Page 18 of Dare To Kiss You
Down boy, down.
“You sure you’re okay with that?” I call over, even as I start to make my way through the heavy drifts of snow, to her house.
“Of course, I am. I trust you, Hunter. And I’m not going to let you freeze.” Her tone is final, with no room for me to argue. Not that I want to argue. Fuck no, I just want to get warm.
And a couple of minutes later, my wish is granted when I shut Kat’s front door behind me. Letting out a long exhale, I let the warmth seep into me.
“Damn, that feels good.” My eyes fly open as soon as the words leave me. Shit, that sounded sexual. Goddamnit. Two minutes and I’m probably already making her uncomfortable. “Sorry, Kat.”
I find her standing on the other side of the room, looking at me with open interest in her eyes.
Well, okay then, maybe I didn’t say the wrong thing.
“Don’t apologize. You must have been freezing.” She unwraps the blanket and drops it on the couch, revealing her curves covered in leggings and a loose sweater.
Seeing her here, in her own space, so casual and relaxed, it’s another side to Kat and I like it. A lot. Things started to shift between us the other day when she brought over cookies, and it’s tempting — really tempting — to move things further along.
But fast on the heels of that thought comes another.
No. Fucking. Way.
Because all around me are pieces of indisputable proof that Kat is not for me. Photos of her with her brothers and parents line the walls. Sawyer’s face glares at me from one, I swear. Textbooks are open on the coffee table, highlighted in different colours. There’s paper with handwritten notes and a laptop next to an empty mug. More books fill a bookshelf on one wall, interspersed with more photos.
I set my bag down next to the couch and take off my jacket without meeting her curious gaze. “Thanks again for letting me sleep here. It’ll be a lot more comfortable than the couch at the station, that’s for sure.”
“Don’t they have beds or something, like the fire department does?”
“Yeah, but that’s for the guys on shift. I couldn’t take one from them.”
Finally, I look at her, and she’s got a soft, warm, inviting smile. “You’re a good man, Hunter.”
My eyes drop to the floor again as I fight back a blush. “Nah.”
I hear her move and look up to see her disappearing into the kitchen.
“Want something to drink?” she calls out, and I slowly follow her voice. The kitchen, just like the living room, is a perfect representation of Kat. It’s colourful and full of personal touches, but tidy and organized at the same time.
“No, I’m okay. Don’t let me keep you up,” I say, watching her stifle a yawn.
She gives me a sheepish smile. “Okay. We should both get some sleep. I’m guessing you had a busy shift with the snow.”
As she passes by me on the way back to the living room, I get a whiff of that unmistakable tropical scent that will always make me think of her. She opens a closet I hadn’t noticed when I first came in and pulls out a big fluffy duvet and a pillowcase. Putting them on the couch, she disappears down the hall, returning a few seconds later with a pillow.
“The couch pulls out into a bed. My brothers have all slept on it at some point, and they say it’s pretty comfy. Bathroom is down the hall, just help yourself to whatever you need.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great.” My voice is all gravelly, and her eyes snap up to meet mine. The air is charged. Her lips part, and fucking hell, do I ever want to kiss her.
She lets her breath out on a little puff of an exhale and the tension is broken. Taking a step back, I lift the cushions off the couch, locate the handle, and unfold the bed.
“Okay, well, I guess I’ll go to bed. Um, see you in the morning.” Her soft words are hesitant, as is my reply.
“Yeah. Thanks, Kat. See you in the morning.”
I watch her walk down the hall to what I assume is her bedroom. Once her door shuts, I sink down on the surprisingly comfortable sofa bed and drop my head into my hands.
Knowing she’s right down the hall is going to be pure torture.
Maybe I’d have slept better at the station after all.
