AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Agreed,” he said and added, “another three, either the husband or the wife wants to be here, and the other spouse is playing nice but is really just going through the motions.”
“Exactly. But the last two couples. Oh, my,” Sophie said. Those pairs had done nothing but bicker throughout the day about every petty thing. By early evening, even Luna, who was as kindhearted as they came, seemed out of patience with them.
“And then, there’s us.” He turned his head, his blue eyes focusing on her face as his hand found hers. He’d touched her, taking her hand or putting his arm around her shoulders, throughout the day in a way that seemed so natural. By contrast, she’d had to constantly remind herself to react appropriately. He was a far better actor than she was. Still, she thought they’d fooled the other couples.
“I felt we were pretty convincing for the most part, even if we didn’t have time to work out a gameplan in advance.” She had to admit that she’d enjoyed playing off him and watching him scramble to build off the things she’d said. He had a quick mind and a great sense of humor, so they’d gotten through the day without the other couple’s suspecting that they were faking their relationship.
“Mall cop? Really?” he questioned with a chuckle.
“Hey, it’s respectable work. Malls need security.”
“No doubt. Just not my thing,” he said.
Whatwashis thing? When she’d first met him three years ago, he’d been a SEAL, serving on the same team as Ethan. But since leaving the Navy, Owen had appeared to drift through life. He didn’t seem to have a goal or ambition for his future. She simply couldn’t imagine being like that. She’d been driven her whole life, focused on achieving her goals. Owen was a mystery, a frustrating one at times, but not hers to unravel, she reminded herself. This partnership they’d entered into was merely temporary, which suited her fine.
“Hey, how are we going to do this?” he asked with a gesture around the cabin. “There’s one bed.”
Oh, she hadn’t considered that. “Since the retreat is for couples trying to reconcile, having two beds would send the wrong message, I guess. Besides, when Luna assigned me this cabin, we both thought I’d be the only one using it.” She glanced toward the bed. This could be a problem, but it didn’t need to be.
“We’re not a couple,” he pointed out even as he squeezed her hand. Talk about mixed messages.
“True, but we can share.” That came out way too easily. She was just being practical, of course. Adults could sleep in the same bed without anything happening. Most adults. Her and Owen? She felt a flush rise in her cheeks just thinking about him beside her all night, but she tried her best to suppress it. “It’ll be fine.”
“Will it?” He gave her a slow perusal. “Because I’m trying to figure out where I’m going to get the most sleep. I need to stay sharp to guard you. What’s better? The hard floor, this short couch, or next to a distractingly hot woman?”
She sucked in a breath at the compliment, then quickly covered it with a laugh. “Oh, you’re funny. I promise to wear baggy sweats, so I don’t distract you with my hotness. Think that’ll work?”
His expression changed to a cheeky grin. “Guess it’ll have to. Why don’t you get ready for bed first? It’s getting late.” Their last session had gone until almost eleven.
“Sure.” She stood, making sure her movements were brisk until she got inside the bathroom. She wanted him to think that she was unaffected by hishotcomment. Really, though, it had hit her hard, down low in her stomach. But she needed to play this cool, avoid complications. She had an investigation to finish, a story to break, and a smuggler to bring to justice so she and her friends would no longer have to live in hiding. It was a tall order, and she couldn’t afford any distractions. Not even from a hot guy who thought she was equally hot.
She fanned herself. Was it warm in the cabin’s bathroom? Maybe some cold water would help. She splashed her face and put on her sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt. She braided her curly hair to control it and studied herself for a minute in the mirror. She looked decidedly unsexy, which was the goal, even if it was a little ego deflating.
“All yours,” she announced crisply when she returned to the main room. Owen had changed into sweats and a T-shirt himself. Except his shirt was tight enough to show every muscle of his chest and powerful shoulders underneath. She swallowed. “Good night.” She marched across the room and got in bed, careful to hug the edge of it. She considered building a barricade from pillows and blankets, but she didn’t want to advertise that she was nervous about getting too close to him. It seemed like the kind of thing he’d tease her over for the next decade, at least. Instead, she rolled onto her side, facing away from where he’d be. A few minutes later when she felt the bed dip beneath his weight, she pretended to be asleep, even though she’d never fallen asleep that fast in her life.
He lay perfectly still for a long time, too. Was he also pretending? Was this as awkward for him as it was for her? She wanted to ask, and almost laughed aloud imagining the interview questions she’d pose. So do you find it difficult to rest well next to a hot, distracting woman? What was the most challenging part of the night in bed with her?
Sleep, she needed to sleep. She listened for Owen’s breathing until it became soft and regular. Only then did she roll onto her back and risk a peek at him. He was stretched out with his arms flung over his head, looking far more innocent than he actually was. How easy it would be to just slip her leg over his body and end up on top of him? She was imagining how it would feel to rest her head against his chest when she caught herself. What the hell was she doing?No. Bad thought. She forced herself to focus on the case instead, and finally, she drifted off to sleep.
She woke alone and somehow aware that Owen wasn’t even in the cabin. That was good. It eliminated the dilemma of how to wake up next to a guy that you hadn’t had sex with. Surely that would’ve been weird. Wanting to avoid awkwardness at all costs, she rolled out of bed, grabbed clothes, and headed for the shower.
By the time she was done, Owen had returned. He was doing push-ups on the floor, his shirt sticking to his sweaty body. Okay, so physical fitness must be something he took seriously. He sure looked intense and gorgeous, despite being disheveled, as he finished his count to fifty. He stood then, grinning and barely out of breath. “Morning.”
“Hey. Go for a run or something?” she asked.
“In a way. I was checking the perimeter and nosing around.”
Of course, he was. “Learn anything?”
“The fighting couples are already fighting. Or maybe still fighting.”
“Probably the second.” Sophie sent off the morning check-in text to Helen and Julia. Owen had come to her rescue the day before with a spare charger for her phone.
“What’s on the schedule for the day?” Owen asked.
“Mostly optional activities, so that leaves us free to investigate.” She flipped open her laptop to get to work.Thatwas what she needed to focus on. Not her temporary roomie’s distracting hotness.
“I’ll grab a shower.” He disappeared into the bathroom while she read her email and tried not to picture him in the shower that she’d just gotten out of. Nope. Not a productive use of her brain power.
