Page 22 of Make Me Whole
A feeling of awareness worked its way through my body. I was intruding on something. I should've looked away.Heshould've looked away. Instead, we remained in this intense stare-down that I felt all the way to my toes.
With my teeth worrying my bottom lip, my eyes flicked to Bandit. With the way his head was lolling from side to side, I got the impression that he too was trying to make sense of the spectacle before us.
As if pulled by some magnetic force, my attention was drawn back to Bradley and his blonde. Her onslaught had moved from his neck to his lips.
But his eyes—his dark, dark navy eyes—remained on me.
There was a flash of something in them, but I couldn't decipher it. Like when you wake up from a dream only to find the details of it foggy.
When the sting of pain registered, I realized that my lip was still trapped between my teeth and I'd bitten down on it. I swiped my thumb over the tender spot before slipping it into my mouth. I didn't think it was possible but Bradley's eyes grew even darker as he carefully trekked the movement.
My lips parted to say something,anything, but no sound came. His gaze snapped back up to mine, the weight of it pinning me to the spot. Then, out of nowhere, Bandit let out a bark, the shrill sound of it almost deafening.
The woman's body jerked before she took cover behind Bradley's large frame. Tentatively peering around his shoulder, she shrieked, "What isthat?"
On cue, Bandit let out a few more barks while he excitedly jumped on the spot. The woman yelped and ducked behind Bradley's broad back. "Get it away from me."
Whatever spell I'd been under had finally worn off. I pressed the button on the remote and with an eye roll, I pushed to my feet and padded to the overzealous pooch. After giving him a quick scratch behind the ear, calming him momentarily, I turned to the pair. "Heis Bandit, and I think he'll be safer with me tonight." I aimed my raised eyebrow at Bradley, daring him to disagree.
He didn't, of course.
"I don't care," the blonde mumbled into his shirt. "As long as it's far away from me."
Something that looked a lot like exasperation marred his features. He shut his eyes and the wide expanse of his chest expanded on a deep breath.
I'd wanted to make some snippy comment about them having fun, but it died on my tongue when his lids parted to reveal unmasked anguish in those blue irises. The intensity of it stealing the breath from my lungs.
Smacking my thigh twice, I summoned Bandit. Tail wagging, he happily followed me when I steadily turned and headed for the stairs.
My fingers curled around the cold, smooth surface of the railing as I took a second to steel myself before I ascended. With every step I took, I felt the heat of Bradley's stare on me. It glided over my skin, urging me to take one more look.
Because I wanted to keep my sanity, I refused.
