Page 96 of His North Star
“Yeah, it’s pretty outdated. As long as the bed is comfy, I don’t mind.” He flung himself on the bed, landing spread-eagle in the middle of the red comforter that had a silhouette of trees and a bear on it. The two chairs in the room were covered in buffalo check. It was kitschy in its faded, adorable way.
“Does it meet your approval?” I asked.
He patted the mattress. “Come see for yourself.”
I copied Ty, flinging myself right on top of him.
“Oof,” he blew out while tucking his legs and arms around me. “That hurt,” he said through the pain.
“Sorry.” I nervously chuckled. I rolled off him, settling onto the other side. I tossed and turned a bit. Overall, it was pretty good for a bed we’d only sleep a few hours in.
“They said there are extra blankets in the closet, so we don’t have to share,” Ty said, sounding mostly recovered. “Would you rather I sleep on the floor?”
“Are you a blanket hog?” I asked.
“I have no idea. I’ve never slept with anyone else.”
Really? With how many girlfriends Ty had over the years, that surprised me. I rolled onto my side, propping my head in my palm. “The future Mrs. Montgomery can tell us.” I grinned. “The bed is big enough. I don’t mind sharing if we have our own blankets.”
His cheeks turned pink. He met my gaze and held it, searching. A question swirled in the air between us. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. Electricity sizzled in the air.
My breath stuttered.
Ty raised a hand and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I shivered. His touch usually did not affect me like this. His fingers lingered across my jaw.
My reaction was Charlie’s fault.
“We should go eat before we set out for the hike,” I croaked.
He swallowed, then rolled off the bed toward the bathroom.
I tossed onto my back and stared up at the speckled ceiling. I’d been happy an hour ago. Thrilled at what the rest of today offered. If little things like this kept happening, I’d be too distracted to really enjoy what I’d come here for.
“Ready for lunch?” he asked, standing above me.
“Yep.”
At the restaurant, the hostess seated us in a plaid upholstered booth. A woman across the dining room had her eyes on Ty from the moment we walked in. Umm, hello? Obvious much? Stars, at least try to act inconspicuous.
“You have an admirer.” I jerked my head in the woman’s direction. I scanned my menu again, even though I had already decided on the huckleberry salmon followed by pie.
“Who?” he asked, swinging his head around to find the culprit.
“Remind me to never use you for recon. You’re supposed to be discreet. And seriously? You didn’t notice the goo-goo eyes or the nonstop appreciative stare that lady has made at you?”
“No,” he said.
“You can’t be that oblivious.”
He nodded his head. “When I’m with you, I am.”
Okay, this was exactly what I’d been nervous about. These hints, slight touches, and compliments used to mean nothing more than Ty being Ty. Because of Charlie, I read into them. Did he mean he only had eyes for me now and previously? Was he simply flirting?
And why must I doubt and pick apart every tiny thing? My head throbbed.
“Want to wager she keeps her eyes on you our entire meal?” I asked.
“No.” He opened his menu in front of him, blocking his face.
