Page 54 of Protecting Kelli
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kelli stood where she was and stared at the bathroom door. She definitely wasn’t feeling like herself. Being clean felt incredible, but in that bathroom…the second Flash was out of sight, she’d lost it. She’d ripped off her cover-up and bathing suit—neither of which she ever wanted to see again—got into the shower and sobbed.
For what she’d been through…in relief that she’d been saved…in thanks that she hadn’t been alone through the ordeal…
And because she’d fallen head over heels for a man who, in the real world, would probably never have taken a second glance at her.
She’d gotten to know Flash better than anyone she’d ever dated, and some of those men she’d been with for months. He was her rock. He made her feel safe—and tomorrow she’d have to say goodbye to him.
It wasn’t until she’d shampooed her hair twice—gingerly, since her head was still sore from where Jecklehad hit her—slathered on a ton of conditioner, and soaped herself up several times over that she began to feel a little better. Her tears had dried up and she’d felt oddly hollow inside.
And then she’d smelled the food.
Now, standing in the middle of the little sitting room, staring at the covered dishes, was akin to torture. But she refused to eat without Flash. They’d shared that callaloo and those peas, they’d passed that water bottle back and forth. She wouldn’t stuff her face while he was still hungry. She couldn’t do it.
Though, the smells emanating from the plates were making her mouth water.
It felt like she’d been standing there for hours, but when she checked her watch, Flash exited the bathroom exactly seven minutes after he’d entered.
Looking over at him, Kelli couldn’t help but stare. He looked…holy crap, he looked good. Somehow being with him in the dark for so long had actually made her forget how handsome the man was. But seeing him fresh out of the shower, his hair wet and sticking up at odd angles, his neatly trimmed beard emphasizing his full lips and square jaw, those piercing green eyes…it made her want to rip off all her clothes and beg him to have his wicked way with her.
“Man, that felt good. The first shower after a mission always does,” he said with a small smile. “You ready to see what we’ve got?”
Kelli swallowed hard and nodded.
She expected Flash to head toward the table, but instead he walked straight to her. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her. Sighing in contentment,Kelli laid her head on his chest and held onto him just as tightly as he was holding her.
The moment was charged. And Flash smelled amazing. She needed to find out what soap he used and invest in gallons of it. She felt her nipples hardening under her sweatshirt and regretted not putting on a bra. She figured she was just going to eat then go to sleep, so there was no need to bother, but now she kind of felt as if she needed the extra layer of protection between her and Flash.
It was scary how much she wanted this man. How much she needed him. He made her feel as if she could conquer the world. It didn’t matter that she didn’t have any friends, or a career she loved. She’d survived being kidnapped and buried alive. Thanks tohim.
It was the sudden urge to beg him never to leave her that had Kelli taking a deep breath and stepping away. She needed to get a grip. This wasn’t a movie or a book. Real life didn’t work like the romantic stories she watched and read about.
“Does your head hurt?”
Blinking, it took a moment for his words to sink in. “Oh, no. Not really.”
“Can I take a quick look before we chow?”
In response, Kelli turned, presenting him with the back of her head. The second his hands were in her hair, she tensed. Not because what he was doing hurt, but because her damn nipples were hard again, and it was taking all her control not to shift where she was standing and rub her thighs together. She prayed he wouldn’t be able to smell her arousal.
“It looks pretty good, all things considered. You couldprobably use a round of antibiotics just in case, but I agree with Kevlar that you don’t need stitches.”
“That’s good,” Kelli said, turning back around and desperately trying to control her lust for this man.
“Yeah. Come on, let’s eat.”
Flash took her hand in his, and it felt like coming home. Their clasped hands simply felt right.
He brought her over to the kitchen, where they both grabbed plates from the cabinet. He let go of her hand, but this time Kelli barely noticed…because he’d begun to uncover the dishes.
There was enough bread for a dozen people. Chicken strips, French fries, green beans, steak, various local vegetables, and those cheesy potatoes they both loved so much. It was as if the entire buffet had been brought up to their room.
At first, Kelli took tiny amounts of everything, but when she saw Flash loading up his plate, she mentally shrugged and began to do the same. They shared a smile when they both passed on the peas and callaloo. While she’d been grateful for the food in the bus, and it tasted amazingly good, thinking about consuming it now just brought up bad memories.
When their plates were overflowing, they opted for the couch instead of the dining table, pulling the coffee table close before picking up their silverware.
Flash grinned at her again before he speared a piece of chicken and brought it up to his mouth.
