Her expression lightened in a sudden burst of humor. “I’ll bet that didn’t hurt a bit.”
“What didn’t?”
“Saying please.”
“Anybody ever tell you that you have a sassy mouth?”
She grinned. “No one dares. Have you been in the military a long time?”
She was stalling. He didn’t mind the delaying tactics a bit. Touching her so intimately was going to be uncomfortable for both of them, especially since he knew she wasn’t wearing a thing under those bits of cloth.
“I got a military scholarship in high school.”
“ROTC?”
He nodded and perched on the edge of the bed so he could reach for the string.
“You know, we could call the front desk,” she said suddenly, backing up. “They might have a gift shop. Maybe I could have them send up a dress or something.”
He could just envision trying to help her into a dress. “I don’t think so, but picking up your clothing will be our first priority.” His sanity might depend on it. “Come here.”
With an air of resignation, she approached. “I feel like a little kid,” she said with endearing nervousness.
“Trust me, you don’t look anything at all like a kid.” And that was a pity. He wouldn’t have thought twice about helping a kid.
He’d never felt such intense physical awareness of a woman before. He had to keep telling himself she was his brother’s wife. Surely he could do this without embarrassing both of them.
But sitting on the bed had been a mistake. It put him just above eye level of the rounded curves his T-shirt strove to conceal. Her nipples contracted into tiny hard points. Noah tried not to stare and reminded himself once more that this was his sister-in-law, not some woman he was trying to take to bed.
“Sorry,” she said. “I feel foolish.”
He knew the feeling.
“Is this the spot where I’m supposed to close my eyes and think of God and country?”
She surprised a chuckle out of him. He liked the way she turned to humor in difficult situations. “I thought it was queen and country.”
“Only if you’re British.”
“Ah. Well, c’mere darlin’,” he said with a drawl.
Her expression flashed with mild alarm that immediately turned to an answering grin. “Go for it, Tex.”
She released her one-hand death grip on the scrunched-up shirt and lost her hold on the jogging shorts underneath. They slid dangerously down her slim hips.
“Oops!”
Noah stopped their descent at her hips, which placed his face only inches from her navel beneath the thin bit of cotton. He inhaled the pleasant scent of the soap she’d used all over her body.
This had been a very bad idea.
“Here,” he said a bit gruffly. “You hold the shorts. I’ll get the drawstring.”
Their hands connected. Noah drew in a sharp breath and reminded himself once more that this was his sister-in-law. Calling on every bit of discipline he’d ever known, he tugged up the hem of the T-shirt and reached for her waistband.
“I think I’d better tell you that I’m ticklish.”
Noah stopped, his fingers barely touching her smooth marble skin. “Ticklish?”
“Very ticklish. And I always get even.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not ticklish.”
“There are better ways of getting even.”
“I think I like the sound of that.” He slid a finger beneath the edge of the waistband searching for the drawstring. He tried not to acknowledge the silky feel of her skin as he brushed against the indentation that was her belly button. Her tummy contracted in instant reaction to his touch. His groin tightened in answer.
“Noah…”
“Don’t move. Don’t even breathe,” he warned.
He tugged the drawstring loose, tied it and sat back, breathing as though he’d just run a marathon.
Sydney jumped back like a scalded cat. The towel on her head tilted to one side and she pulled it free.
“Well. Now. That wasn’t so bad.”
“Speak for yourself,” he muttered under his breath.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He stood and walked to his duffel bag so she wouldn’t notice the effect that little encounter had had on him. He needn’t have worried. Sydney was looking everywhere but at him. He pulled items randomly from his kit.
“I need to borrow your comb, if you don’t mind.”
“Use anything you need.”
Just don’t tell me about it, he almost added. The intimacy of this situation was taking a high toll on his good intentions. “I’m going to grab a quick shower myself. If room service comes before I’m done, check the peephole before you open the door. If you aren’t certain, wait for me. Okay?”
Her eyebrows raised mockingly. “Were you a drill instructor by any chance?”
He managed a lopsided smile, relieved she’d found a way to cut the tension between them. “Sorry again. I’m used to giving orders.”
“I can tell.”
“I just don’t want you to take any chances.”
“Yes, sir, Major, sir. Go take your shower.”
Sydney watched him go with a mixture of relief and regret. Her reaction to that little scene had been juvenile, to say the least. She tried to tell herself that there had been nothing sensual in Noah’s touch except in her own warped mind, but the truth was, for a minute or two there, they’d been a man and a woman who were attracted to each other. She didn’t want to know what he must be thinking of her.
Noah was much nicer than she’d expected from the things Jerome had told her. Oh, Noah could be every bit as bossy as his much younger brother, but he took her refusal to obey in stride.
Noah wasn’t Jerome. He’d gone out of his way to put her at ease despite his dominating tendencies. And if she could still feel the touch of his fingers against her bare skin, well, she’d just have to find ways to become more independent while her hand was in a cast—especially when it came to the awkward process of getting dressed.
Most of her belongings were at Laura’s apartment and that was going to require an explanation. Noah was bound to think it odd that she and Jerome had separate bedrooms. She should just tell him the truth and be done with it, but she was embarrassed. She didn’t want to see disdain in Noah’s expression. Or pity. Jerome had been his brother. What would Noah think when he discovered their marriage had been a total sham from the start?
Her gaze fell on the deep blue African violet. She thought of the plant stand in her bedroom where a dozen more violets sat beneath the window. She’d planned to move them all to Laura’s place this week.
She ran her finger gently over a soft round leaf. Noah couldn’t possibly know how much she loved the delicate plants. Unless he’d already been inside the apartment. Or Jerome had told him. The brothers had been doing a lot of talking in recent months. Jerome was excited by that fact.
In fact, Noah had called during her final battle with Jerome. While the two were on the phone, she’d packed her bags and left the apartment.