Heartbeats

Chapter 18

Curiosity got the best of me on my way to my room.

Just a peek, I told myself.

I turned to the first door on my left, and knocked softly. Hearing no response, I turned the knob and pushed softly.

The room on the other side was empty. The blue sheets on the bed were tangled, the owner having left them unmade. The furniture was bare. An item or two was positioned here and there, but the room seemed impersonal. Whoever slept here didn’t spend much of his time here.

My eyes came to rest on the nightstand, and I immediately knew whose room this was. Garrett.

The precious necklace had been carefully positioned there, laid out to shine. Even in the dim lighting of the room, the diamonds glinted. My fingers twitched, and I quickly stepped forward and grabbed the necklace, glancing behind me to confirm this wasn’t a trap.

It didn’t appear to be so. I quickly placed the necklace around my neck, sliding it under the shirt. I glanced once back to the empty room before resuming my walk to my room. I froze before entering, eyeing the now slightly open door. I was pretty sure I had left it closed.

Cautiously, I edged it open. I peeked in, eyeing the body in my bed.

“Get in here already.”

Garrett. I sighed and stepped in, firmly closing the door behind me, sliding in the lock. He raised a single eyebrow as he watched me.

“If you wanted me all alone in your room you could’ve just said so.”

I rolled my eyes, quickly unlocking the door again. I turned back to watch him but saw his eyes firmly attached to my legs.

Oh. Right. No pants.

I snapped my fingers. “Eyes up here, pretty boy.”

His eyes eventually made their way up to my face, not before sliding all over the rest of me. By the time he met my eyes, my face was warm and my heart had skipped a beat.

Only one.

“Pretty boy? That’s a first.”

My cheeks could probably resemble two tomatoes right now. I cleared my throat, aiming for nonchalance.

“Your eyes are too pretty for a boy.”

He smirked. “You like my eyes.”

“I’ll admit they’re the only thing remotely nice about you.”

“I don’t aim for nice.”

I crinkled my nose in disdain. “Oh, just stop it. What’re you doing here?”

He folded his arms behind his head, making himself comfortable in the bed. “Just checking in with the prisoner.”

I glared. “The prisoner is fine. Anyway, you said I could leave in the morning. It’s morning.”

“You’re going to leave like that?” he asked, eyes again returning to my legs.

“No,” I grumbled, my hands grasping the edge of the material and tried to pull it down. “I’ll just put the dress back on.”

“Need help?”

“No.” I growled. “Anyway, Miles already offered.”

Garrett rolled his eyes. “Miles will flirt with anything remotely female.”

I furrowed my brow. “Remotely?”

With a grin, he gracefully got up from the bed, brushing past me on his way out. The smell I now identified with him suddenly hitting me full force.