He liked being in another one. Being a part of a group.
Doodle clambered out of the car when they got home and raced inside. Jas followed more slowly, coming to a stop when he peeked into the living room and found Katrina fast asleep on the couch, her open laptop precariously resting on her chest.
She never napped during the day, as far as he knew. But then again, she probably hadn’t been sleeping much lately. She was going to be so annoyed when she woke up and discovered a nap had derailed whatever she’d planned for the afternoon.
He rescued the computer from toppling over with her next big breath and covered her with a blanket. Seemed like tucking her in was just his role in her life, and that was okay. Jas gestured to Doodle. “Stick close,” he whispered, though the dog was already on it, climbing up on the big couch to rest next to her.
He turned his attention to his new group chat as he left the room, his thumbs already composing his replies.
Chapter Fifteen
UGH, HOW COULD she have fallen asleep?
Katrina yawned and waited for Doodle to finish her business in the yard. She was so groggy, and if the dog hadn’t woken her up to go outside, she would have easily slept for another hour. Watching the Good Morning Live segment this morning must have really sapped her of her energy.
She staggered back into the house once Doodle was done and nearly yelped when she saw her face in the mirror. She tried to make some order of her hair and rubbed her cheek in a vain attempt to get the sleep creases out. She checked her watch. Almost two o’clock. “Jas?” she called out. He must be back. Doodle was back, after all, and with a cute new red collar and pretty white teeth.
Doodle sniffed the floor and then paused in front of a door. “What’s that, girl?” Katrina went to the door and opened it, startled to find stairs. She hadn’t realized any houses in California had basements, but she supposed some of the ones built earlier in the century might.
The clang of metal on metal told her Jas was down there. She petted Doodle. “Good girl. You can go lie down.” Doodle huffed as if she understood, and turned away, her tail thwacking Katrina hard on her thigh.
Katrina rubbed her leg and descended to the basement. This was no fancy place. The basement was one large cold concrete room, unfinished, so she caught sight of Jas immediately.
And promptly almost swallowed her tongue.
Welp.
He wore only gym shorts and reclined on the bench press, hefting the heavy weight above his head. His thighs were thick and muscular on either side of the bench, feet on the floor. His bare chest was sprinkled with dark hair, and it was wide and shiny with sweat. The muscles of his abs were clearly delineated, each one perfectly carved.
Save for his nightmare, when she’d been utterly distracted by his pain, she’d never seen him with so much skin exposed. So much . . . beautiful skin.
Katrina pressed a hand to her belly. Oh God, the zings. The zings.
She tried to mentally slap herself. This was Jas, not some piece of meat to ogle. He was like . . . well, she couldn’t view him as some sexual fantasy come to life.
He placed the bar back into its holder thing and crunched to come to a seated position, which did all sorts of amazing things to those stomach muscles. He twisted to grab his water bottle from the floor and lifted it to his lips. It was inexplicably sexy when he tilted his head back and drank large gulps.
He lowered the bottle, and that was when he met her eyes. He jerked back, like he was startled. Well, why wouldn’t he be? She was hovering by the foot of the stairs like a poltergeist. “Katrina. Is anything wrong?”
She licked her dry lips. Yes. Things were wrong. She’d come here for a reason. A very specific reason. “Unf.”
“What?” He swung his leg over the bench and rose to his feet. A trickle of sweat ran down his chest.
Remember that hug?
She’d carefully repressed that memory. But it came back to her in a rush now. His arms hadn’t gone around her, but she’d felt the power in them. Had he hugged her, he could have squeezed her so tight.
Those biceps were gigantic. She was willing to bet he gave good hugs.
“Katrina?” He grabbed