My thoughts spin into inappropriate territory, imagining what would happen if he got up from that chair and walked in here right now.
I must be losing my mind. I never think like this.
I know that I’ve put a vast distance between me and everyone else around me, but I’ve never been interested in getting laid or dating.
Growing up with my mother showed me just how horrible all that stuff could be, and I’ve made it a point to keep myself away from everybody.
Yes, that has meant giving up some specific experiences that people seem to prize very highly—a la sex. But I’m completely fine with being uneducated in that department.
It means I’m safe.
Except right now... Well, I can’t deny the heat that fills me when Alec stares at me, and that’s a fucking problem.
I throw on a pair of fresh shorts made from cotton that’s so worn it feels like silk, pulling on one of my oversized T-shirts.
I’ve ditched the bra, and it’s a little bit chilly in here right now, so I’m nervous to go back out in the other room. But I need to make sure that he really is just going to sit there.
I don’t want to worry about him while I’m sleeping.
Padding out to the other room, I stand in front of Alec, where he’s sitting with his arms balanced on the chair, his fingers gripping tightly.
“I’m going to bed, and as much as I appreciate that you are apparently trying to help me, if you come in there while I’m sleeping, I will scream bloody murder.”
He chuckles under his breath, rolling his eyes. “Don’t worry about it, darling. I don’t intend on sneaking into your bedroom.Got a couple of phone calls I need to make, and I’m just going to be here keeping an eye on things.”
I hold his gaze, studying him for some look of betrayal or dishonesty. I don’t find it.
“Fine.”
But my feet aren’t moving, and I notice just then that Alec’s stare is running up and down my body. He lands at the center of my chest, and his eyes flare before he quickly darts them away.
Heat floods my cheeks. I know exactly what that was about before I even look down.
Sure enough, I’m nipping out through my shirt. The thin cotton hides absolutely nothing.
Did he like what he saw? Why do I care? Why does part of me hope he noticed?
The thought makes my stomach flip in a way that has nothing to do with fear.
Throwing my arms over myself, I scurry back to my bedroom and dive underneath the covers of my bed, my heart pounding for reasons I refuse to examine.
“Get some sleep, Claire,” he says quietly. “I’ll be right out here.”
I nod, not trusting my voice, and pull the covers up to my chin.
I’m not getting out of here for anything in the world at this point.
3
Alec
Claire is sleeping in her bedroom while I wait outside, my stolen chair pressed against the wall in her living room so I can keep an eye on everything.
From where I’m sitting, I can see her sprawled out across the bed. One leg pokes out from underneath the covers, which are shoved up between her thighs. The tiny shorts she has on are no better than the ones she was wearing before.
There is far too much of that sumptuous curve available for me to see right now. I clear my throat quietly, forcing my eyes in the other direction.
I’ve waited about thirty minutes at this point, and I think she’s fully asleep. I’m still on edge about the person spying on her tonight, and I don’t want to wake her when I go outside to have a look for myself.
