“Thank you.”
“It was good to have an adventure,” the guy who’d spoken before responded. “Are you taking her to a holding cell, Darkness?”
“She’s not a prisoner. This was for her safety. I’m taking her to my place. Will you let Security know, Book?”
“Of course. I’ll also inform Supply that you’ll need things for the female.”
“I’ll handle it.” Darkness didn’t put her down but spun fast enough to make her dizzy. He moved fast. He probably considered it walking but she’d have been jogging at that pace.
“Can you please put me down?”
“You’re barefoot. We’re not too far from the men’s dorms.”
“Great. You can walk me past a bunch of guys so they can see my bare legs and ass too.”
“You’re covered.”
“How far are we from your house?” He kept walking and didn’t answer. “Hello?”
He wrapped his other arm around the back of her knees, covering more of her skin. “The cottage next to the one you stayed wasn’t my home. It’s where I stayed to be close to you. I live in the dorms.”
“Fantastic. Don’t a bunch of New Species guys live there?” She pictured a fraternity house in her mind. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
“I’m taking you through the backdoor. We shouldn’t come into contact with anyone else this late. They are either on shift or sleeping.”
He stopped and released her with one arm. A beep could be heard and she knew he had opened a door with his ID card. They entered a well-lit, tiled hallway.
“Put me down,” she ordered again.
“You’re testing my patience, Kat. I’m not in the best of moods. You demanded we share quarters so that’s what you’re getting.”
He had a point. She’d thought they’d go to his house though, not a building full of other men. Kat winced, hoping he didn’t have a roommate. That would be awkward. It would be worse if he didn’t even have his own bedroom. They entered an elevator but it was empty. That was a relief. It opened and he stepped out onto a carpeted floor and strode down a hallway before pausing in front of a door.
Another beep sounded and the door opened. He carried her inside and bent, putting her on her feet. She stood and shoved her hair out of her face. The door closed and she turned, studying the small living room. A kitchen area was to the left and an open door was across the room.
“This is it. Welcome to my home.” Darkness didn’t sound happy. “It’s a one-bedroom and considerably smaller than the guest cottages. The bathroom is through the bedroom. There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry and drinks are there too if you get thirsty.”
She turned to face him. “It’s cozy though a bit sparse.”
“All I needed was a couch, TV and bed. I don’t spend much time here.”
She swallowed, feeling nervous. “You don’t need more than that. I get it. I’m not home much either.”
He frowned and reached for the front of his vest and removed it. He just tossed it on the floor next to the door. “You would be more comfortable at your cottage. Tell me when you’re ready to go there.” He walked across the room and into the bedroom.
She followed. He flipped on the light and took a seat on a big bed. She watched him remove his gloves then his boots. He stood and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his bare stomach and chest. His dark gaze pinned her where she stood.
“I’m going to shower. I’m sweaty after climbing the wall. I sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door and don’t open my nightstand drawer. That’s a rule.”
“Dirty magazines?” She wanted him to smile. He looked angry.
“Weapons. Don’t touch my guns, Kat. Am I clear?”
She nodded. “Why are you so angry? You’re the one who forced me to come here.”
“I wanted you at Homeland, not living with me.”
He spun, stalked into the bathroom and firmly closed the door. Kat walked over to the bed and sat down. So much for him coming after her because she hoped he’d missed her. He got credit for keeping his word. He could have just dropped her at guest housing and left. Just because she was in his apartment didn’t mean she was welcome in his personal space or that he’d be happy to have her there. He obviously wasn’t.
The water came on in the other room and she stared at the door. She could imagine how the rest of the night would go. He’d come out and probably turn off the lights, ignore her. It was stupid. Mason wasn’t a danger to her so she didn’t need to be there. Darkness was just being paranoid.
She stood and walked over to the bathroom door. Her temper flared. She tested the knob and it turned in her hand. One deep breath and she shoved it open, stepping into the quickly steaming room. The door to the shower stall was glass and Darkness stood totally na**d under the hot spray of water. He turned his head and his eyes narrowed.
She grabbed the bottom of her nightshirt, yanked it over her head and dropped it on the counter. Her thumbs hooked her panties and she bent, shoving them down. “I’ll be damned if you ignore me.”
He appeared shocked when she straightened and crossed the small room. She jerked open the door and stepped inside with him. He had to move to make room. A soft growl came from him but his c**k stiffened and he kept glancing down her body.
