“Just past oh-six-hundred. You still have time to get more sleep.”
“Not possible.”
Herexpression was compassionate. “Bad dreams do that to me too. I’ve found it helps if someone stays with me. You know, to sort of guard against the nightmare’s return. Do you want me to stay with you?”
Good God, was she serious? He wanted her to stay with him more than anything. But he couldn’t have her in his room, in hisbed, without touching her. And since in the world of unwritten rules,not touching a woman unless she invited him to was bold, underlined, and all in caps, she needed to leave.
“Indeed not. I’m fine. But thank you. Thank you for checking on me. For waking me.” He risked looking into her eyes and immediately knew it for the mistake it was. He was used to seeing a mischievous glint there, used to seeing derision or vexation or, hell, occasionally even grudgingrespect. What he wasnotused to seeing was tenderness.
Not that Emily was unkind. Quite the contrary. Beneath her tough outer shell, she had an incredibly soft underbelly. Problem was, she rarely showedhimher softer side. Choosing instead to give him all the sharp edges she had honed while growing up in Chicago’s blue-collar Bridgeport neighborhood.
She placed a hand on his thigh, andit immediately brought him out in a sweat. “If you’re sure you don’t—”
“I’m sure.” He was quick to cut her off.
“You’re good at playing the tough guy, aren’t you?”
He quirked a brow, made sure his expression was all arrogance. “I haven’t a need to play at it, darling.”
Tossing her head back, she laughed. The sight of her exposed throat, combined with the low, husky roll of heramusement, had his flag hoisting itself to full staff.
Bloody stupid appendage!
How unfair it was that men had to do daily battle with the sex organ attached to them. Especially since that sex organ had zero brains and beastly timing.
Emily lowered her chin to regard him, that hypnotic smile still on her lips. “Let no one ever accuse you of a lack of confidence, Christian.”
Heconsidered pretending he hadn’t heard her so she’d say his name again. The way she pronounced it always hit him like a shot of aged whiskey—warm, potent, and intoxicating. But instead he went with, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It’s not. I like a confident man.”
“Careful,” he warned. “That sounded suspiciously like you admitted to liking me.”
She shrugged. It was a delicate,unconsciously graceful gesture. “Well, I don’tdislikeyou.”
Heat unfurled in his belly. To distract her from the heightened color in his cheeks and the predatory gleam that had entered his eyes, he donned an expression of annoyance. “Damned with faint praise.”
“Oh, it’s praise you want? Well, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong woman. I’m bad at compliments.”
“That’s the understatementof the century.” Although, truth be told, he’d heard her compliment their coworkers on many occasions. But for some reason, she was total rubbish at flinging admirationhisway.
Which was probably why his jaw slung open when she took a deep breath and blurted, “You have really pretty eyes.”
Scriiiiiitch.That sound was a needle scratching across his mental record. Had Emily Watson saidhe had pretty eyes? Backup. Reset. Not just pretty eyes, butreallypretty eyes?
How odd she should think so. He’d always thought his eyes a bit…spooky. They were a strange color, somewhere between green and gold. Too light when paired with his tan skin and dark hair. Hadn’t he been told as much? Hadn’t his spooky eyes caused—
He crushed the memory and glanced around the room as if furtivelysearching for something. “Hang on a minute,” he said.
“What is it? What are you looking for?”
“The white bunny. I seem to have fallen down the rabbit hole.”
She swatted his arm, not attempting to be gentle. Pervy shit that he was, he liked it. Then again, how pervy was it to fancy the touch—even the abusive touch—of a woman like Emily Scott?
“See? And that’s why I don’t complimentyou. You don’t know how to take it.”
“I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right. Let’s try this again, shall we? You think I have really pretty eyes?” He fluttered his eyelashes for effect.
