lying around in them, for Christ’s sake.”
She frowned at the garments that were dripping a small puddle on the beige carpet. Even from where she sat, the distinct briny scent of the ocean was unmistakable. It made no sense. Her crippling phobia of the ocean should have prevented her from going anywhere near the Atlantic.
Unless…
The strange hallucinations plaguing her lately. Somehow she knew they were responsible. Those weird compulsions and visions that seemed to be totally disconnected with who she was. The person she knew herself to be.
Had she finally completely lost it? Judging from the evidence staring her in the face…hell, yeah. Groaning, she dropped her forehead against her raised knees.
“What’s wrong? Do you feel sick?”
The warmth of a large palm branded into her shoulder, and she jerked her head up, her gaze crashing into his. Undeniable concern rode his rugged features. It occurred to her that she should be worried about a big, hulking stranger touching her like this while she was half-naked and lying in his bed. She should probably also be worried about the pleasurable tingle fluttering low in her tummy.
Oh goddess. What’s wrong with me?
The stranger lifted his hand away. “You don’t have to look at me like I’m seconds away from attacking you. I’m not.” He scruffed his fingers over his bristly jaw, drawing her attention to the strong, tanned column of his throat. And lower. His shoulders were huge, delineated with acres of sleek muscle tone and sun-kissed skin. There wasn’t a speck of hair on his chest, leading her to wonder if he was one of those guys who waxed, and also leaving her with the weird—and completely inappropriate—desire to tiptoe her fingers down his washboard abs while she sucked on those flat male nipples.
What the hell? Concerned he was the one in danger of being attacked, she jerked her gaze away. “I-I’m fine.” Yeah, talk about the biggest honkin’ lie of the century. “I think I just need to…use the bathroom.” Now that she’d said it, there was no denying the urgency to empty her bladder. Grimacing, she wiggled in the blanket. Beyond his shoulder, she spotted an open doorway where she could make out the corner of a vinyl shower curtain decorated with neon-orange starfish. Just the sight of that shower stall made her think of water, which of course made her have to pee even more. “Aw crap.”
“What?”
“Bathroom. Now.” She scrabbled with the blanket and tumbled off the mattress, landing on the floor with a thunk when her legs refused to cooperate. Before she could untangle herself and crawl onto her knees, her rescuer scooped her up and carried her toward the bathroom.
It felt odd getting carted around like that, and kind of embarrassing, considering her nipples were poking him in the chest as if to say, Hey, look at me, sexy mister. Thankfully, he didn’t take them up on their offer.
He lowered her to her feet next to the shower. Her toes immediately curled in protest of the icy tile floor. Jeez, it was colder than the interior of an igloo in this place. No wonder her nipples were waving a salute. Yeah, as if that were the only reason. When he made no move to leave, she hugged the blanket closer and gave him a pointed look.
His cheeks reddening slightly, he coughed into his fist. “You, uh, probably can manage the rest on your own.” Pivoting, he strode through the doorway, awarding her a nice view of his muscular back and the dimples riding low at the base of his spine. Before her brain finished conjuring the visual of tracing those intriguing grooves with her tongue, he snicked the door shut behind him.
Her wispy exhale leaking free, she shrugged from the blanket and hobbled toward the toilet. She was relieved to note that he appeared to be amazingly tidy for a guy, but halfway in the process of squatting, it occurred to her that he might be within earshot on the other side of the door. Not about to let him listen to her pee, she scrabbled for the faucet and cranked it to full blast.
Once done, she washed up, making a valiant effort not to wince at the frightening picture she made in the mirrored cabinet suspended over the sink. Wet clumps of hair were plastered together in messy tufts. All traces of her makeup were also gone, emphasizing her puffy, red-rimmed eyes. As she splashed cool water on her face, it dawned on her that