Soft Place to Fall (Navy Book 4)

Chapter 11

Carmen awoke from a deep sleep and she groggily looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was two in the morning and she wasn't sure what had awoken her. She laid in bed listening to the silence and then she heard it, a thump that came from the room under her.

She sat up quickly, wondering if Will had heard it as well. She looked around her for something to protect herself with and her only choices were a lamp or a hairdryer. She would have to figure out which room Will was staying in and see if he would go with her to check out the noise. Hearing it again, she jumped out of bed and raced for the door, her haste slowing as she opened the door slowly, looking first one way then the other before stepping out into the darkness.

Within seconds a strong arm encircled her waist and another clamped over her mouth before she could open it to scream. The hand was so tight she couldn't even get her mouth open to bite it, but it didn't keep her from trying as she bucked wildly while she tried to remove either the hand or the arm.

"The trick is to hold the hand just so," Will's husky whisper said in her ear.

Carmen sagged with relief when she realized it was him and noting the change in her he released her, watching her warily as she turned to glare at him. There was enough light coming in from the window for them to take stock of each other's outline, but that was all.

"What the hell Will, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she hissed.

"No, I was trying to keep you from screaming." As he said the words another thump came from below them.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did, I'll go see what's going on while you go back to your room and wait."

"No, I'm going with you," Carmen insisted.

"I'm sure it's nothing, the thump is too regular to be an intruder, but if it is one, the longer it takes them to find you the better chance you have. I'll holler if there's any danger." Will walked over to her door and waited her for her to stomp past it. He grabbed the door closing it behind her as she did.

Carmen huffed as she walked over to the window trying to make out what was below her in case she had to jump. There was a car that she didn't recognize and the porch roof. It would be doable but she might get a few bumps and bruises. She was debating how strong the gutter system was when the door to her room opened and closed behind her.

As she spun around Will turned on the small table lamp next to the door.

"It's fine. It's your photographer friend and his wife, the supermodel."

"Davis and Laura?" Carmen wrinkled her brow as she blinked at the light, it wasn't bright but it was sudden. After her eyes had adjusted she looked over at Will and she was once again speechless as she took in his near naked form. All he was wearing was a pair of loose shorts that were riding low on his hips. She couldn't help letting her gaze roam over his well-muscled body. Stopping for a moment the tattoo around his bicep.

"W-what are they doing here?" she asked inanely.

"Couldn't say, but they didn't see me so you don't have to go down if you don't want to." He kept his back to the door as he let his eyes wander over her just as freely as she had been letting hers wander over him.

Carmen realized that she was only wearing a pair of short shorts and a tank top and her hair must be a mess. It always was when she woke up and she had to stop herself from reaching up to see how bad it was, and she barely kept herself from glancing in the mirror.

"Don't worry Honey, you look delectable."

And he was back. This Will she could fight. She bolstered herself by reminding herself that she wore less than she currently was in a room full of people during a runway show, and besides that, he had lied to her about who he was and why he was there.

"I would say thank you, but I'm paying you and Josh enough to face any dangers that might arise, so I'll just leave it at that."

"Are you really?" Will sounded amused.

"Did you think Josh was doing all this for free? How else is he going to pay you?"

"To be honest, I didn't think about it, and I'm not getting paid. I'm doing this as a favor for Josh."

Carmen's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Does it help you forgive me, just a little?" he asked in a low husky voice that was ridiculously charming and made her want to do that very thing.

"No, it only confirms what I've known all along, you're dumber than you look."

"Ouch, so I guess you're not going to ask me to stay then?"

She only glared at him, having a hard time holding the glare when he returned it with a grin. "Oh well, your loss Honey," he said as he turned to leave.

When he turned she saw his bare back and had to stifle a gasp at the scars that crisscrossed the flesh. She didn't stop him as he opened the door and left without a backward glance.

Who was Will Pruitt and why did his back look like that?

*******

Will cursed himself as he pulled the door closed behind him. Without the monitors that he had setup at the tree house he hadn't know if there was any danger, which meant that he had been in a rush earlier and had forgotten to grab a shirt. The last thing on his mind had been his scarred back in his haste to keep Carmen safe. He was generally careful about keeping it covered, and he had heard her little gasp at the sight of it, and her shock had reminded him just how grotesque it really was to those who weren't used to it.

He gave a self-mocking smile as he realized he hadn't needed to distract himself and Carmen from the tension in her bedroom by angering her, all he had to do was turn around and show her his back.

She had looked beautiful standing in the middle of her bedroom with her beautiful hair a tangled mass, her cheeks rosy from sleep, and her beautiful long bare legs that seemed to go on forever, her tank top hadn't hurt the image either.

It didn't matter if she was dressed to kill, wearing her inappropriate combat boots, or dressed in a simple t-shirt and shorts, he wanted it all. They all seemed to be different faces that she pulled out and wore when it suited her, and he wondered if anyone knew the real woman behind them.

Two of them he knew to be suits of armor that she put on to protect herself; but from what was the question? He had almost two weeks left to find out and suddenly it didn't seem like enough time. He had a feeling that even if he had the rest of his life she would still be a mystery to him.

Not that he was one to disregard armor and the need for it. He wore his own, and it had saved him on more than one occasion, but would it save him this time?

He had serious doubts that it would.