Hawk proceeded to prove to her that he wasn’t just offering up empty promises . . .
chapter 17
N atalie shot straight up in bed, clutching the comforter to her chest as her heart pounded.
“What’s wrong?” Hawk slowly sat up beside her with blurry eyes. They couldn’t have been asleep for more than a couple of hours.
“What was that?” she asked as she tried to calm herself.
“What was what ?” He still wasn’t awake.
“How in the heck can you wake up at a tiny little beep from your pager, but then sleep through what sounds like a bomb exploding?”
“I don’t know. You just learn to tune out certain noises,” he said with a crooked smile as he began rubbing a hand along her thigh.
Natalie jumped again as the door was thrust open and Hawk’s sister gazed in at them, her face going fromexcited to impish at finding Natalie in her brother’s room.
“Go away, brat!” Hawk said as Natalie tried to hide beneath the covers. Dang. She wished that he hadn’t insisted she spend a little time in his bedroom last night.
“Not a chance, Hawk,” Taylor said. “It’s Christmas morning and I want to open my presents.” She crossed her arms against her chest and stamped her foot, a mutinous scowl on her face.
“You’re not five anymore, Taylor. You’re twenty-three,” he pointed out.
“And you’re well past five, old enough to have set your alarm for the big family celebration. Anyway, I don’t care how old a person gets. If you’re not excited about Christmas morning, you just aren’t human. By the way, hi, Natalie!”
Smoked out. Natalie peeked over the covers, her face scarlet. “Hi, Taylor. Please don’t tell your mom,” she whispered, mortified at the thought of Maggie knowing she was in Hawk’s room, even if they were adults.
“Then you’d better get downstairs fast,” Taylor said with a satisfied grin.
Natalie was more than willing to agree to the demand, but the two stubborn siblings remained in a deadlock for several tense moments while Natalie’s head whipped back and forth between them. Finally, Hawk let out a disgusted sigh.
“Fine. We’re coming,” he said. “Turn around for just a moment, my darling sister.” He threw off the covers, yanked on the pair of sweats that he’d discarded nearby, and rose from the bed.
Natalie’s mouth dropped open at the sight of his naked back. It didn’t help that the sweatpants rode so low on his amazing hips. No matter how many times she saw this man half dressed, he still awed her.
“Close your mouth, Natalie, before you let in some flies,” Taylor said with a mischievous grin as she turned back to face them.
“I swear I’m not going to give you your presents if you don’t go away right now,” Hawk said, and he moved threateningly toward the door.
“Fine. But if you aren’t down in five minutes, I’m coming back,” Taylor said, before adding, “and I’m bringing Mom!”
Hawk shut the door in her face. He turned and winked at Natalie. “I can set up a barricade.”
“It’s tempting . . .” And she actually considered it. But the sound of more footsteps thundering down the stairs caused her to sigh and climb from the bed. “Nope. We better get moving,” she said as she floated to the en-suite bathroom after grabbing her clothes from the floor.
It was going to be tricky enough sneaking back to her room without being seen. No way was she doing it without a quick shower first. When she came out, Hawk grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into his arms, letting her feet dangle in the air. “I love it when your cheeks are all rosy.”
“It’s been well over five minutes,” Natalie reminded him with a giggle. “We’d better go before they send out a search party.”
He kissed her and then set her back on her feet. Handin hand, they went to the door. And right there on the other side was Taylor with a perturbed look that made Natalie laugh in spite of herself.
“I’m sorry, Taylor. I took
chapter 17
N atalie shot straight up in bed, clutching the comforter to her chest as her heart pounded.
“What’s wrong?” Hawk slowly sat up beside her with blurry eyes. They couldn’t have been asleep for more than a couple of hours.
“What was that?” she asked as she tried to calm herself.
“What was what ?” He still wasn’t awake.
“How in the heck can you wake up at a tiny little beep from your pager, but then sleep through what sounds like a bomb exploding?”
“I don’t know. You just learn to tune out certain noises,” he said with a crooked smile as he began rubbing a hand along her thigh.
Natalie jumped again as the door was thrust open and Hawk’s sister gazed in at them, her face going fromexcited to impish at finding Natalie in her brother’s room.
“Go away, brat!” Hawk said as Natalie tried to hide beneath the covers. Dang. She wished that he hadn’t insisted she spend a little time in his bedroom last night.
“Not a chance, Hawk,” Taylor said. “It’s Christmas morning and I want to open my presents.” She crossed her arms against her chest and stamped her foot, a mutinous scowl on her face.
“You’re not five anymore, Taylor. You’re twenty-three,” he pointed out.
“And you’re well past five, old enough to have set your alarm for the big family celebration. Anyway, I don’t care how old a person gets. If you’re not excited about Christmas morning, you just aren’t human. By the way, hi, Natalie!”
Smoked out. Natalie peeked over the covers, her face scarlet. “Hi, Taylor. Please don’t tell your mom,” she whispered, mortified at the thought of Maggie knowing she was in Hawk’s room, even if they were adults.
“Then you’d better get downstairs fast,” Taylor said with a satisfied grin.
Natalie was more than willing to agree to the demand, but the two stubborn siblings remained in a deadlock for several tense moments while Natalie’s head whipped back and forth between them. Finally, Hawk let out a disgusted sigh.
“Fine. We’re coming,” he said. “Turn around for just a moment, my darling sister.” He threw off the covers, yanked on the pair of sweats that he’d discarded nearby, and rose from the bed.
Natalie’s mouth dropped open at the sight of his naked back. It didn’t help that the sweatpants rode so low on his amazing hips. No matter how many times she saw this man half dressed, he still awed her.
“Close your mouth, Natalie, before you let in some flies,” Taylor said with a mischievous grin as she turned back to face them.
“I swear I’m not going to give you your presents if you don’t go away right now,” Hawk said, and he moved threateningly toward the door.
“Fine. But if you aren’t down in five minutes, I’m coming back,” Taylor said, before adding, “and I’m bringing Mom!”
Hawk shut the door in her face. He turned and winked at Natalie. “I can set up a barricade.”
“It’s tempting . . .” And she actually considered it. But the sound of more footsteps thundering down the stairs caused her to sigh and climb from the bed. “Nope. We better get moving,” she said as she floated to the en-suite bathroom after grabbing her clothes from the floor.
It was going to be tricky enough sneaking back to her room without being seen. No way was she doing it without a quick shower first. When she came out, Hawk grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into his arms, letting her feet dangle in the air. “I love it when your cheeks are all rosy.”
“It’s been well over five minutes,” Natalie reminded him with a giggle. “We’d better go before they send out a search party.”
He kissed her and then set her back on her feet. Handin hand, they went to the door. And right there on the other side was Taylor with a perturbed look that made Natalie laugh in spite of herself.
“I’m sorry, Taylor. I took
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