“That you like him and he likes you.”
“I do—No, wait! That’s not—”
Nat cackles. “You admitted it!”
“I hate you.”
“I love you.” She smacks kisses into the phone which makes me smile. “Got to go. We’ll talk soon, okay? So you can tell me about more sexy times between you and Mr. Easton. About all the times he touches you—”
“No, no! Bye, Nat.” I disconnect the call just as she goes into graphic detail.
Despite myself, I smile.
There’s no way this thing between Chance and I would live beyond my few weeks on the Island. Heck, he never even implied he wanted anything more.
Nat is crazy. And I’m not. So I’m keeping the boundaries clear and protecting my heart. Hell, when it comes to Chance, I have no heart.
There.
I push away the thoughts Nat planted in my head and focus on rounding up with work. It takes thirty minutes to wrap up.
I close my laptop and stretch, then rub at my eyes. If I’m to make it to work early, I need to be in bed ASAP.
Up on my feet, I make sure the doors are locked and I shut the window, then I head over to the bedroom where my fluffy bed awaits.
I curl up underneath the covers and wait for blissful sleep. It comes easily, taking away my consciousness and pulling me into a dreamlike state.
And then I hear it.
Something scratches against metal or… glass?
I roll over and tuck myself deeper, determined not to lose the threads of sleep weaving over me.
But the sound persists.
Then a crack.
My eyes split open. It’s dark and quiet in my room. Except for the creaky sound now. It cuts through the silence and arrows fear into my heart.
What if they’ve come for me?
That thought jerks me up and I scan the dark. I scramble sideways and slap a hand on the nightstand lamp. It illuminates the room in a warm glow that reveals I’m alone.
But I know what I heard.
Heart trembling, I climb off the bed and turn in a slow circle. “W-who’s there?”
No answer.
My eyes snag on the slightly open window. I inch toward it. A soft breeze tickles the hairs hanging down my cheeks.
Did I leave it open?
I don’t remember. I only remember shutting the window in the living room.
Swallowing, I push it open and lean out. There’s nothing to the night but the green garden and the trees. And a tree branchhanging so close to the window. That must be where the scratchy sound came from.
I pull the window back into place and slide the lock in place, then I pad over to my bed and climb in.
