Page 56 of Tide Touched

I didn’t intend for Killian to join me. I wanted to leave the others somewhere safe, in case Carter’s wolves find me. I can’t stand the idea of one of them getting hurt because of me. I wash and wash, trying to scrub away the cloying anxiety. Carter, let me go. But more than likely, it’s not him, but his uncle behind this—according to Julian, he was given a Fire wolf to mate with his heir, producing fancy little fire-water pups. He won’t want to let that—me—go without a fight. I should have known.

Perhaps I should have just stayed at the estate.

When I emerge from the bathroom, I’m showered, teeth brushed, hair brushed, and generally look and smell a hell of a lot nicer than earlier. I’ve shucked on a plain, large black t-shirt which is now my jammies.

Killian is sitting on the couch and when he sees me, hurriedly tosses something behind him, which thuds against the wall.

I crack a smile. ‘What was that?’

Killian’s face is completely blank. ‘What was what?’

I stare at him for a long moment. ‘Okay…’ I set my things up on one side of the bed, wondering when supper will show up.

‘Are you finished in there?’ I assume Killian gestures to the bathroom.

‘Yeah, all yours.’

‘Great, thanks.’

As I turn, he shoves something hastily into one of his bags.

‘If you have porn, just tell me,’ I say.

Killian barks a laugh. ‘I do not.’

‘Then what are you being so secretive about? Do you sleep with a stuffed rabbit or something?’

Killian makes a hilariously confused face. ‘No.’ After a moment, ‘Do you?’

‘Not since I was six.’

‘I feel like I know you much better,’ Killian muses. ‘Look, I don’t go poking through your underwear drawer, I think we can respect a little privacy.’

Says the man who watched me pleasure myself without my knowing. I purse my lips. ‘Uh-huh. You’re weird.’

Killian smiles. ‘You’ll get used to it.’

I sit on the bed, alone. After he closes the door, I murmur, ‘Whatever.’ It’s not like he’s that interested in me, anyway. We’ve been mates for how long, and we’ve kissed once… I spread out on top of the covers. Back at Carter’s, the only time he joined me in the bed was to fuck me, but right now, I’d be thrilled for that.

I press my legs together and sigh. I yank the book from the nightstand for something to distract myself, hoping there’s some good smut. Don’t give me all the whiny heroines I’ve read about. Give me a hero who takes the woman the way she needs. For a moment, my mind spins out a fantasy of all the different positions I know, Killian taking me this way and that…

The shower water turning on breaks me out of my reverie, and my first thought is, Killian must be naked right now! I pause. Well, yeah. Genius. I’m off the bed and pressing my ear against the bathroom door like a perv before I can stop myself, as though I can hear his nakedness. Which makes zero sense, but whatever.

Moira would have a laughing fit if she could see me now. I wonder if she’s getting any. I hope for her sake that she is. That Earth guy is hot. And then I will have my revenge on her for interrogating me about my sexy dream and demand she tell me everything.

A knock on the door makes me shriek.

‘Room… service,’ comes a hesitant voice.

‘Katherine? Are you okay?’ Killian calls.

I sigh, setting a hand to my racing heart. I thought I’d been caught snooping. ‘Yeah.’ My voice comes out squeaky. The front door opens—I guess they thought I was admitting them—and a blonde barmaid opens the door with her elbow and smiles.

‘Hey, where would you like it?’

‘Oh, um.’ I nod at the little coffee table, hoping it won’t buckle under the pressure of the tray. ‘Thank you.’

Killian opens the door, eyes pinched with concern, a towel wrapped around his waist. ‘Did you… scream?’ His gaze takes me in, then flicks to the blonde. ‘Oh. Sorry. Hi.’

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