Page 51 of Brooke
Kyle came skidding to a halt inside Brooke’s bedroom, Sawyer on his heels. Battle-preparedness radiated as they scanned the room.
“What happened?” Kyle shot out, fist clenched, muscles locked and loaded.
“Nothing dire.” She held up her hands. “Sorry for the scream. These two scared me.”
Sawyer slumped against Kyle. “Thank God you’re okay. All I could imagine was someone breaking into your room?—”
“She’s all right, Doc.” Kyle rubbed his shoulder, blowing out a long breath. “Ineverwant to wake up like that again unless we really have a problem. Lost five years off my life. Jesus! And Dean, I don’t want to know why you’re in bed with Thea, and I’m telling you right now, I never want to see it again.”
“It’s not like that!” Thea cried out.
“He’s totally kidding, Thea,” Dean shot back with an amused grin.
“If I didn’t know you two better, I’d worry you’d become French.” Sawyer rubbed the side of his head as he traded a humorous look with Kyle. “Thank God I won’t have to worry about what Jean Luc and Jacqueline would say.”
Brooke snorted. “Oh, stop teasing them.”
“It was too good to pass up,” Sawyer said with a muttered laugh as Thea continued to shake her head at the conversation.
“But getting real again.” Kyle pointed to Dean. “No more screaming like that. This place really is turning into a zoo. God, I’m going back to bed.”
“Me too.” Sawyer pushed his glasses back up. “You know, that whole protective male thing is real. I’ve never felt like this before. I could have killed someone for you, Brooke.”
“See how much you’re loved,” Dean broke in, miming a heart.
“I texted!” She went over to Sawyer and hugged him. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.”
“I want a hug too, because Sawyer is right.” Kyle pulled her from Sawyer to him. “My hands were ready to rip someone apart.”
“That will teach you to sleep in someone else’s bed,” Madison said from the doorway. “Don’t ever do that with me. Any of you. Someone will get hurt.”
Everyone nodded crisply at her warning.
“And Thea,” Madison continued, “you really could do better than Dean.”
“Hey!” Dean protested.
“It’s so not like that,” Thea croaked.
“Seems we have our first rule in our new house,” Kyle broke in wryly, rubbing his unshaven jaw.
“And no hiding in closets or anywhere else,” Sawyer added, pressing his glasses up higher on his nose.
“You’ve got it, Doc,” Kyle confirmed. “Come on. Those of us who want to remain can. I don’t think I’m needed for this.”
“Me either,” Sawyer said, although he held Brooke’s eyes a moment longer than usual.
Yes, he would know where she’d been, or suspect it. Thank God Sawyer wasn’t the kind to press a friend for more.
“Cue the reconciliation,” Madison announced. “I’m off to bed. Try not to scream. Any of you.”
“We’ll do our best,” Dean assured them with a lazy grin. “But if Jacqueline is waiting up for me?—”
“Enough, Dean!” Kyle headed to the door. “We can all imagine where you were going with that one. Let’s go, Doc.”
Sawyer scratched his forehead and left as well.
“That was fun,” Dean joked, flopping back against her pillows as Thea shot him an aggrieved look.
