Page 24 of Beau

Impulsive Aurelie conveniently lost her voice.

Logical Aurelie scrambled with a reason for her to open the door. “You.”

He frowned. “Me?”

Aurelie dragged her gaze from his and down to the pillow he held in front of him. “You can’t sleep in the hallway. It’s not fair.” She looked around for inspiration. “You should sleep in your own bed. I can curl up in the chair by the window.”

He was shaking his head before she finished her sentence. “No way. I’m fine out here. Remember, I was in the Army. Anything is better than a foxhole.”

“I won’t sleep, knowing you’re lying on the floor outside the door. What if someone sneaks up on you trying to get to me? If you’re asleep, you might not hear him.” She shook her head again.

“Trust me,” he said. “I’ll hear him.”

“But I won’t sleep at all, feeling guilty about taking your bed.”

“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s just one night. Go to bed, Aurelie.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, her lips pressing into a hard line. “Either sleep in your own bed, or I’ll walk out this door and take care of myself. I’m not your responsibility. You can’t make me stay.”

He held her gaze for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. “How about a compromise?”

“As long as it involves you sleeping in your own room,” she lifted her chin, “I’m listening.”

“I’ll sleep in my room,” he said, “on the floor. That way no one will sneak up on me. They’d have to break down the door to get to me or you. That would give me time to react.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’ll sleep in your bed.”

“On the floor, or I’ll stay out here.” His lips twitched. “Take it or leave it.”

“For God’s sake, take it!” a voice called out from behind Romeo’s door. “Some of us want to sleep.”

Aurelie’s cheeks heated. She gripped Beau’s arm and dragged him through the door.

He turned and threw the deadbolt.

“If you’re insistent about sleeping on the floor, at least take this...” Aurelie hurried toward the bed, pulled the thick comforter off, folded it in half and laid it on the floor at the foot of the bed. The room was small. The man was big. He’d take up most of the floor space. But it was that or the bed. With her.

Her heart stuttered and then raced as she slipped between the sheets and pulled the top one up to her chin.

Beau’s lips twisted. “If you’re that scared of me, it would be better if I stayed out in the hall.”

“I’m not scared of you,” she said. She wasn’t. She was afraid of her reaction to him, which had her hiding behind the sheet. She was afraid she’d do something dumb like ask him to make love to her.

Beau held up his hand like he was swearing in at a court case. “I promise, you’re safe with me. I won’t hurt you. I won’t touch you.” He dropped to the pallet on the floor, flung the pillow behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. Then he added, “Unless you want me to.”

Aurelie stiffened. Now, why did he have to go and add that little phrase to his promise?

She flopped back on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling like Beau.

Unless you want me to.

What did he mean by that? Did he want to touch her? Was that his way of letting her know he was interested?

She started to sit up and ask him what he meant but forced herself to lay still.

No. It wasn’t an invitation.

He’d said it in jest. He wasn’t serious. And she wasn’t curious enough to test his theory.