Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Very carefully, he wrapped his fingers around those beautiful wrists and forced him to lower his hands so he could gaze into those wide gray eyes. Earlier in the evening, he’d showered and shaved off the growth of beard that had circled his lips and lined his jaw. It was as if the man had taken another five years off his appearance, making him seem even softer and sweeter.
“Talk to me. What’s wrong?” Kairo urged.
“I can’t sleep. I think I became accustomed to the sound of you breathing. It helped me sleep for the past few nights,” Isidore blurted out.
“But Athena is in there with you, right?”
Isidore tore his eyes away from Kairo and attempted to pull his wrists free, but Kairo only tightened his grip, not letting the man escape him. “Yes,” Isidore whispered. “It’s…it’s just not the same. I had a lot of trouble sleeping after I was kidnapped, and it didn’t get better when they grabbed Athena. But…but when you showed up, I could sleep. I would lie in bed and listen to your breathing, and I told myself that it was better because you were there now.”
“Look at me, please.” Kairo shifted and tilted his head until he was finally in Isidore’s line of sight. He appeared so painfully embarrassed, but he had nothing to be embarrassed about. He’d suffered a horrific event and it was going to take some time to get over it, probably with the much-needed help of a therapist. “You know everyone in the house will protect you and Athena. Between all of us, we have decades of experience. We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I know that. Logically, I know that. But when I close my eyes, I can’t hear you anymore, so I can’t relax. I’m sorry. If I could just lie on the floor for a few hours, I’ll sneak out before morning. No one will know. I promise, tomorrow night I’ll sleep in my bed.” The words were out of Isidore in a rush, and each one broke Kairo’s heart. That he really thought Kairo would say no was unfathomable. He had just wanted to make sure that he understood he was protected.
Releasing one of his wrists, Kairo cupped his cheek with his right hand, his thumb caressing his high cheekbone. “You can sleep in here with me for as long as you’d like. In the bed. There’s no fucking way I’m letting you sleep on the floor.”
“Are you sure?” Fear and despair instantly gave way to hope, and Kairo loved that he could do that for Isidore.
“Of course. But I’ve got only a full-sized bed in here. It’s going to be a little cramped.” Kairo reluctantly dropped his hand from Isidore’s cheek and turned toward the small bed in question. It had been fine for just him, but Isidore had at least four inches in height on him and it was all in his legs.
“Don’t worry. I won’t take up much room at all. I can sleep right on the edge.”
Not giving Kairo a chance to argue or change his mind, Isidore hurried to the far side of the bed and slipped under the covers. He lay on his side with the thin blanket pulled up over his shoulder while his head rested on the farthest corner of the pillow. While he was giving Kairo ample room, he couldn’t possibly be comfortable like that.
Sighing to himself, Kairo turned and flipped off the light before joining him in the bed. His heart thudded hard and every instinct demanded that he roll over toward Isidore, wrap an arm around his waist, and pull him into a tight embrace while pressing kisses to each knob of his spine.
But he needed to behave himself. They hadn’t talked about the kiss yet—what it meant or if there were going to be more. Right now, it was late, and they were exhausted. Kairo needed to behave himself.
Even if he wasn’t getting any snuggle time with the sexy man, he had to admit it felt pretty good to be his security blanket after everything he’d been through. That despite being in a house filled with ex-military, ex-CIA, and one psycho assassin, he was the person Isidore felt safest and most at ease with.
He wanted to be Isidore’s safe haven. Especially since what lay ahead of them probably wasn’t going to be easy to face.
Surprisingly, only a few minutes had passed when he noticed that Isidore’s breathing had evened out and turned deeper. There was the faintest hint of the world’s softest snore. Dear God, did the man’s every action have to be so adorable? It wasn’t fair. Kairo had no defense against this. It was as if he were a walking accumulation of all of Kairo’s weaknesses.
Soft, floppy hair? Check.
Big, gorgeous eyes? Check.