Page 34 of Cloud Nine Love

It was driving me crazy.

How could a man I’d barely known for twenty-four hours consume me to this degree?

Harper walked into her room and spun in the center as she shouted, “Ta da!”

“This is amazing!” I enthused.

Ruby and Kane had gone above and beyond. Her bed was a loft, and she had a play area below it. There were pink and purple accents everywhere you looked, and they’d picked out a mermaid nightlight that made it look like she was under the sea.

After Harper showed me where all her clothes, dolls, and books went, Ruby got a call from Harper’s best friend Lilah’s mom, Destiny, asking if Lilah could talk to Harp.

When she took the call, I followed Kane, who had gone to get my suitcase and was putting it in my bedroom. As I walked in, I saw that he’d set up not only my bed but also my nightstands and dresser and unwrapped the oversized mirror I’d ordered.

“Thanks, for everything.” I waved my hand around.

“No worries. You know I’ve got you.”

I did know that. He was the only man I trusted completely. No sooner had that thought occurred to me than Remi’s face popped into my head, but I quickly tried to erase the image.

How could I trust the man? I didn’t know him—except, I sort of did know him. The first conversation Kane and I ever had was about Remi, who had just joined the Army. He told me that the two of them had been comparing notes about boot camp. Since that day, I couldn’t count the number of stories I’d heard about Remi.

I’d ‘known’ Remi for almost eighteen years.

“Hey.” Kane lifted his chin up slightly. “What’s going on with you?”

“I’m just tired. It’s been a really long few days.”

Those were both true statements. Just not the actual thing that was “going on” with me.

“Do you have a problem with Remi?”

Bullseye. That was what was “going on” with me.

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

“You just seem really—I don’t know—not yourself around him. You’re standoffish to him.”

Shit. I’d overcompensated. I’d been so scared that Kane would pick up on my feelings, no not my feelings, I couldn’t have feelings, I’d only known the man one day. Not even a whole day. Anyway, I’d actually gone too far in trying to be totally disinterested in him.

“Really?” I pretended to have no clue what he could possibly be referring to.

I could tell by the look on his face that Kane saw right through my façade.

Thankfully, we were interrupted when Harper ran into the room.

“Can I take a bath in your bath? Please?” she pleaded. “It has bubbles!”

“Absolutely!”

One of the things I’d loved about this house, aside from the fact it was only a block away from Kane’s, was the primary ensuite. It had a freestanding whirlpool tub with jets. I had been fantasizing about soaking in it after twenty-hour shifts at the hospital. Now, when I thought about being in it, I had company. I wondered if Remi and I would both fit.

Stop it, I admonished myself.

“We’ll get out of you ladies’ hair.” Ruby pointed at me. “But don’t forget tomorrow night.”

“Right.” I nodded as I tried to flip through my mental calendar to remember what tomorrow night was.

“Barbeque at our house,” Kane filled in the blank because he’d obviously seen I had no clue what Ruby was talking about. Which was why I needed to avoid Remi at all costs. Kane would know.

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