Page 42 of Off the Grid
Clothes. We need clothes first. Everything else can wait until later.
That towel barely covered McKenzie. Her shoulders were bare, her thighs were too, and every time she took a step, the fabric pulled a little farther apart. In fact, the whole effect just served as a reminder of all the things she wasn’t wearing—a bra for one, pants for another. He didn’t want to know if she’d kept her underwear on.
Dear God, I hope she kept her panties on.
Why did I think about that?
Why did I even let that thought enter my mind?
He shoved open the door at the end of the hallway and stepped into what he’d guessed would be the master bedroom. Judging by the vaulted ceiling, second fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows, he’d guessed right. Leo stepped inside, unable to keep his attention from slipping to the massive king bed to the side of the door. He promptly stalked deeper into the room.
“I’ll find us some clothes,” he muttered.
“Okay.” Her voice was annoyingly unaffected.
Leo didn’t turn around. He tried the first door he saw—bathroom—and then went for the second—a walk-in closet. The hangers were mostly empty, and so were the drawers, save for a few somewhat haggard-looking options.
“So, do you want plaid, plaid, or more plaid?” he called out.
McKenzie popped her head into the closet. “Ooh, is it flannel? I love a good flannel.”
“I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not.”
“What?” She raised a brow. “You only like your women in silk negligees?”
Why did you have to put that image into my head?He snorted to keep from having to actually formulate a response.
McKenzie pushed her way into the confined quarters, nudging him with her hip. Leo pressed as far back into the wall as he could, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the graze of her elbow as she reached forward to inspect the clothes. The spot burned. He took a deep breath, trying to quell his reaction, but the heady scent of her hair made the space seem smaller. Leo looked up toward the dark ceiling, pulling his focus away from the graceful curve of her neck.
If only Nate could see me now…
His partner would’ve never let him hear the end of this—reduced to middle school urges with absolutely zero self-control.
Pull yourself together. This is a rescue mission, not a vacation, as you well know.
“I’ll grab these,” McKenzie said, pulling a few things off the shelves.
Leo nodded.
She glanced over her shoulder, eying him strangely for a moment, but didn’t say anything as she walked back into the bedroom. Leo turned around, trying not to think about the fact that she was changing right behind him, and took his own set of plaid pajamas. The pants slid on fine. The shirt was another thing entirely. He couldn’t get the damn thing to button—the sleeves barely fit up his arms. Leo folded it and put it back on the shelf before opening a few more drawers. He finally found a T-shirt. It was a little snug, but it was plain and it was clean. By the time he stepped out of the closet, McKenzie was fully clothed and standing by the windows, silhouetted by the light of the storm.
“I can’t believe how bad it is,” she said, looking outside. Raindrops landed on the roof and hit the siding in a dull hum, a peaceful sort of melody now that they were safely inside. She pressed her finger to the window and traced one of the rivulets of water cascading down the glass. “I mean, we got really lucky.”
“Or unlucky,” he countered, unable to stop himself. “Depending on how you look at it.”
McKenzie turned around with a roll of her eyes, giving Leo a look at her outfit for the first time. Her flannel pajamas were mostly hidden beneath a plush oversized robe she’d cinched at her waist. Her feet had been swallowed up by socks that gave fuzzy a new definition. Her hair fell in loose wet waves around her shoulders. Though she was all covered up, he didn’t think she’d ever looked more attractive. There was something sexy in seeing her so undone, so carefree and at ease, no longer the closed-off woman he’d met in that stuffy New York hallway. The view through the window was chaotic and untamed, but there was something wild inside too—the look in her eyes, the invisible current simmering in the air between them.
“How’s your ankle?”
McKenzie shrugged. “Just twisted. It’ll be better by morning.”
“Come on.”
Leo walked over and presented her with his back—a safer option that being face-to-face. With a laugh, she hopped on, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as Leo hooked his elbows beneath her knees.
“Are you my chauffeur now too?”
“Apparently.” He glanced toward her, catching her eye in his peripheral vision.
