“Luckily you’re not looking for a lifetime girl, right?”
“Right.”
They were silent for a moment. Evelyn never should’ve brought up the idea of him bringing women over. It was dangerous territory for them and she knew better.
“I should shower,” she said abruptly. And then she realized that making him think of her all wet and soapy probably wasn’t any better. “I’m still all pepper spray-ey.” There. Pepper spray was decidedly unsexy.
“Let me show you the spare bathroom.” He crossed to the other side of the living area to the spiral staircase with a winding, clear railing.
“All the rooms are upstairs?” She had a feeling that was where the master suite was, and she’d rather sleep as far away as possible.
“There’s a room down here too, but that’s where Emma stays. The upstairs room is nicer anyway.”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to debate him on that or not. Because if she said she wanted to be as far from him as possible, she’d be forced to admit that the reason was because of how much he tempted her. And the last thing he needed was an ego boost.
He led her into a decent-sized room with gray walls, white trim and crown molding, and a blue comforter with a delicate floral pattern, the one feminine touch in the room.
“Will this work for you?” He set her bag on the bed.
She snorted. “Well, you saw where I was sleeping before. Trust me, this is more than enough.”
He nodded without saying anything too judgmental and then led her to the door on the left wall. “This is the bathroom. There’s a tub and a shower, so whatever you’re in the mood for, feel free. I don’t have any fancy girl shampoo.”
“Fancy girl shampoo? Really? I have a feeling the stuff you use is way more expensive than whatever fancy girl shampoo I use.”
“Whatever works.” He ran a hand through his hair.
Evelyn had to admit, he did have a great head of hair. It was jet black, betraying a bit of Italian ancestry. He looked practically perfect in his t-shirt and jeans, and she was a sloppy mess in the sweatpants and t-shirt she’d changed into after her impromptu shower.
Although her throat was back to normal, her eyes were still a bit sore and she’d practically rubbed her face raw. She’d gotten sprayed before during her training days, something all recruits had to go through, but that had been a quick mist. The son of a bitch who’d attacked her had dead-on aimed straight at her face.
“And where are you sleeping?” she asked. The question seemed strangely intimate. Knowing they were sleeping in the same place...
“In the room right next door. So if you need anything, don’t hesitate to come and get me.”
She let out a soft laugh. “You’d like me to wander into your bedroom in the middle of the night, wouldn’t you?”
Luke closed the distance between them and set a hand on each of her shoulders. “I want you. I’m not hiding that. But you had a rough day. You need to rest and relax and heal. And once you’re all better, then you can come into my bed any time you want, day or night.”
“Fat chance of that happening.” If by fat she meant pretty damn good odds. Hey, maybe taking a few minutes, or hours, to really enjoy her time alone with him wasn’t the worst idea. Lord knew that she needed some stress relief after the week she’d had.
“We’ll see,” said Luke confidently as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Michael and Lori are coming over first thing tomorrow morning. We can regroup then and figure out our next move.”
“Tomorrow is another day,” she said as he moved away and left the bathroom. She followed him out and looked to the inviting bed. A wave of exhaustion swept over her. “Good night, Luke.”
He stopped in the doorway and gave her one more once-over. “Relax for tonight. Tomorrow, you’re mine though.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Luke tossed some more cheese in the skillet and stirred up the eggs a bit more when he finally heard her.
“Oh my goodness,” said Evelyn from behind him. “The only thing that would make this better was if you were wearing one of those pretty flowery aprons.”
He shot her a sardonic grin over his shoulder and pointed the spatula to the island. “Have a seat.” He already had an empty plate and glass of orange juice waiting for her. “And don’t get too flattered. Eggs are the only thing I actually know how to cook.”
“I’ll take it.” She sat down. “Better than my normal protein bar.”
“I figure you deserve something after yesterday. You did put your life on the line for me and all.” Luke tried his best to remain cheerful, but every time he remembered how close she came to dying, he was taken over by a barely containable rage. Every bone in his body wanted to take Evelyn to some remote cabin out in the middle of nowhere where she could be safe and he could take care of Longineu.