“How long have you been awake?” he growled.

“Long enough,” she said softly, and rolled over on her back and stretched.

Cole groaned. Once. Silently. It wouldn’t do to let her know that she was getting to him in more ways than lust. His eyes narrowed, his lips firmed as he watched her lithe body coming to life like a cat coming out of a deep sleep. She stretched first her arms and then her legs and then, finally, arched her back and sat up on the side of his bed as if she belonged there. She rubbed her hands across her face, ran her fingers through her hair, and then looked up at him and smiled.

“My word, I’m a mess!” Her clothes weren’t just wrinkled, they were a wreck.

“Yes, ma’am, you’re that,” he said, referring to her presence in his house. She was messing up a whole hell of a lot, and it had nothing to do with laundry.

“Well, thanks for the loan of the bed,” Debbie said. “I feel great! I must have needed the nap.”

“It wasn’t just a nap. You’ve been asleep for nearly four hours. You’re worn out, and for the next two days, you’re going to take it easy. I’ve already warned Dad and Buddy, so don’t let them coerce you into anything you don’t want to do.”

Her mouth dropped open, just a little, just once. She quickly regained her composure as she realized he was about to become defensive. He’d obviously revealed more of himself than he’d meant.

“Okay,” she agreed, taking the bluff out of the argument he no longer needed.

“Well,” he muttered, “just so you know.”

“Right, just so I know.”

He nodded and started to stuff his hands in his pockets when he realized he didn’t have pockets in which to stuff. Damned shorts. Now what am I going to do with my hands? He very badly wanted to put them on Debbie.

She leaned over and retrieved her sandals.

Cole couldn’t decide whether to walk or run, but either way he had to move. She was coming toward him with a look on her face that he’d seen before. The devils were sparkling in her eyes and tilting the corners of that mouth.

“Look at the wrinkles in my jumpsuit!” And then she grinned and scratched the tip of her fingernail lightly across his bare belly. “You took off my shoes. Why didn’t you finish the job?”

“I thought about it,” he said quietly.

It wasn’t the answer she’d expected him to give. It was one of the few times in her life that Debbie was at a loss for words. A faint blush spread. She looked everywhere and at everything but Cole. But her sense of self-preservation told her she must have the last word.

“Oh! Well, next time, give it more thought.”