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“Someone like me?”
I let my gaze roam down her lithe body. She looked as amazing as I’d imagined stretched out on a bed. “A dancer. Healthy diets, working out, all that.”
“I eat healthy for the most part, yes.”
“Make a list of whatever you want. There’s frozen pizza or sandwiches for tonight.” I glanced at my watch. Spears Market in town closed at nine every night, but I could make it there and back if I left soon. “I can run into town and get some things now, if you need them.”
“I can get by on a couple slices of pizza. You don’t need to run out on my account.”
“Fine. Make a list, and I’ll make sure you have what you’re used to eating tomorrow.”
I left Callie eating dinner at the kitchen table while I excused myself and took my plate into the office, pretending to be busy.
It felt ridiculous, but it was easier than sitting across from her. I wasn’t sure I could look into her bright eyes and keep my shit together.
When she was finished, I showed her how to turn the audio on and off in her bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed next to where I stood demonstrating, “I hope I don’t snore.”
“Unless you snore like a buzzsaw, I probably won’t hear it.” I pushed a button on the tiny panel mounted next to the headboard. “This is an intercom. You push this, we can communicate through a mic and speaker in my bedroom and one in the office that I can hear as far as the kitchen and living room.”
“Ooh, handy,” she said with a grin. “That’s even better than a little bell I could ring to bring you running.”
Her wicked grin tempted me to smile back, but I frowned and pointed my finger at her. “Don’t play with it. It’s there if you really need something, and that’s it.”
She threw her hands up. “Alright, Mr. Serious. I won’t touch it unless I have to.” Her plump, pink lips formed a pout as she glanced up at me. “Do I get a gun for protection?”
The ridiculousness of that caused me to bark out a laugh.
Her smile grew. “What? I can handle a gun.”
I looked at her skeptically. “Ever fire one?”
“No, but how hard can it be? Point it away from yourself, pull the trigger.”
“You missed a crucial step. Aiming.”
She shrugged. “You could teach me.”
I flipped the panel to turn on the audio for the night. “No need, Callie. You already have protection. Me.” I headed out before she could say anything else. “Sleep tight.”
“Thanks, Blake,” she said, touching the panel on the wall and squinting at it.
I left. Damn it, I liked the way she sounded saying my name far too much. Thinking about that also kept me awake too damn long.
I wasn’t sure when I fell asleep, but I snapped awake sometime later to the sound of Callie mumbling. A glance at my bedside clock. It was almost three in the morning. The mumbling sound came again.
She must have been dreaming something pretty intense to verbalize in her sleep.
I closed my eyes to try to go back to sleep. Callie kept mumbling, eventually forming clear words likenoandstop.
Then she screamed.
I jumped out of bed and was in her room in only a few seconds.
Callie was partially sitting up, pushing on her elbows and kicking her feet. She looked like she was trying to crawl backward away from something that was after her. Her eyes were open wide in terror as she pushed herself against the headboard and screamed again.
I grabbed her shoulders. “Callie!”
Lost in fear, she slapped at my chest and tried to push me away.
