wouldn’t stop a horny male. I’ll stay over here.”
She looked his way. “Why? Are you...horny?”
“God, no.” He was bone-tired. “I’m just saying your pillow wall wouldn’t exactly be recommended in terms of security.”
“I’m assuming you have some sense of chivalry, as well.”
“I don’t.” He closed his eyes.
“Then get up on the bed, on top of the covers, so I can sleep. You can practice chivalry and I’ll stop shaking.”
“Are you shaking?” That concerned him. “Okay, I’ll lie down. Don’t touch me, Barbie.”
“Believe me, I’d rather gnaw off my pink vinyl arm. Stop calling me that, you chauvinist.”
“All right. Now close your pink vinyl lips. A guy doesn’t get much sleep around you needy types.”
“That’s right,” Kendall said. “Blame the woman.”
He grinned in the dark. Then he smelled strawberry shampoo as he settled onto the feather pillow, and quit smiling. She was so near, tantalizingly close.
He wasn’t going to get a single minute of sleep.
But if she did, it would be worth it.
* * *
S LOAN AWAKENED in the night, his eyes wide-open. An arm had curved around his waist as someone snuggled up to his back. Warm, rounded breasts pressed against his shoulder blades.
Kendall.
Her cheek rested near his neck. He closed his eyes, for a moment indulging in her warmth and the sexiness of her body pushed up against his. “Kendall. Damn it. Get back on your side of the pillows.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She kind of giggled in her sleep, and rolled over.
Sloan drew in a deep breath. Now they were both saved from embarrassment in the morning.
Yeah, you’re a hero. Dummy.
She’d felt wonderful curled up against him. He’d never experienced anything that glorious in his entire life. His skin practically erupted in goose bumps at the memory of her breasts against him.
“I’m trying to protect you,” he told her, not sure if she’d drifted back to sleep.
“I know, you goof. Quit trying to be such an angel. It’s a little cold in this room, you’re warm and I accidentally got into your space. I’m not apologizing. I’ll go to Hell’s Colony tomorrow, so you don’t have to be so worried, okay? Now pipe down. I thought you were the loner in the family, and I swear you’re as chatty as Dolly Parton in Nine To Five. ”
He’d seen that movie on one of the bases he’d been stationed at, though he couldn’t remember which one. His mouth twisted. She had no idea what kind of man was sleeping in her bed. He was as dangerous as the mercenaries that were after
She moved stiffly toward the white lace pillows. “I’m not as brave as you think I am.”
“Yeah, you are.” He settled into the wingback chair. “You’ve had a shock. It’s just now hitting you. Maybe some hot tea would be calming.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to stay awake.”
“I’m right here. No one’s coming through that door.” He put his gun on the tiny table. “You’re safe.”
“Okay.”
She lay down, her body rigid and stiff under the covers. He could see her tension, knew that nerves had finally hit her, and awareness was cutting into the bravado she’d been shielding herself with.
He moved the chair closer to her bed, pulled off his boots and put his feet up on the end.
“Thank you for being here,” she said, her voice small.
“Go to sleep. Or I’ll have to hypnotize you,” he teased.
“I can’t. I know you’re not comfortable, and it’s making me worry. Stretch out here beside me so I can sleep.” Kendall put two king-size ruffled pillows down the center of the bed. “There’s your wall of fire.”
He sighed. “Barbie, a wall of fire like that wouldn’t stop a horny male. I’ll stay over here.”
She looked his way. “Why? Are you...horny?”
“God, no.” He was bone-tired. “I’m just saying your pillow wall wouldn’t exactly be recommended in terms of security.”
“I’m assuming you have some sense of chivalry, as well.”
“I don’t.” He closed his eyes.
“Then get up on the bed, on top of the covers, so I can sleep. You can practice chivalry and I’ll stop shaking.”
“Are you shaking?” That concerned him. “Okay, I’ll lie down. Don’t touch me, Barbie.”
“Believe me, I’d rather gnaw off my pink vinyl arm. Stop calling me that, you chauvinist.”
“All right. Now close your pink vinyl lips. A guy doesn’t get much sleep around you needy types.”
“That’s right,” Kendall said. “Blame the woman.”
He grinned in the dark. Then he smelled strawberry shampoo as he settled onto the feather pillow, and quit smiling. She was so near, tantalizingly close.
He wasn’t going to get a single minute of sleep.
But if she did, it would be worth it.
* * *
S LOAN AWAKENED in the night, his eyes wide-open. An arm had curved around his waist as someone snuggled up to his back. Warm, rounded breasts pressed against his shoulder blades.
Kendall.
Her cheek rested near his neck. He closed his eyes, for a moment indulging in her warmth and the sexiness of her body pushed up against his. “Kendall. Damn it. Get back on your side of the pillows.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She kind of giggled in her sleep, and rolled over.
Sloan drew in a deep breath. Now they were both saved from embarrassment in the morning.
Yeah, you’re a hero. Dummy.
She’d felt wonderful curled up against him. He’d never experienced anything that glorious in his entire life. His skin practically erupted in goose bumps at the memory of her breasts against him.
“I’m trying to protect you,” he told her, not sure if she’d drifted back to sleep.
“I know, you goof. Quit trying to be such an angel. It’s a little cold in this room, you’re warm and I accidentally got into your space. I’m not apologizing. I’ll go to Hell’s Colony tomorrow, so you don’t have to be so worried, okay? Now pipe down. I thought you were the loner in the family, and I swear you’re as chatty as Dolly Parton in Nine To Five. ”
He’d seen that movie on one of the bases he’d been stationed at, though he couldn’t remember which one. His mouth twisted. She had no idea what kind of man was sleeping in her bed. He was as dangerous as the mercenaries that were after
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