Page 27 of Kyle

“Everything okay?” Kyle asked.

His sleep-rough voice sent chills racing down my arms. Or was it the chilly air in the room? That, of course, was the most logical explanation for my sudden shiver, if the bedroom had indeed been cold. But it wasn’t, the air was stifling, leaving me to admit it was simply his sexy drawl that had made me shudder.

“Yeah.” I’d been so lost studying our connection I’d missed him waking up. “Sorry if I woke you.”

“You didn’t. I’ve been awake awhile.”

Oh, good Lord, had he seen me looking at him?

“You have?” My eyes snapped to his.

I started to move my hand away, but he closed his fingers around mine. His penetrating gaze held mine and I realized that last night in the moonlight, I’d been wrong, I’d thought his eyes were more green than brown. But this close with the sun spilling into the room, there were dark brown flecks that dotted his irises. They were spectacular, unique, powerful, and damn sexy.

“Anymore nightmares?”

“No.”

Mortification flooded, reminding me he was not in bed with me for sexy fun times. It was because I’d been weak and shaken after my nightmare. And then there was that part of me that needed to use that as an excuse to spend time with him. Maybe I should’ve felt guilty about being a little dishonest but I didn’t. And that brought a whole new set of uncomfortable feelings.

“Where’d you go?” Kyle muttered.

“Huh?”

“You looked like you just took an unpleasant trip in your mind.”

Jeez, he didn’t miss much.

“You still wanna deny you were a SEAL?” I muttered.

“What does that have to do with anything?” He chuckled.

“You’re observant.”

“So? Because I pay attention means I was a SEAL?”

“Pretty much.”

Kyle’s broad smile made my stomach flipflop and since he’d already woken up my girly parts and shaken off the dust, they certainly noticed how sexy he looked first thing in the morning with a grin on his handsome face. Too bad he wasn’t smiling for other reasons.

He shook his head as if he could read my thoughts—which at this point I was worried he could—and asked, “Are you hungry?”

“More evasion,” I mumbled, then answered. “Yeah, I’m actually starving.”

“Good. You didn’t eat last night. I’ll get outta here so you can get up and get dressed.”

Heat hit my cheeks at the reminder I was only in my bra and panties, something that didn’t seem to faze him like it did me. With two men in the house, I’d had every intention of sleeping with sweats and a t-shirt. But within ten minutes of being in bed it was hotter than hell and I’d stripped down. By some miracle I’d been covered up when Kyle had come into the room.

I nodded my agreement, but Kyle didn’t move. His gaze lingered and his pupils dilated. He looked like he was deep in thought. Finally, he came out of his trance and let go of my hand, rolled to his back, then up to sit.

With another glance down at me that sent more goosebumps over my arms he got up and without another word he left the room.

As soon as the door clicked behind Kyle I was up out of bed and rummaging through my bag finding shorts and a t-shirt. I grabbed my toothbrush and darted out of the room, across the hall into the bathroom.

I rushed through my morning routine, telling myself it was because I was hungry. But the truth was, I wanted to see Kyle again.

I was being beyond ridiculous and I knew it. Six days from now we’d part ways and he’d forget all about me. But the unexplained excitement in my belly couldn’t be denied. I’d never had a crush on a man, if that’s what this feeling was. And for once in my life, I just wanted to see what it felt like to be normal.

Not that I’d let him past my walls, but I wanted to enjoy the butterflies he roused.