Avenged (Altered #2)(23)

Against her will, her eyes followed his movements, and her mouth opened the slightest bit. She licked at her mysteriously dry lips, and her breathing hitched.

Christ. She needs to stop doing that.

He paused on the fourth snap. “You should turn around if you don’t want to see me naked.” Because I’m damn sure she doesn’t want to see what I’m hiding under this jumpsuit.

Kitty spun so fast it made her dizzy.

Then again, she had no idea when they’d had their MREs. It was dark outside their window, so…last night, possibly? Maybe lack of food was why she felt lightheaded.

It definitely wasn’t from seeing Nick’s broad chest. He’d unsnapped so fast, the jumpsuit had been open to his waist. She’d caught chiseled muscles and acres of tanned skin. Stupid military-issue jumpsuits and their stupid easy accessibility.

She stared at the wall, taking deep breaths and listening to the rustle of him stripping out of his clothes. He hadn’t been this attractive in San Antonio before she was taken. She only remembered bossiness and frustration, and him telling her what to do.

Obviously, she’d missed a few key points.

She did not want to think about him naked behind her. She didn’t want to put that image together with the warm feel of him the few times they’d come in contact as he helped her to escape. She certainly didn’t want to hear whatever was going through his mind.

“Nick?” she called.

“Yes?”

“I think…” She inhaled a steadying breath. “I think, well, that it might be better if I don’t listen to you. If that’s okay with you.”

He paused. “If you think it’s best.”

It was definitely best. This entire situation was hard enough, without her hearing everything. Because what happened in Nick’s mind was as sexy as the rest of him.

She closed her eyes, throwing up the walls as she’d done countless times before. She would have to remember to do so every morning.

Surely they wouldn’t be here that long. “I’d imagine they’ll move us to separate rooms. They won’t want us to stay here. Together.” She tried not to let him see how hopeful she was they’d be separated, but she failed.

“I’m sure they will, if they have extra rooms.” The water turned on and she listened to the trickle of it as it hit the floor. “I’m assuming this is an emergency location, though. They might not have excess space here.”

Sweet goodness. She might be here, in this room, with Nick and his tanned, muscled skin for days? Even weeks or months?

“Christ, that’s cold,” he muttered. She heard his bare feet pad across the concrete, and she shifted to give him as much privacy as she could.

What sort of horrible people would leave them together? This was cruel and unusual punishment. Even prisoners in the worst conditions were separated by gender. Right?

The litany continued in her mind as she listened to Nick snapping up his clean jumpsuit.

How was she going to live with him?

Fine, he’d been nothing but a gentleman to her. As they’d been escaping, he hadn’t even been overly arrogant or bossy. He’d told her what to do, yes, but he hadn’t been a jerk about it. And he’d come for her, when he hadn’t needed to.

Maybe she needed to give him a break. It wasn’t like he wanted to be here, either.

“Are you decent?”she asked.

“Hardly ever. Most of the time I’m incredible.”

A grin tugged at her lips as she turned. “Funny.” But the grin slipped when she caught sight of him.

Nick Degrassi, wet from the shower, was gorgeous.

She knew she shouldn’t think that, but it was exhausting to pretend she didn’t notice. Besides, she’d spent her whole life pretending she felt things she didn’t, and ignoring things she did. She could stop that, with her parents gone. Her father wasn’t here to preach about how carnal love was wrong, and her mother wasn’t here to nod along solemnly.

More importantly, no one could hear her thoughts. She could think however she wanted to think. And she thought Nick was one sexy man.

He ran his hand over his dark hair. She knew it was thick, but slick with water it looked glossy, too. There were his big brown eyes, the stubborn jaw, and his lips—sweet heavens, his lips.

“You have to stop,” he whispered. “You have to stop looking at me like that. I can’t, Kit. It’s hard enough.”

Kitty dragged her gaze from him and felt the fire in her cheeks. No, no one could hear her thoughts. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t still obvious. She closed her eyes, wishing she could melt down the drain with the rest of his shower water.

He didn’t say anything for a long minute. After they’d stood in silence for a while, he took her hand. She forced herself to look at him, even as embarrassment lit her like a torch.

She wasn’t sure what she expected to find in his face. After she’d rebuffed him in the woods, he could have thrown it back in her face. But she didn’t find mockery or arrogance.

He only looked sober.

“I don’t believe for a second that you want anything to do with me. Not like that.” He stared over the top of her head for a minute. “At least, not now.” His eyes returned to hers. “But looking like you’d like to lick me doesn’t help me think ‘platonic.’”