Page 77 of Stolen Kisses
Chapter 17
Krista spent the next three nights at Noah’s houseboat, going there as soon as she left work. The place wasn’t big enough to take more than an overnight bag with her, but it was better than making out against the wall of her townhome and hoping Joey didn’t overhear.
“Mind if I take a shower?” she asked, plopping her bag down as she walked in after her shift. She always liked to shower off any unwanted germs as soon as she left the hospital.
Noah’s gaze heated.
Krista put a hand on one hip. “Is that all you think about?”
“Pretty much.”
“I’m dirty,” she declared.
“Even better,” he growled, with a mischievous grin spreading along his cheeks.
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll only be gone a few minutes. Please.”
“Be my guest.” He gestured toward his shower as he laid back on his bed. Beauty pounced up beside him. “I’ll just be right here waiting for you,” he told her, then looked at the oversized puppy. “And when she returns, you’re being locked out.”
Krista laughed as she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Her day had been exhausting. Acting as head nurse while Karen was out of town wasn’t exactly easy. It took away from her time caring for patients, which was her favorite part of the job. Patient care energized her. The admin part of Karen’s job drained her.
Krista stripped off her nursing scrubs and stepped into the shower stall, then squealed as ice cold water terrorized her body.
“What’s wrong?” Noah asked, barging in just like he’d done at the Sawyer cabin.
Krista screamed again. “You’re not invited!”
“You screamed,” he objected, talking to her through the shower curtain. “Besides, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
“Cold, cold, cold water! It’s c-c-cold!”
“The hot water heater must be acting up again.”
Krista dipped under the icy stream and turned the knob to cut the water off. Then she reached through the shower curtain to snatch a towel from Noah.
“Sorry about that. I hate when that happens.”
Krista wrapped the towel around her body and stepped out from behind the curtain, still shivering uncontrollably. “Does that happen often?”
“Yeah. This place is getting old, I guess. Things keep breaking down and I keep fixing ’em.”
Krista had heard Noah complain about things breaking before, but it’d never mattered until now, when she was shivering, half wet, and completely naked. “You know I’m not staying here until you have hot water again. I don’t do cold showers.”
He frowned. “Looks like I’ll be doing them, and needing them if you’re not coming around.”
She softened a bit. “You can always come stay at my place. Joey can just learn to deal with it.”
“No, thanks. Guess we’ll just have to sleep in separate beds until I can get the water heater fixed.” He grabbed the edge of her towel, teasing her. “I kind of like waking up to you, though.”
He gave a soft tug and the towel loosened from around her body. She was shivering for a completely different reason now. “I like it, too.”
He pulled the towel away and used it to soak up drops of water on her body that she hadn’t gotten to yet, his gaze dragging over her hungrily.
“I don’t have to go home just yet, you know. I think all the hospital germs have frozen off me.”
“That’s good because I can’t see your naked body and not want to completely devour you.” He dropped the towel and cupped both of her breasts in his hands. Then he pinned her against the wall again. It seemed like she was always needing a wall to hold her up when Noah was around. He kissed her until she felt like she couldn’t breathe, or wait another second.
“I want you in my bed,” he said, pulling his mouth from hers.
