AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “Nothing at all.”
Freshly showered, I sat on Michael’s bed, waiting for someone to bring me my dry clothes. I’d insisted on keeping my underthings and washed them in the sink, drying them with a hair dryer.
I’d been alone with my thoughts for too long. I kept picturing Michael’s expression before he’d left Dune, Kaleb, and me outside. Almost like he was giving something up.
A knock sounded at the door, and I jumped up to answer, barely cracking it and sticking my head out. “Ava.”
She was dressed in a tiny pair of sleep shorts and a white spaghetti-strap tank top. Opening the door wider, I stepped out from behind it, wearing one of Michael’s Red Sox T-shirts.
Her eyes took in my damp hair, his T-shirt, and my legs, bare from just above my knees down to my pink painted toenails. I couldn’t help wondering how often she made evening visits to Michael’s room wearing skimpy pajamas.
“Where’s Michael?”
“He’s downstairs,” I answered, not revealing the specifics of why I was in his room. He could tell her. They could laugh about it together.
“What are you doing in here?”
I had no idea how to explain the crawfish debacle. “Um—”
“Never mind.” She shook her head and waved her hand, dismissing both her question and my answer, before leaning down and saying conspiratorially, “Can I give you a little friendly advice?”
“Sure.”
“Michael and I have been close for a really long time. I wouldn’t want you to do anything that would cause you … embarrassment, if you understand what I’m saying.” She gave me a pointed look, and her eyes strayed to the hem of Michael’s T-shirt.
I desperately wished I wasn’t having this conversation in my panties.
“I’m not doing anything … This is just … I’m only here to help.”
“Help who?” she asked. Her eyes stayed on my face, but I could feel her giving me the once-over in her mind. “Exactly?”
“Help … to help …” The truth hit me like a sledgehammer, and I physically took a step back. She didn’t know about the plans to save Liam. I scrambled to come up with an explanation instead of standing there catching flies. “I’m here to help Cat with some things. That’s all.”
“Oh.” Her mouth softened into a suggestive smile. “Well, maybe you should be in her room instead of Michael’s. He might … need it for something. Later.”
A vision of me with my hands around her neck flashed through my mind, taking the green-eyed monster theory to a new level. It hit me suddenly that I had some serious aggression issues.
“Okay, well.” I forced a smile. “Good luck with that.”
I slammed the door before I did something stupid, leaning against it and attempting to calm my breathing.
I needed to look into anger-management classes.
I needed to get out of this house.
And I really needed to find my pants.
Chapter 39
I kept my fingertips on the hem of Michael’s T-shirt, pulling it down as far as I could. Glad I was familiar with the house, I tiptoed down the stairs, stopping short just outside the common area.
Ava and Michael were talking, her voice loud, his soft. I moved back to press myself against the wall beside the wide doorway, swallowing a scream when I felt a solid barrier of flesh behind me instead of the plaster I was expecting.
Kaleb. In the dim light I watched as his gaze traveled up my body, taking in my bare feet, the too-big T-shirt, finally returning to my legs. He let out a low, appreciative whistle.
“Two things. One, you have some fine legs. Two, if you were upstairs in my room, looking like that? I sure as hell wouldn’t be downstairs with her.”
Motioning for him to be quiet, I put my shoulder against the wall and leaned my head toward the conversation. Kaleb tucked himself in behind me, so close I could feel his breath on my hair.