“It was good to have an adventure,” the guy who’d spoken before responded. “Are you taking her to a holding cell, Darkness?”
“She’s not a prisoner. This was for her safety. I’m taking her to my place. Will you let Security know, Book?”
“Of course. I’ll also inform Supply that you’ll need things for the female.”
“I’ll handle it.” Darkness didn’t put her down but spun fast enough to make her dizzy. He moved fast. He probably considered it walking but she’d have been jogging at that pace.
“Can you please put me down?”
“You’re barefoot. We’re not too far from the men’s dorms.”
“Great. You can walk me past a bunch of guys so they can see my bare legs and ass too.”
“You’re covered.”
“How far are we from your house?” He kept walking and didn’t answer. “Hello?”
He wrapped his other arm around the back of her knees, covering more of her skin. “The cottage next to the one you stayed wasn’t my home. It’s where I stayed to be close to you. I live in the dorms.”
“Fantastic. Don’t a bunch of New Species guys live there?” She pictured a fraternity house in her mind. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
“I’m taking you through the backdoor. We shouldn’t come into contact with anyone else this late. They are either on shift or sleeping.”
He stopped and released her with one arm. A beep could be heard and she knew he had opened a door with his ID card. They entered a well-lit, tiled hallway.
“Put me down,” she ordered again.
“You’re testing my patience, Kat. I’m not in the best of moods. You demanded we share quarters so that’s what you’re getting.”
He had a point. She’d thought they’d go to his house though, not a building full of other men. Kat winced, hoping he didn’t have a roommate. That would be awkward. It would be worse if he didn’t even have his own bedroom. They entered an elevator but it was empty. That was a relief. It opened and he stepped out onto a carpeted floor and strode down a hallway before pausing in front of a door.
Another beep sounded and the door opened. He carried her inside and bent, putting her on her feet. She stood and shoved her hair out of her face. The door closed and she turned, studying the small living room. A kitchen area was to the left and an open door was across the room.
“This is it. Welcome to my home.” Darkness didn’t sound happy. “It’s a one-bedroom and considerably smaller than the guest cottages. The bathroom is through the bedroom. There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry and drinks are there too if you get thirsty.”
She turned to face him. “It’s cozy though a bit sparse.”
“All I needed was a couch, TV and bed. I don’t spend much time here.”
She swallowed, feeling nervous. “You don’t need more than that. I get it. I’m not home much either.”
He frowned and reached for the front of his vest and removed it. He just tossed it on the floor next to the door. “You would be more comfortable at your cottage. Tell me when you’re ready to go there.” He walked across the room and into the bedroom.
She followed. He flipped on the light and took a seat on a big bed. She watched him remove his gloves then his boots. He stood and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his bare stomach and chest. His dark gaze pinned her where she stood.
“I’m going to shower. I’m sweaty after climbing the wall. I sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door and don’t open my nightstand drawer. That’s a rule.”
“Dirty magazines?” She wanted him to smile. He looked angry.
“Weapons. Don’t touch my guns, Kat. Am I clear?”
She nodded. “Why are you so angry? You’re the one who forced me to come here.”
“I wanted you at Homeland, not living with me.”
He spun, stalked into the bathroom and firmly closed the door. Kat walked over to the bed and sat down. So much for him coming after her because she hoped he’d missed her. He got credit for keeping his word. He could have just dropped her at guest housing and left. Just because she was in his apartment didn’t mean she was welcome in his personal space or that he’d be happy to have her there. He obviously wasn’t.
The water came on in the other room and she stared at the door. She could imagine how the rest of the night would go. He’d come out and probably turn off the lights, ignore her. It was stupid. Mason wasn’t a danger to her so she didn’t need to be there. Darkness was just being paranoid.
She stood and walked over to the bathroom door. Her temper flared. She tested the knob and it turned in her hand. One deep breath and she shoved it open, stepping into the quickly steaming room. The door to the shower stall was glass and Darkness stood totally na**d under the hot spray of water. He turned his head and his eyes narrowed.
She grabbed the bottom of her nightshirt, yanked it over her head and dropped it on the counter. Her thumbs hooked her panties and she bent, shoving them down. “I’ll be damned if you ignore me.”
He appeared shocked when she straightened and crossed the small room. She jerked open the door and stepped inside with him. He had to move to make room. A soft growl came from him but his c**k stiffened and he kept glancing down her body.
