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“Exactly how I said. No one pays attention to how you sleep there. Only what you have in you.”
“You'll be fine in clothes tonight.”
“I thought you wanted me feeling better before we reached Florida? Being exhausted won't help. I meant what I said, I can't sleep with clothes on.” He tosses the clothes on the floor and folds his arms, challenging me with his eyes. Where is this brave side of him coming from? Maybe something so small helps him feel more in control. His bottom lip twitches and the scared man from before is back. Or he never left and couldn't stay in character for long.
Stepping around the bed, I clutch my clothes under my arm and bend down to retrieve the shirt he threw. I place it on his lap and force a smile. “How about just the shirt and your underwear then?”
Staring down at his lap, his nose curls. “You want me to put on the same underwear?”
“It's been one day. You'll be fine.”
“Yeah, I'm not getting clean only to put dirty clothes back on.”
“Are you always this difficult at following orders at night? We had no issues earlier.”
“I didn't hear you give an order. Sounded more like a suggestion.” He shifts in place.
I didn't realize I had to. I'm not the one who usually gives them but I have to admit doing it today felt good. “Fine. You're sleeping in your underwear and shirt tonight. I'm giving you no other option.” Oh yes, there it is. That beautiful tingling sensation. A slight high off a few simple words. It's nice to have control in a shitty situation is all it is.
His Adam's apple bobs in his throat and he hooks his finger around the shirt. “Okay, I will.”
“Good.”
“I think you forgot a word?”
“Huh?” I hold my clothes higher, moving in the direction of the connected bathroom.
“I said you forgot a word after good.”
What is he going on about? Some of the things he says have me thinking harder than I care to. I was hoping being thrown off by him ended at the airport. Something about me lying on top of him so he didn't fly away when I compared him to a feather. I think it was supposed to be some weird joke. Is this too? “I'm too tired to play the guessing game right now so I'm going go shower and change for bed before we watch the movie. Don't go anywhere.”
“Where is there to go exactly? Downstairs where there are bad men with guns?”
“The man you're sharing a room with isn't any better than they are.”
“Yeah, but you've had plenty of opportunities to kill me and haven't yet.”
“It’s possible I was just feeling generous today.” I wink and enter the bathroom without another word. Flipping the light on, I close the door and set the clean clothes on the counter. It isn't until the shower’s on and the water warms that I strip out ofmy clothes. Steam wraps around me as I step into the tub and I close the curtain. Relaxing under the water, I squirt shampoo into my hands and close my eyes, digging my nails into my scalp. Lemongrass fills my nose, taking away the memory of the lingering cherry scent that came from Phillip's mouth every time he talked.
What the hell is wrong with me? Yes, he's cute, but cute has never affected me this way before. I don’t like when there's too much distance between us or how my hand felt every time I took it off him. After having it on him once, going too long without touching him felt wrong. It should be the opposite. I've gone fifteen years without touching another person, even for some quick release, because the thought alone caused my stomach to turn in on itself.
Zacharias was right. I don't sleep enough and need a vacation. But being in one place for long has me thinking too much and then I start reliving the past all over again. I'm not sure working with Phillip has been any better. A creak of a door opening has me shoving back the curtain. Phillip clings to the door, looking down at his feet. “I don't want to be out there alone. I heard loud voices outside the door and they kept getting closer.”
“So you came in here while I was in the shower?”
His head lifts and his eyes widen, reminding me of my lack of clothing. When I heard an alarming noise, covering myself was the last thing on my mind.
“Sorry, I wasn't really thinking about it.”
I have to lift the curtain in front of my bottom half in order for his gaze to finally move to my eyes. “That's okay. If you want you can crack the door, and I'll be out in a few minutes.”
“I won't look anymore, I promise. I'll sit quietly on the counter, and close my eyes. You won't even know I'm here.”
Oh, I doubt that. “I don't know if—”
“Please.” His blue eyes are piercing and his hands shake the way they did when we first reached the airport.
Only one word feels right to say. “Alright.”
