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She gestured to the closed door. “Yes. That’s me.”
“Okay, great.” He threw his bags down on the bed and switched on the little bedside lamp.
She watched him circle the small space like a Great Dane trying to get comfortable in a tiny bed made for a Chihuahua. Finally, he sat on the edge of the bed and the metal frame and springs gave a loud squeak of protest. She closed her eyes in embarrassment and wished she’d bought a regular bed for here. It would’ve taken up most of the room, but would have been better for company. Especially tall, muscular company.
It occurred to her that he would be more comfortable at his nice hotel suite or wherever he was staying. Heck, he’d probably be more comfortable in a sleeping bag on the front porch. He shouldn’t suffer because he felt the need to protect her. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.
He looked at her, his blue eyes searching her face for a moment, and then he smiled in a way that made her stomach clench. “I know I don’t. Good night, Jade.”
His words were a gentle dismissal to keep her from trying to talk him out of this. He was obviously too stubborn and would stay here no matter what. Jade had to appreciate his dedication, if nothing else. “Good night, Harley.”
She left his room, pulling the door closed behind her and crossing the narrow hallway to her own room. Shutting the second door, she leaned back against the wood and felt her body finally starting to relax. She hadn’t realized it until she was alone again, but she was strung tight as a drum when she was around Harley. It was emotionally and physically exhausting to be so close to him after all this time. The attraction between them, long-suppressed and bubbling just below the surface, was at constant odds with her sense of self-preservation. Keeping everything in check was a balancing act she wasn’t sure she could keep up much longer.
Dropping onto her own bed, she stared at the door. She supposed she should be happy to feel something. After everything that had happened with Lance, she’d almost become numb. Her mother actually thought there was something wrong with her because she hadn’t cried over the divorce. It was as though she was in a state of shock that didn’t allow her to feel anything at all.
She’d stayed there, stuck in limbo all this time, snapping out of it only when she’d received that DNA test.
Then, suddenly, all her emotions were flipped back on like a switch and her whole body was a bundle of raw nerves. She spent all day on the verge of tears or laughter, never quite sure which one was ready to burst from her without provocation. Could she risk unleashing that kind of pent-up energy on Harley?
With a sigh, she slipped out of her heels and got ready for bed. Maybe she would be exhausted enough to fall into a deep sleep and forget that Harley was only feet away.
Somehow, she doubted it.
* * *
A loud crash snapped Harley out of a restless sleep as his tailbone whacked the ground. It was only then that he realized the springs had given way on the sofa bed and he was lying on the hard wooden floor with only the thin mattress beneath him.
A pounding of fists at the door came next. “Harley, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. The bed is another matter.”
The door slowly opened and Jade stuck her head inside as she switched on the overhead light. Her face was washed clean of makeup and her long, pale hair was loose around her shoulders. For a minute, as he looked at her, it was as though she were seventeen again. Beautiful. Natural. Just the way he remembered her when he thought back on their time together.
Until she started laughing at him.
She held it in at first, but he could see the facade start to crumble as her hand went to cover her mouth. The giggles escaped from her lips, making him glance down at himself. He really did look ridiculous sprawled across the lopsided mattress, in a tangle of blankets. He had to laugh, too. He was too damn big for a bed like this and he should’ve known better than to even try sleeping on it. He’d tried not to move too much once he got into bed, but once he was asleep, he couldn’t help it. He’d rolled over and—BOOM.
They both laughed for a moment, their ever-looming tension finally dissipating with the emotional release. He supposed it was worth making an ass of himself if it helped break the ice between them. It would be a long and awkward assignment if they never got past it.
He shook his head and started checking out the sofa bed. He thought perhaps he could put it back together, but the hooks of the metal springs had actually ripped through the plastic fabric that held up the mattress. This thing wasn’t fixable. He would buy her a new sofa bed. A sturdier one. Maybe just an actual bed, with box springs and a steel frame.
Harley threw back the blankets with a heavy sigh and Jade’s laughter abruptly silenced. He looked down at himself again and realized he wasn’t wearing anything but a snug pair of black Calvin Klein boxer briefs. He wasn’t much for pajamas, but hadn’t thought about it until he exposed himself. When he glanced back at Jade, he realized her eyes were fixed on his chest and stomach, her mouth agape. It was probably a different sight than she remembered. His whole body had changed over the years. He’d been a scrawny kid back then. Now he was a solid man made of muscle and covered in coarse, dark brown hair.
When she finally closed her mouth, a curious smirk formed at the corners of her lips. Jade seemed to like what she saw. And he liked that she liked it. He just wasn’t sure what he should do about that glassy look in her eyes. Probably nothing. Maybe everything.
He got up from the shambles of the bed, wrapped the blanket around himself and snatched his pillow from the floor. His movements seemed to jerk Jade from her intense study and make her realize what she was doing. When her eyes met his again, he couldn’t help smiling with amusement. Her cheeks flushed red as she seemed to realize that he’d caught her staring at him. With any other woman, he would’ve walked up to her, dropped the blanket and let her look and touch her fill. He wasn’t shy, especially when he wanted something. Or someone.
But not with Jade. Things were too damn complicated between them for that. If there was one lesson he’d learned in the military, it was that life went the smoothest when he was in control. His existence before that point had been a mess as he spiraled through situations he didn’t have a handle on. After his service ended, he’d applied that principle to every part of his life and things were infinitely better. He had the distinct feeling that maintaining control would be more difficult with Jade in the picture.
“This bed is toast. I guess I’ll just move to the couch in the living room,” he said. It might not be more comfortable, but it wouldn’t collapse on him. Hopefully.
“Don’t be silly,” Jade said with a shake of her head. “The living room furniture is okay for sitting, but it’s awful for sleeping. I couldn’t afford anything nicer. But I have a king-size bed in my room. There’s plenty of room for you there.”
Harley arched a brow at her. She wanted to share her bed? After the way she’d looked at him just now, he wasn’t sure that was such a good idea. She might not admit it to him, or even to herself, but she wanted to touch him and reacquaint herself with his body. And he wanted to let her. “I don’t know about that, Jade.”
She stuck out her chin defiantly. “We’re adults, Harley. Surely we can sleep in the same bed without an issue. If it makes you feel better, I promise to keep my hands to myself.” She held up three fingers in the Girl Scout salute before opening the door the rest of the way.
Harley now got a good look at the little cotton nightgown she was wearing to bed. It was short, with the lacy trim skimming her upper thighs. The fabric was pale pink, and transparent enough for him to see the rosy shade of her nipples as they pressed against it. The light from her bedroom behind her highlighted her figure through it, showcasing her narrow waist and the slight curve of her hips.
