Page 52 of Protecting Kelli
Flash wasn’t sure he was ready to lighten the conversation, but he’d give Kelli time for what he was saying to sink in. That he wasn’t blowing smoke up her ass. She reallywashis rock. And she’d done more for him in that bus than she realized.
Not wanting to think about what the next day wouldbring, the fact that they’d go their separate ways and he’d have to deal, Flash gave her a small smile. “Want to check out the bathroom?”
“Yes!” she said enthusiastically, showing some of the spunk he’d come to expect from her.
“I’ll even let you go first,” he said magnanimously.
She gave him a side-eye. “Is that because you’re being nice, or because you want first choice of whatever your friend is sending via room service?”
Flash burst out laughing. “Busted,” he said, although he hadn’t even thought about that. But now that she’d said it, his stomach growled. Loudly.
He helped Kelli to her feet then took her hand once again. Glancing down at their fingers laced together, he saw how filthy they were. They both had dirt under their nails, and their skin was also covered in more grime, blood from her head wound, and rust flakes from the metal of the bus. But to him, she was beautiful no matter what. Simply because of who she was. How strong she’d been. How resilient.
“Flash?”
He stopped in his tracks. “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
He wasn’t sure what exactly she was thanking him for.
“I’m well aware that you could’ve gotten away. You know, before we were put in that bus. You could’ve done your thing, your SEAL thing, and probably beaten Heckle and Jeckle to pulps. But you didn’t because of me. Youlet yourselfbe put in that bus when you didn’t have to. I…” She swallowed hard. “I don’t think anyone has ever done anything so unselfish for me in my entire life.”
“That’s a shame. Because you’re the kind of womanwars are fought over. Who make men act like fools because they’re desperate to catch your eye. And I’ll tell you something, if I had to do it all over again, I’d do everything exactly the same way, just to keep you safe.”
“Flash,” she whispered, clearly overwhelmed.
Taking a deep breath, Flash tried to ease up. He wanted this woman, but he didn’t want to come on too strong.
Ha. Who was he kidding? It was too late for that. Way too late.
“Come on, let’s check out the bathroom. Then I’ll grab your suitcase from the connecting room so you can get your toiletries and stuff before you shower.”
The bathroom was huge. Another step up from the basic rooms they’d had before. The shower was separate from the Jacuzzi tub and more than large enough for two people. But this was no time to think about anything other than their basic needs. Getting clean, eating, and sleeping.
Flash hurriedly grabbed her suitcase from the other room and returned. Kelli was standing in the middle of the bathroom, right where he’d left her, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked sad and freaked out again, so Flash came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and stared at their reflection.
They looked good together. Even with the blood on her skin and cover-up, the dirt on their faces and hands, the dark circles under both their eyes. They fit together perfectly. Complemented each other. His dark hair, her lighter strands. His six-two to her five-foot-two stature. His green eyes, her brown. His lean muscle mass, and hercurvy figure. He loved how different yet compatible they were.
“We’re a mess,” she whispered, putting her hands over his forearms at her belly.
“Yup,” Flash agreed. “But we’re alive. Those assholes didn’t win.”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t want to let her go. Wanted to pull her into the shower and clean every inch of her body. Wash away the fear and uncertainty from their ordeal. But he knew it was too much, too soon. He’d give her the privacy she hadn’t had much of recently, even if it killed him.
“I’ll look at your head when you’re done. Take your time. Seriously. We have no plans.”
“Other than to eat. I swear, I could eat a horse.”
Flash chuckled. He felt the same. “We might have to make due with some chicken and beef. Maybe pork.”
“I’m all right with that. Flash? I’m sorry. I know it’s silly that we have two bathrooms, and yet I don’t want to go into the other room to shower.”
“It’s not silly. It’s normal. Trust me.”
“Okay. But I still feel bad that I’ll be getting clean and you have to wait.”
