Freeze (The Jewel Project #4)

8.3|| A Break

Kay wrapped her sweater tighter around herself as she hurried down the stairs and towards Kyle and Jessie's room. She'd thought it was a good idea to get out there as soon as possible, but she'd underestimated just how cold it was. The flimsy wool did nothing and the chilling wind sent her into a trembling fit that almost knocked her off the stairs.

She reached the door and banged her fist against it, dancing on the spot to keep herself warm. The unlaced boots weren't helping the warmth of her feet. She knocked again, even harder, switching from dancing to jumping.

"Coming! Damn it Jessie, where's the fire?" Kyle yanked the door open.

Kay raised her eyes to him, and no amount of cold could snuff out the fire inside her. He wore sweats and nothing else, his hair shiny from the moisture in it. She hadn't seen him shirtless in months. He hadn't gotten bigger, but everything about him seemed better defined, as if in sharper focus. God, she'd missed this, missed him.

A cold gust of wind sent them both into a trembling fit. Kyle took her hand and pulled her in, closing the door after her. Only once inside the warmth of the room, did she fully realize how cold she was.

"What were you doing outside dressed like this? You'll freeze to death." He let go of her hand and retrieved the towel placed on a nearby chair.

"Sorry. Jerry came by to talk to Tina and I had to make myself scarce. I didn't realize just how cold it was outside." She sat on the bed, watching him as he resumed drying his hair. "I came over to see how you and Jessie were doing."

"Jessie's not here." He threw the towel back on the chair and dropped on the bed, too. "Huh, never thought Jerry would leave them alone."

"My guess is Jimmy and Jessie are a block of ice somewhere out there and that perfectly good, warm room is empty." Kay laughed as Kyle grinned at her, leaning back on his elbows.

She watched the ease with which he lounged next to her, as if they lay on the same bed regularly. They didn't. The last time the two of them had been anywhere near a bed, things had gotten beyond hot. And the more she watched him, the more she wished it would somehow get to that again.

"So, this is how you were planning to sleep?" she asked, waving her hand in his direction.

He looked down at his bare chest and then back at her, rising an eyebrow while an incredibly hot smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. "It depends now."

"Depends? On what?"

"On who I'm sleeping with."

Heat rose to her cheeks, but it wasn't a blush, because it was spreading all over, finally driving away the cold. "And who are you planning to sleep with?"

"Like this?" He looked down at himself again. "With no one."

As much as she liked this game, it was getting confusing. "What do you mean?"

He leaned back even further, as though inviting her to climb on top of him. Or at least that's how it seemed to her.

"I mean that since I'm sharing with Jessie, I definitely need a t-shirt or something." His eyes zeroed in on her, slightly narrowed, dark blue like a stormy sky. "Now if it were you and me... I'd lose the pants."

Yes, lose the pants. That's what she wanted. What really got to her though, was that it was possible. They were in a hotel room. What stopped them from just not opening the door? It's not like it could be opened from the outside. But she knew she couldn't let Jessie spend the night with Tina.

"What are you thinking, sweetheart?"

His tone screamed that he already knew, so did the look on his face. It was also obvious that he was thinking the exact same thing. And she could play his game, too.