Page 31 of Knight Watch

Chapter Fourteen

The shower had been a blessing,the hot spray soothing her frayed nerves and bunched muscles. Sydney bowed her head as the water pummeled between her shoulder blades.

Her brain had trouble relaxing, replaying images of her uncle hurting her over and over again. She knew it was because of her earlier confession to Kingsley. It had opened old wounds. She deliberately turned her thoughts to the man who’d appeared in her life like a knight in shining armor. Images of Kingsley pushed away the terror, taking over her thoughts, unknowingly saving her once more.

For so long, once she was alone, the traumatic events of her past had a way of rearing their ugly heads and garnering all her attention. However, since the British soldier had appeared in her life, she was better able to battle the dark demons in her head.

Even more surprising was the simmering desire that bubbled inside her belly and between her legs. Something unexpected and powerful happened every time she caught him glancing at her, and that latent heat exploded when they kissed. That brought hope she wasn’t as completely broken as she’d first thought. Desire hadn’t vanished with her uncle’s violation as Sydney had believed. It had just been locked away. And Kingsley Knight could very well be the key to unlocking it.

The possibility made her turn off the shower. Could she be so bold as to test her theory? There was an undeniable connection between them. He was always flirting with her. Were his actions true, or was it just the way he treated women in general?

Sydney dismissed that idea. She hadn’t known Kingsley long, but nothing in what he’d said or done had been a trick or deceitful. Her bullshit radar was on point and could spot a player a mile away, and so far, nothing had set it off.

Drying her hair and rubbing her body, she reached for the toiletries inside the bag the girls at Alliance had packed for her. After untangling her hair and brushing her teeth, she decided to put on a fresh t-shirt and shorts. There was a set of underwear as well, but as they were going to get some sleep, it was better to be comfortable. She could change again later.

Putting everything back inside her bag, she noticed a few foil packets at the bottom. It seemed they wanted her to be ready for anything including providing protection. Or was it the sign she’d been waiting for?

When she returned to the room, it was dark, the curtains closed to block out the afternoon sun but there was still enough light to see. It took a couple of seconds for her eyes to adjust. Kingsley was crammed on the small couch that was against the far wall. Barefoot, clad only in a pair of jeans, his eyes were closed, but she knew he wasn’t sleeping. She’d had time to watch him asleep in the car, and it was the only time his face was completely relaxed. From what she could see in the shadows, he was frowning.

Padding through the room, Sydney dropped her bag beside the bed and slid under the cool sheets. Being able to stretch out was soothing after so many hours in the car. Her hand moved to the empty side of the bed, and she thought of Kingsley, obviously uncomfortable because he was trying to be chivalrous.

“Kingsley? Are you asleep?”

His groan made her smile.

“You really want me to believe you can rest like that? Folded up like a pretzel?”

“I’ve slept in worse conditions. On a battlefield, sometimes the only place available is in the dirt, with a rock as a pillow. Believe me, this is very comfortable.”

“There’s plenty of space on the bed.”

The way he paused made her hope he was considering her offer. “Sleep, Sydney. I’ll be able to sleep as soon as I know you are.”

“And I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re on that ridiculous couch.”

Sydney heard grumbling and more rustling and looked at him again. “If you don’t come over here, I’ll sleep on the floor next to you.”

The grumbling intensified, and she recognized a few curses before he stood and Sydney knew she had won.

“I know you’re grinning, lady. And let me tell you that being so hard-headed will get you nowhere.”

The mattress depressed on the other side of her. “It got you in bed. That’s something.”

The man chuckled. “Try to rest, Sydney. The team will be here soon, and I need your brain at full capacity to figure out that clue.”

He was right. Unfortunately, sleep usually meant nightmares, and that was something she couldn’t cope with right then. The accumulated stress was an inevitable trigger for her, especially after baring her soul to Kingsley earlier.

Trying some breathing techniques from her psychiatrist, Sydney shifted to her side, before realizing that when she was on her back the tightness in her chest wasn’t as intense.

“Sydney?”

“Sorry, give me a minute.”

Unfortunately, she started to feel bad which only increased her anxiety. Scrambling to get herself under control, she noticed Kingsley sit up.

“This was a bad idea, I’m making you uncomfortable. I’ll go back to the couch.”

Sydney reached for him and grabbed his forearm before he had a chance to leave. “No, please. I don’t want you to leave. I just need to get out of my head…”