“I apologize for the interruption, Mr. Hauser.” There was reproach in her voice, but Cole wasn’t sure if it was meant for him or the boy. She waved Finn over to her side. “It won’t happen again.”

Before he could add anything, she’d turned them both around and stalked for the door, shutting it behind them with a firm click.

Cole stared at the space where they’d been for long seconds. Raising his arm, he glanced at his watch through eyes scratchy as Velcro. Just after two in the afternoon. He’d slept for almost twelve hours. And he still felt shattered.

He fell back against the mattress. Mr. Hauser? She’d obviously done some fact-checking. Stupidly, he smiled at the idea. Very, very stupidly. No point getting all goofy over a mommy when presumably there was a daddy around somewhere.

Jesus. Where was the daddy? Had he crawled into bed with a married chick last night? He tried to remember if she’d been wearing a ring, but hell, he’d been barely functioning last night when she’d menaced him with a pair of pliers. She certainly hadn’t screamed for a dude, and none had come rushing to her aid. She’d been alone, apart from Finn.

Didn’t mean there wasn’t a husband, a partner, around somewhere, though.

Cole didn’t sleep with unavailable women, although god knew he’d had ample opportunity. It was surprising the number of women with wedding rings who were up for some no-strings fun when you were a sports superstar.

But he didn’t cross that line. Ever. Apart from last night, apparently…

But it had been a mistake. Inadvertent. Surely that would placate her partner? Cole tried to think if he’d be mollified by such an excuse if some guy had crawled into bed with his girlfriend/wife.

He doubted it.

Which meant next he might be woken by a knuckle sandwich instead of a scaly reptile.

And at another time, that might have caused concern, but Cole was just too damned tired to worry about angry husbands as a wave of fatigue swept over him again, fluttering his eyes closed. He dragged the nearby pillow over his head and sank into the abyss one more time.

It was still daylight when Cole awoke, but the bright sunshine had mellowed, and a quick check of his watch told him it was just after six in the evening. He was hungry, thirsty, and busting for the bathroom. His mouth tasted like a sweaty sock, he needed a shower, and he sure as hell could murder a beer, but he actually felt human again. He was barely even conscious of his hip, and he reveled in the relief of it all for long moments.