Page 33 of Unstable

“Gotcha.” He sank onto the couch a few cushions away and spread his arms out over the back. “What’re you watching?”

“I don’t honestly know.” She gently tossed the remote his way. “I don’t get a chance to watch much TV, so if there’s something you want to turn on, go ahead.”

“This is fine.” He turned his attention to the reality show on TV. From what he’d gathered, a dozen or so strangers were all on an island, apparently looking for love. Twenty minutes later, he was reluctant to admit that it had sucked him in.

“What a tool.” He gestured to the guy on the screen. “Do women actually go for that?”

Irina shrugged. “I guess so. In my experience, all the good ones seem to be taken.”

He snorted. The only men she’d been with recently were money-hungry, douchebag pretty boys, so it didn’t surprise him that she hadn’t found anyone worthwhile. Keeping the comment to himself, he turned his attention back to the TV until the show ended.

Irina slapped a hand over her mouth to cover a yawn, and he glanced over at her. “Are you ready for bed?”

Her face scrunched up in apology. “Sorry. It’s been kind of a long day. You can stay up if you want.”

He’d been dreading this moment all day long, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. He picked up the remote and turned off the TV. “That’s okay, we can head to bed. I need to do a quick once over of the house, then figure out where I’m going to sleep.”

Part of him stupidly, irrationally, hoped she would voice her offer to let him sleep in bed with her again. Before he could say anything he would regret, he continued. “Why don’t you use the bathroom first, and I’ll shower up when you’re done.”

Without waiting for an answer, he headed to the sliding door by the patio and checked to make sure it was locked. Though he didn’t look at her, he heard Irina’s soft footsteps pad down the short hallway and into the bathroom.

Heaving a sigh, he checked each window and door thoroughly, wasting as much time as possible before he had to join her in the bedroom. Once he was sure that everything was locked up tight, he grabbed a change of clothes from his suitcase and slipped into the bathroom to get ready.

He took a quick shower, not wanting to leave her unattended too long, then hopped out and yanked on his clothes. He steeled himself as he flicked off the light and headed toward the bedroom. Irina was waiting on the edge of the bed when he entered.

She’d worn the tiny tank top and shorts all evening, but somehow, the sight of her wearing them here in the bedroom was a thousand times more erotic. He wanted to slide the spaghetti-thin strap down her shoulder, explore every inch of tanned, toned skin. Forcing his gaze and thoughts away from her, he scanned the bedroom again.

The floor was tiled, probably for low maintenance reasons, but there was at least a rug under the bed. The rug made a three-foot border around the bed, and the thin layer of woven fabric was better than nothing. Pulling a blanket from the closet, he folded it in half for extra padding and laid it on the floor at the foot of the bed, placing himself between both the sliding door and the door to the hallway.

He gestured with his chin toward the bed. “Can I steal a pillow?”

Silently, Irina reached behind her to snag a pillow, then threw it his way.

“Thanks.” He dropped it to the floor then found an outlet close by to charge his phone. Irina still sat on the edge of the bed, and he finally lifted his eyes to hers. “Do you need anything else before we hit the hay?”

She shook her head slowly. “Nope. I’m good.”

He spun on a heel and took two quick steps toward the door, then flipped off the overhead light. The rustle of sheets met his ears as Irina slipped under them, and he bit his tongue, willing himself not to look. He settled onto his makeshift pallet and tucked his hands beneath his head, staring at the ceiling. The blankets made it more comfortable, and it definitely wasn’t the worst place he’d ever slept.

“Night.” Irina’s soft voice floated on the still air down to him.

“Night.” He closed his eyes and tried to shut off his brain to settle in to sleep, but all he could see was her. He remembered the look of wonder on her face the moment they stepped onto the beach and she’d seen the ocean for the first time. He heard her tinkling laugh as the cool water lapped over her toes, the huge smile lighting her face more radiant than the sun.

And that tiny red bikini… She was so gorgeous. The sight of her sleek body was like a drug to his system. He shifted uncomfortably and bit back an oath as heat raced through him.

No. He couldn’t think of her like that. She was slowly burrowing under his skin with those sweet smiles that made him want to show her everything, spend every minute of the next thirteen days exploring the island from top to bottom.

He wanted to throw the rules out the window—but he couldn’t. They were there for her safety, and it needed to stay that way. In order to pull this whole thing off, he needed to spend more time watching their surroundings and less time checking out Irina.

A soft creak of the mattress drew his attention back to her as she shifted in bed. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, finally managing to wrangle his wayward thoughts under control. He closed his eyes and willed himself to go to sleep. But he was trained to be attuned to his surroundings, and his ears perked up at every little sound—and there were a lot of those.

For the next several hours, he lay on the floor in a state of torture as Irina tossed and turned in the bed just a few feet away. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was as uncomfortable and on edge as he was. Finally, in the still-early morning when he could drag it out no longer, he hauled himself to his feet.

With a grimace, he stretched his sore muscles then glanced over at the bed. Irina slumbered away, her face relaxed, long blonde strands spread out behind her on the pillowcase. She seemed so small, so vulnerable, and a strange sense of possessiveness washed over him.

He gave a slight jerk of his head, shaking off the strange emotion. Though he’d spent years in the military watching over others, this was the first time he’d ever been in a situation like the one with Irina. Protecting a civilian—especially a woman—was different. They were softer, more delicate… and infinitely more tempting. He shut down that train of thought, chalking up the surge of protectiveness to the basic primitive need to keep her from harm.

He quietly exited the bedroom and closed the door behind him, then headed into the kitchen. He’d never been a coffee person, and apparently Irina wasn’t either. Neither of them had added it to the grocery list, and he couldn’t remember ever seeing her drink it. He smiled. As different as they were, at least that was one thing they had in common.