body. I grab her pillow and flip it over so her head rests on the dry side and place it between us. Yanking it away, she tosses it to the other side of the bed.
“I’d much prefer it without the pillow,” she says in nearly a whisper as she stares up at me through her lashes.
I tighten my jaw and give her what I hope is nothing but a friendly smile. She rests her head back on my chest and lets out a contented sigh. Trouble. My brain shoots me warnings left, right, and sideways. This woman is straight-up trouble.
It’s only a few minutes before she falls asleep, head rested on my chest and lower half tucked between my legs. It’s probably the stress of the situation and the delirium from how tired I am, but this right here feels right. Dangerously right. I could let myself get attached to this woman easily, even though I know this would be a train wreck waiting to happen.
In the back of my brain , I can practically feel the latent want and need to touch and be touched by another human being. Like now, only more. Holding her is good, but it’s just not enough. So I run my hands up and down her arms to warm her. Her body slumps against mine, and she starts to breathe more heavily, a sure sign that she’s fallen asleep. Her teeth have stopped chattering, and the goose bumps on her damp skin have subsided, which only encourages my efforts. I pull her in as close as possible and wrap my arms around her midsection to keep her body tight against mine, refusing to admit that I’d want this woman in my arms even if she weren’t freezing cold and in need of more heat than the thin blankets can provide.
CHAPTER 9
Shelby
It’s Chase. . . coming in to rescue me.
TIME PASSES, THOUGH I can’t make out how much. I know I fell asleep in Chase’s arms. I know my leg still hurts. I know everything that led up to being stabbed and now being in my parents’ cabin. I even know the few times Chase has gotten up to leave me and when he’s returned, but I can’t make out how long he was gone for.
After many a false start, I’m finally able to pull myself out of the haze. It’s gradual, but I begin to make out my surroundings. I draw my eyes open and see that it’s sunny outside, though I can’t make out if it’s earlier or later in the day. I let out a yawn and my head falls back, hitting Chase’s hard chest. He wakes with a jump from beneath me. Tilting my head back, I give him an apologetic look.
“Sorry,” I whisper. My throat is raspy and dry from the lack of water and way too much bourbon. Even though I’d love a glass of water right now, I don’t want to disturb the coziness of being wrapped in Chase’s warm body.
“How are you feeling?” he asks. My cheeks heat under his gaze, certain he knows how much I’m enjoying his closeness.
“Better,” I croak and shift to turn in his arms. “Thank you . . . for everything.”
Chase’s face gives nothing away. He just gives me a soft smile and rubs my upper arms to keep me warm. I cuddle into him, refusing to move.
“I’m just doing my job. At least, I think I’m just doing my job.”
“Second guessing your choices, Officer Guilliot?” The second the words leave my mouth, I regret them. I don’t want to encourage Chase to think of his time with me as a mistake. He opens his mouth , then looks down at me, and thinking better of it, he shakes his head. “What is it?”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I feel a little out of my element here. I only been in uniform a week now , and already I’m starting to worry I’m going to lose my badge,” he says. His tone is flat and emotionless.
This is a conversation I really don’t want to have. I want to stick my head in the dirt so I can’t hear this. For whatever reason, Chase’s opinion matters to me , and the thought that I’ve dragged him into a mess that’s going to cost him his badge—something that clearly matters to him—distresses me greatly. I never should have opened
“I’d much prefer it without the pillow,” she says in nearly a whisper as she stares up at me through her lashes.
I tighten my jaw and give her what I hope is nothing but a friendly smile. She rests her head back on my chest and lets out a contented sigh. Trouble. My brain shoots me warnings left, right, and sideways. This woman is straight-up trouble.
It’s only a few minutes before she falls asleep, head rested on my chest and lower half tucked between my legs. It’s probably the stress of the situation and the delirium from how tired I am, but this right here feels right. Dangerously right. I could let myself get attached to this woman easily, even though I know this would be a train wreck waiting to happen.
In the back of my brain , I can practically feel the latent want and need to touch and be touched by another human being. Like now, only more. Holding her is good, but it’s just not enough. So I run my hands up and down her arms to warm her. Her body slumps against mine, and she starts to breathe more heavily, a sure sign that she’s fallen asleep. Her teeth have stopped chattering, and the goose bumps on her damp skin have subsided, which only encourages my efforts. I pull her in as close as possible and wrap my arms around her midsection to keep her body tight against mine, refusing to admit that I’d want this woman in my arms even if she weren’t freezing cold and in need of more heat than the thin blankets can provide.
CHAPTER 9
Shelby
It’s Chase. . . coming in to rescue me.
TIME PASSES, THOUGH I can’t make out how much. I know I fell asleep in Chase’s arms. I know my leg still hurts. I know everything that led up to being stabbed and now being in my parents’ cabin. I even know the few times Chase has gotten up to leave me and when he’s returned, but I can’t make out how long he was gone for.
After many a false start, I’m finally able to pull myself out of the haze. It’s gradual, but I begin to make out my surroundings. I draw my eyes open and see that it’s sunny outside, though I can’t make out if it’s earlier or later in the day. I let out a yawn and my head falls back, hitting Chase’s hard chest. He wakes with a jump from beneath me. Tilting my head back, I give him an apologetic look.
“Sorry,” I whisper. My throat is raspy and dry from the lack of water and way too much bourbon. Even though I’d love a glass of water right now, I don’t want to disturb the coziness of being wrapped in Chase’s warm body.
“How are you feeling?” he asks. My cheeks heat under his gaze, certain he knows how much I’m enjoying his closeness.
“Better,” I croak and shift to turn in his arms. “Thank you . . . for everything.”
Chase’s face gives nothing away. He just gives me a soft smile and rubs my upper arms to keep me warm. I cuddle into him, refusing to move.
“I’m just doing my job. At least, I think I’m just doing my job.”
“Second guessing your choices, Officer Guilliot?” The second the words leave my mouth, I regret them. I don’t want to encourage Chase to think of his time with me as a mistake. He opens his mouth , then looks down at me, and thinking better of it, he shakes his head. “What is it?”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I feel a little out of my element here. I only been in uniform a week now , and already I’m starting to worry I’m going to lose my badge,” he says. His tone is flat and emotionless.
This is a conversation I really don’t want to have. I want to stick my head in the dirt so I can’t hear this. For whatever reason, Chase’s opinion matters to me , and the thought that I’ve dragged him into a mess that’s going to cost him his badge—something that clearly matters to him—distresses me greatly. I never should have opened
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