panties splayed out for all to see—my secret indulgences. He stares for a second, his heated inspection sliding over me, and settling on my mouth. His teeth clench with an audible click, as he looks away.
I bite my lip to stop myself from blurting something before engaging my brain. Over his shoulder, I can see the other guys and Izzy trying to get a look into my room and see what the commotion is all about.
“What’s going on?” Nate asks, scrubbing his hand over his face.
I shuffle on the bed, sit my ass down, and shove my lacy underthings behind me. “A mouse.” I point toward the bathroom.
He looks over his shoulder. “A mouse,” he says to the others, and I hear them murmur to each other, but no one seems at all surprised, and that works me up even more.
“I’ll grab a trap,” Cody says, and takes off downstairs as the others all disperse.
“Yeah, it’s that time of year,” Nate says. “In an old place like this, they tend to find their way in pretty easily.”
“You mean there are more than one?”
“Yup. I’d offer you my room and take this one, but I’ve caught a few in there, as well. Still, if you want to switch, I haven’t seen any in there in a while.”
His offer is sweet, but I’m not going to put him out. He’s done enough for me today as it is. But, my God, I do not like mice or any other small rodents. Or big rodents. I slide off the bed, careful to watch where I step.
Okay, Kira, you’re a big girl here. Pull yourself together.
“I think I might have overacted,” I say, feeling a bit foolish as heat warms my face.
“You should have seen Sam the first time he saw one,” Jason yells out from his room.
“Fuck off,” Sam says. “It caught me by surprise is all. I’m not afraid of a fucking mouse.”
Nate mouths the words, “He is.”
“Is that why Izzy had to remove the trap after we caught it in your room,” Jason goads.
“Don’t make me come in there, Jason. You know full well Izzy likes hunting the mice. I was just helping her out.”
“He wasn’t,” Nate mouths, then chuckles.
“Really?” I ask quietly, and he nods. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”
“Nope.”
I eye him, but there’s nothing in his expression to suggest he’s fibbing.
“Don’t worry, Kira. They’re more afraid of you than you are of them.”
Cody comes back up the steps with a trap in his hand. “What me to set it, boss?”
Nate looks at me. “Kira?”
“Yes, please. It was in the bathroom.”
Cody comes in. “This will just take a second,” he says, and in a very respectable gesture, he puts his hand up to block the sight of me. Warmth moves through me, and I smile. I really like how they’re treating me like a sister.
“If it goes off in the middle of the night, come get me,” Nate says. “I’ll take care of it for you.”
I’ll take care of it for you.
My entire body warms as I imagine all the ways Nate could take care of other things for me.
“All done,” Cody says, and Nate turns to the side to let him exit the bedroom.
Nate wraps his fingers around the doorknob. “We’ll get out of your way. Let you get ready for bed.”
“Thanks.” I take a step toward him to ensure my door is shut tight after he leaves, but as I close the distance, the room vibrates, buzzes with sexual tension, volatile enough to flash the pilot light in my stove without turning on the ignitor. I suck in a fast breath, my chest rising and falling a little quicker than a moment ago. His gaze drops, and I pray to God he can’t see through the thin shirt. But with the way his eyes are darkening, the black bleeding into green as he examines me, I’m pretty sure