Layton tossed back the blankets and climbed from the couch, needing aspirin for his head. Padding quietly into the kitchen, he began opening cabinets in search of a painkiller when a voice at his back made him turn.
“Okay, I’m willing to overlook the fact that you climbed into my bed without asking, but now you’re rummaging through my cabinets? Should I be worried? If I find you going through my underwear drawer next, we’re not going to be friends.”
Alexis stood there, wrapped in a filmy robe that wasn’t much more coverage than the shirt and panties she’d been sporting earlier, and he wondered what he’d done in a past life to deserve such a test. He also noticed she was still favoring her right foot.
“Just looking for aspirin. Someone hit me in the head with a shoe,” he responded, trying to keep his eyes from straying. “You really did a number on that ankle. You ought to have it checked out.”
“It’s nothing. I twisted it a little when I was chasing after you. It’ll be fine by morning.”
“Are you sure? Sprains can do some damage.”
“I’ll take that under consideration.” Alexis limped in his direction and went to the last cabinet to retrieve some aspirin. She tossed the bottle his way and he caught it with a small smile.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Sure.” She waited as he shook out two. “So...sorry about the shoe. It was the first thing I could grab and I thought you might be a murderer.”
“How many murderers stop to take a snooze before they do their murdering?” he asked, tossing back the aspirin with a swig of water straight from the tap. He wiped his mouth. “I mean, if you really think about it, highly unlikely that I was a murderer.”
“Logic and reason don’t play when you’re jolted out of a dead sleep.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that,” he conceded, wondering if she was going to mention the other thing that happened. What was the protocol on something like this? Should they pretend they hadn’t been wrapped in each other’s arms, about to do the deed if they hadn’t woken up? Sobering thought, even if she was sexy as hell. “So why are you up?”
“Funny thing about getting an adrenaline shot laced with pure survival instinct...hard to sleep after that.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I should feel guilty, right?”
“A little.”
“I do feel bad,” he admitted. “I mean... I didn’t know you were in the bed. I’m not that kind of guy.”
She nodded, accepting his apology, and they both knew he wasn’t only talking about the mishap with her ankle.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve done worse and been just fine. Thanks for caring.” A small smile played on those luscious, pouty lips and he had to remind himself that she was off limits. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself from thinking about things that were better kicked to the curb. Alexis limped to the fridge. “However, when I can’t sleep, I drink warm milk. Want some?”
Yuck. “Not since I was a toddler,” he quipped. “But by all means, help yourself. Don’t let me get in the way.”
“I won’t.” Alexis grinned more broadly. Yeah, firecracker was right. This gal was all sass and vinegar wrapped in a sizzling package of hips and luscious breasts. Thank God he was leaving in the morning or he might be sorely tempted to see if she tasted just as good when he was awake as when he was dreaming. Alexis poured a mugful and stuck it in the microwave. “So, how long have you and Erik been friends?”
“Awhile. Same shift. Makes for tight friendships under the right circumstances. He’s a cool dude.”
“He is a very cool dude, but then I’m biased.”
The microwave dinged and she retrieved her mug of milk. “You’re really going to drink that?” he asked, grimacing.
“Every drop.”
“All right then.” He watched her leave and damn if his eyes didn’t go straight to her ass. Yeah...it was definitely a good thing he was leaving as soon as the roads were clear. He was only human and he really didn’t want to lose Erik as a friend.
But Alexis Matheson was going to haunt his dreams.
3
ALEXIS WOKE EARLY in spite of the night’s events, but mostly because Emma was already up and showered, anxious to hit the road.
“Aren’t you a bowl of sunshine?” Alexis said, yawning. “Did you sleep okay? I mean, after everything?”