He resisted the urge to comment.She was damn perfect right now—beautiful and healthy.Alive.
“I will go with Avery soon to pick out some of my own things,” she continued.“It will be weird to shop again, to be allowed to walk into a store of my own free choosing, but I need to do it to give myself some semblance of normalcy.I should be able to access my bank account, but I’ll have to get new credit cards.”
“I’ll give you one of my cards to use,” he said.
She raised her eyebrows in surprise.
“You can get whatever you need.It’s no trouble.”
“I will pay you back, of course.”
“It’s not a problem, Luciana,” he said, intrigued by the sudden flush on her cheeks again.A woman like her was no doubt independent, but he had no trouble seeing that all of her needs were met.Harrison solved problems.Took care of things.Handled matters in a rational way.While it might take time for her to come to grips with all she’d dealt with, he could take care of her physically.Provide her food.Shelter.Clothes.Nothing more, because he knew what this was and what it wasn’t.
A brief shot of lust coursed through him anyway.He’d have no trouble taking care of her needs in bed as well, but she was off-limits.She took a sip of her water, and his gaze caught again on her plump lips.Even without trying, Luciana was deliciously sensual.Smooth skin.Silky hair.Dark brown eyes that you could get lost in.
She met his gaze, a burst of energy arcing between them.She didn’t look away, just seemed more surprised by it than anything.Harrison broke their eye contact first, knowing he shouldn’t do anything to make her uncomfortable.She was forbidden.Untouchable.And he had the distinct feeling that if he did ever kiss her someday, he’d never get enough, which was all the more reason to stay away.
Chapter 18
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LUCIANA JOLTED IN HERsleep and clutched onto the blankets, her heart racing.She wasn’t surprised that she’d awoken, but a brief flash of panic set in as she took in the dark bedroom and closed door.Had they moved her?This felt different.
Reality soon slammed into her.She was on a comfortable bed, warm and safe, dressed in pajamas she’d chosen.Her hair smelled of pine and the sea—the same scent she’d first noted on Harrison.She had a full belly, having actually eaten and enjoyed a meal.
Pressing one hand to her chest, she waited for her breathing to slow, then sat up.The sheets were softer than a cloud.Bamboo maybe.She was surprised a man like Harrison would have such nice linens.Didn’t Navy SEALs sleep on the ground in sleeping bags?Not that he’d do so in his own home, but she had a feeling he’d spent plenty of nights roughing it.Having little luxuries in his home seemed unexpected.
Luciana had slept in tents before on assignment with Doctors Without Borders.She’d used makeshift showers and traveled with little more than a backpack.The room she’d shared with Avery near the Darien Gap had practically been a luxury.And the storage closet where she’d been knocked out?That had been seconds of pure terror.
Her eyes landed on the closed bedroom door.Of course, she’d closed and locked it.She was temporarily living with a man who was essentially a stranger.Despite her connection to him through Avery, she wasn’t a fool.Harrison might be a perfect gentleman, but she wasn’t about to tempt fate.Not after what she’d been through.
Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she stood.The hardwood felt cool beneath her bare feet, but it was smooth and polished.Another reminder that she wasn’t still in that horrific home in Panama.The cool air washed over her, feeling heavenly against her flushed skin.She was both hot and cold at the same time, no doubt from her near panic attack after yet another nightmare.While she longed to open the window to feel the breeze and breathe in the fresh Hawaiian air, she also hadn’t dared.Just because Harrison had told her she was safe didn’t mean it was true.
Luciana padded across the guest room, deciding to go sit in the living room.It was nice to do so simply because she could.She turned the doorknob, hoping she wouldn’t wake Harrison.He was planning to be up early for his run and then would head into base.Avery would be coming with breakfast, and then Luciana would attempt to sort things out and begin to get her life back in order.
The home was quiet as she moved down the dark hall, Harrison’s own bedroom door closed behind her.She hadn’t even peeked in there when he’d given her a quick tour, despite her curiosity.Did he have a big, king-sized bed?Art on the walls?Or was his bedroom minimalist like the rest of his home?Cursing at not having a phone or watch to check the time, she spotted the digital numbers on the cable box beneath his flat screen TV.Three-twenty-two in the morning.
