Faked - Karla Sorensen Page 0,38

only thing covering him. Slapped a hand over my eyes. Like a child.

His booming laughter made my face go hot.

"If you want to look, princess, go right ahead. I'm here for your perusal."

Behind the protection of my hand, I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to use the bathroom, and when I come out, you better be clothed."

"I'm clothed now," he protested. "All the important parts are covered."

I slipped from the bed and kept my eyes straight ahead as I got to the privacy of the bathroom. When the door was shut, I sank against the closed door with a sigh. Sharing a bedroom with Bauer was hazardous for my health.

But as I'd requested, he was in a T-shirt and gray sweatpants when I exited the bathroom with brushed hair and brushed teeth. Honestly, though, the sweatpants might have been worse—or better, if I looked long enough—than the boxer briefs.

Bauer wasn't looking at me, but at his phone screen. It was his turn to wear a frown, though I refused to tell him he looked adorable. Men that hot could never, and would never, be described as adorable.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

His face cleared instantly. "Nothing. I just have to make a phone call real quick before we head down. But don't feel like you need to wait for me."

I shrugged. "It's okay. Go ahead, I won't eavesdrop."

One hand rubbing the back of his neck, Bauer actually looked ... worried. "Okay." He shook his head and brought the phone to his ear. After a few moments, he smiled. "No, I didn't storm the offices. Tried a different tactic, but ... it didn't pan out exactly like I planned." He nodded. "Don't tell me you're extending your trip."

He glanced at me.

"Yeah, I'm actually in West Vancouver right now, so I'm about an hour away from your place. Why?" He shook his head. "No, I was going back down to Seattle."

I grabbed some clothes and walked back to the bathroom but kept the door cracked. Quietly, as I slipped my shorts off and tugged leggings up over my legs, I heard him mutter a curse under his breath.

"Scotty, I have a passenger with me, and she will not like this." He paused. "No, it's not like that."

I tugged my sweatshirt on and walked out of the bathroom, giving him a questioning look.

He scratched the side of his jaw. "I know, Scotty, but I'm sure she's okay." He grimaced. "Yeah, I heard it could be bad, but come on, we've lived by those mountains for how long? You've been there a hundred years. Don't tell me they don't always exagger—"

Whatever Scotty said on the other end of the phone had Bauer letting out a slow exhale.

"Does she have food?"

My hands lowered slowly where I had started packing away my pajamas. Oh geez, was someone stranded? Lost? My mind started racing, my heart hurting for whoever might be in trouble.

"She's tough, okay? I'm sure Agnes will be fine. Besides, I'm the last person she'd want to have check on her. She hates me."

I would've smiled, if the name Agnes hadn't conjured mental images of a sweet, little old lady, and now I wasn't even sure if she had food.

"We can check on her," I heard myself say.

Bauer's face dropped in shock. He blinked. "Yeah, Scotty, that's her. But—"

"Tell him we'll check on Agnes," I said, more firmly this time. I lifted my chin for good measure. For some reason, that made Bauer grin widely. "We can bring supplies from Richard, if he'll let us part with some canned goods and produce. We'll make sure she has food."

The person he was talking to said something that made Bauer chuckle. "Yes, she is definitely a better person than me. Though she may regret this when she meets Agnes."

My mouth fell open. Everything nice I said about Bauer, I took it back. He was horrible. And rude. And mean to little old ladies without food stuck in the middle of nowhere before a blizzard.

His eyes were glued to my face, full of mischief and fire. "Okay, Scotty. We'll leave now, but all I can do is check on her, make sure she's inside with some food, and then turn right back around. I have a precious package to deliver safely back to Seattle."

"Oh geez," I mumbled, ignoring his unwavering gaze as I zipped my backpack a bit harder than necessary. "Laying it on a little thick, don't you think?"

Bauer said goodbye to whoever he was talking to, probably Agnes's