“Am I not allowed to smile now?”
“I was just wondering if it was a she’s-going-to-burn-down-my-kitchen smile, or a polite is-she-going-to-make-me-eat-undercooked-pasta smile?”
He snorted, and my fingers itched to flick him. “It’s an I’m-relieved-she-doesn’t-hate-my-guts smile.”
My hands faltered on the jar, and it dropped onto the wooden countertop. Thankfully, the glass didn’t shatter. “I never hated your guts, August. I was scared. I still am. Because, like you, I care.”
His eyes didn’t turn a brighter shade of green like they usually did, but his gaze scraped across my face with an intensity that made me crouch and pull open one of his cupboards to get out of his line of sight.
“Now where do you keep your pots and pans?”
I sat up so fast my head spun, and August’s apartment swam out of focus. A coverlet slid off my shoulders and pooled onto the floor. I clicked my lids open and shut a few times to clear my eyesight, then looked around for August.
He wasn’t on the couch. Maybe he was in his bed?
The sound of running water had me leaping to my feet, plodding to the bathroom, and knuckling the door. “August?”
“Be out in a minute!” His voice was strong and steady. He was all right.
Pulse decelerating, I dragged the heels of my hands into my eyes. Something buzzed. I shot my gaze to my bag which I’d set on one of his barstools. I plodded over and dug my cell phone out.
There was a message from Matt: In front of your door. Ready?
I checked the time, then mumbled, “Shoot, shoot, shoot,” just as the door of the bathroom opened and steam billowed out, thickening the air with August’s scent.
ME: I’m not at my place. Can you pick me up at the warehouse? And it’s NOT what you think.
MATT: I’ll be right over. And the fact that you’re telling me that it’s not what I think means it’s exactly what I think.
ME: Your logic is illogical.
MATT: Apparently that’s what you told Cole last time he was over at August’s place.
MATT: Be there in a sec. We like our coffees with lots of milk.
“What’s going on?” August asked.
“Matt and Cole are on their way over here. They think . . .” I set my phone down on the smooth slab of ruffled wood. “I’m sure you can guess what they think.”
“Are you worried they’re going to tell Liam?”
“No. Why-oh!” My eyes went wide. With everything going on, I’d completely forgotten about his ban. But then I reasoned that I hadn’t broken any rules, because August and I weren’t together, together.
“Might want to inform him so he doesn’t schedule your duel for today.”
I worried the inside of my mouth, surely deepening my dimples. “I’ll call him later. Right now, I have to get ready. May I use the bathroom?”
“Go right ahead.”
I carried my bag inside and quickly changed into my exercise bra and running shorts, then put yesterday’s tank top on and brushed my teeth. Tying up my hair, I returned into the kitchen where August was brewing coffee. He’d pulled on a pair of mesh shorts and a short sleeved T-shirt.
“You’re feeling up to running?” I asked, grabbing a glass and filling it with tap water.
“Yeah.””Nothing hurts?”
“Just my neck.” He rubbed the back of it. “But that’s probably from falling asleep sitting up.”
“Can’t believe I slept. I’d suck as a nurse.”
He smiled. “I’m sure plenty of bedridden men would disagree with you.”
Leaning back against the island, I shook my head and drank my fill. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better about my lousy job.”
“I survived the night. And I feel absolutely fine. I promise. You can stop worrying about me.”
“Can you shift?”
He held out his arm and concentrated. When brown fur didn’t sprout from his pores, he shook his head.
“Then I’m not done worrying.”
The coffee maker behind him began to gurgle and dribble dark, sweetly charred liquid into the glass carafe.”Dimples . . .”
“Don’t Dimples-me, August Watt. You’re my best friend. I’ll worry if I want to worry.”
His lips tightened as though he found my reasoning maddening. Or maybe it was my sticking him in the friend-zone which he found maddening. Little did he know that he featured in many more zones than that one.
Loud knocking redirected our attention toward the front door. A keypad beeped, but it wasn’t followed by a click.
“You changed the code?” I asked as he strode over to open up for Matt and Cole.
“I did.”I clutched my glass of water tighter. Had August changed it for me? So that people-his parents and Cole-didn’t walk in on us?
If there had been an us . . .
“Yo.” Cole slugged August’s shoulder.
Although Matt’s brother was the same height as my mate, he wasn’t half as ripped. August had been away from the Marines for over a month now and was still in formidable shape-slimmer than Matt but carved like a Greek God.
I really had to stop ogling August if I wanted to convince the two Rogers my sleepover had been platonic.
“Morning, Little Wolf,” Matt belted out, moss-green eyes way too shiny.
I decided not to bother convincing him or his brother of anything. I didn’t have anything to feel ashamed of. Besides-as I took a sip of my water, I sniffed my hand discreetly-I didn’t think I smelled of August or of our mating link. Sure, I’d slept on his couch, but apart from when I’d all but jumped onto his lap to check if he had a fever, I’d kept my distance from him.
Giant smile pasted on his lips, Matt rubbed his hands together. “You got our coffees ready?”
I tipped my head toward the coffee machine, and he dug through the cupboard of mismatched mugs to grab two.