Free Brash by Laura Wright

latter.
    â€œYou’re kinda nuts, you know that?” he said, turning onto his side to face her.
    â€œI do know. It’s part of my charm. I mean, I’m the only one who thinks so at this point. Except for maybe Rudy, but—”
    â€œWho’s Rudy?”
    â€œOne of my vet techs.”
    Cole stared at her, something different crossing his features. Something she’d never seen in his expression before, and she couldn’t name it.
    â€œHe finds weird charming,” she continued. “Probably because he’s weird.”
    â€œSo he finds you charming.”
    â€œNo.” She laughed softly. “I mean, maybe. I don’t know. How did we get on this subject?”
    â€œThe subject of Rudy? Or guys who have a thing for you?”
    Her lips parted. “I didn’t say he had a thing for me.”
    â€œI know. I did.”
    The thought of arguing the point, assuring the man not six inches away from her on the bed—her bed—seemed inane. Rudy was an employee and maybe a friend, nothing more. Not that it mattered. How she and Cole had gotten on this subject was anybody’s guess, but she wasn’t keen on continuing it.
    â€œReady for me to go back to my bed?” she asked, her chest a little tight.
    â€œThis is your bed, Doc.”
    The husky way he said it made her clear her throat. “You know what I mean.”
    â€œYeah, I do. And no, I’m not.”
    Her heart jumped into her throat. “Why?”
    He shifted his head on the pillow. Apart from his nearly skull-shaved blond hair, he was all dark eyes, hard cheekbones, a night’s growth of beard around lips so full and dangerous and kissable they should come with a WARNING! HIGH VOLTAGE!
sign.
    â€œLet’s just say I’m scared to be alone,” he said.
    â€œIs that the truth?” she whispered back.
    â€œNo,” he returned with a serious look. “But can we just say it?”
    A shiver moved up Grace’s spine. He wanted her to stay. In her bed with him. Sleep next to him. Cole Cavanaugh. Champion fighter, ruffian extraordinaire. Partner in truth and fear. Sometimes charming, all times sexy, a problem she reallyshouldn’t take on. So . . . yes or no? Stay or go? Pink or blue?
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Doc?” he asked, his eyes probing in the dim light.
    Outside, the rain had tapered off to continual sprinkles against the windowpanes. “You’re going to laugh at me.”
    Instead of saying,
No, of course I won’t
or
Don’t be silly
, he offered a very tough-ass “So what if I do?”
    â€œI don’t want you to laugh at me,” she said simply. “It’ll make me feel uncomfortable, and weird.”
    His lips ticked up at the corners. “But we’ve already established you’re weird. Or Rudy has, at any rate.”
    â€œArgh . . . forget it,” she said, starting to sit up again.
    Cole reached for her and eased her back down to face him. This time, his expression was serious. “I won’t laugh.”
    They were close. Closer than a moment ago. Too close. She chewed her lip, wondering if she could make something up real quick. Maybe something about needing the whole bed for her rare sleeping disease . . . or . . .
Fine
. “I’ve never slept in the same bed with a guy before.” There. There it was. She’d said it.
    Cue the laughter.
    But there wasn’t any. Not even a smirk. Only mild surprise. “Really?”
    She nodded.
    He didn’t say anything for a moment, just continued to look at her.
    â€œYou think it’s weird, right?” she said. God, why did she care?
    â€œNo, Doc,” he said softly. “I think it’s nice.”
    Nice.
    Neither one of them said anything more. Neither one of them moved. Grace let her gaze travel from his eyes to his lips, then close. That’s how she fell asleep, her face just inches away from