CHAPTER FOUR
AFTER THE TERRIFYING image Noah had left her with last night about someone breaking in and having to throw herself out a window to run screaming through the neighborhood, Peyton had been sure she’d never get to sleep. As it turned out, she’d slept like a rock. But as she lay snuggled in her blankets, she decided that’s what you got when you had a big, strong, Navy SEAL sleeping downstairs protecting you with his life. It was impossible not to feel safe around him and all those muscles. And she had to admit that intensity as he’d told her exactly what she should do if anyone broken in was incredibly attractive. Yeah, that thing about dangerous men was a cliché but it worked for her.
Still foggy with sleep, Peyton rolled onto her back and stretched her arms over her head, smiling up at the ceiling. She probably could have been a little more subtle last night when it came to finding out if Noah was married or otherwise spoken for. But how else was she supposed to figure out if he was single or not? Besides, guys were usually oblivious to stuff like that, so she doubted he even noticed she was interested in him.
Not that she thought there was any chance of spending time with him after this whole bodyguard thing was done. He was attractive, easy to talk to, and fun to be around, but he was a Navy SEAL for heaven’s sake. He probably had hundreds of women throwing themselves at him whenever he wanted female company. There was no reason for him to ever spend time with a bookworm like her.
Yet, despite all that, she still liked knowing Noah was officially single. It made her feel less guilty daydreaming about him. She didn’t want to feel like a homewrecker, even in her fantasies. It was probably strange, but she’d decided long ago that being a little strange was okay.
She lay there a few minutes longer, listening for sounds of movement downstairs and wondering if Noah was awake yet. She didn’t hear anything. Then again, he was a SEAL. Wasn’t stealth his middle name?
Telling herself she’d find out soon enough, Peyton hopped out of bed and crossed the carpet into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Minty fresh, she put on some lip gloss and a light coating of mascara, then put her hair up in a loose twist and pulled on a tank top and a pair of yoga pants. While she felt good about the writing she’d finally gotten done yesterday, there was no way she was missing her yoga session this morning. She needed it to get herself mentally back on track.
She padded barefoot out of the bedroom, heading downstairs to get some water before starting her session. Her bell bottoms flapped softly around her ankles as she moved and she slowed her steps, not wanting to wake Noah if he was still sleeping. When she got to bottom, she froze. It was either that or stumble and fall flat on her face.
Noah stood by the couch, his back to her as he folded the sheets and a blanket he’d found in her linen closet. Not that she cared about his folding skills at the moment, not when he was standing there wearing nothing but a pair of tight-fitting boxer briefs. Suddenly, breathing was much more difficult than normal. She guessed this is what people meant when they used the term breathtaking.
Peyton had never really paid much attention to a guy’s back before, but with those wide shoulders tapering to a trim waist, Noah’s was truly beautiful. It was all she could do not to step over there and run her hands over all that sculpted muscle.
Then he turned around and her jaw dropped.
All Peyton could do was stare. He looked good from the back, but from the front… Well, daaaaammn, was all that came to mind. He was all chiseled chest, washboard abs, sleek biceps, and well-muscled legs. She’d never seen a guy so well-built in her life. Clearly, all the training SEALs did paid off. Her gaze wandered lower to the tight boxer briefs he wore. They left little to the imagination, and she stood there, eyes locked on the obvious bulge.
When she finally lifted her head, she found Noah regarding her with a sexy glint in his chocolate-brown eyes, clearly unselfconscious that he was standing there in his underwear. And that she was looking. Not that he had any reason to be embarrassed. He looked like a Greek god come to life. And truthfully, Peyton had no reason to be embarrassed, either. Noah was a man standing in the middle of her living room in his underwear. She was a woman looking at someone she found attractive, one who obviously didn’t mind her looking.
Peyton blushed anyway.
She wet her suddenly dry lips. “I…um…came down to grab a bottle of water. I’m going to do some yoga. I didn’t mean to interrupt what you were doing. You’re welcome to make coffee and grab something for breakfast if you want.”
He tossed the folded blanket on the couch, then stacked the pillow neatly on top of it. “You didn’t interrupt anything. I’ve been up for a while. I’ll get right on that coffee, though. You want some before you start your workout?”
Peyton’s eyes locked on his bare chest for one long moment before she mentally kicked herself for staring—again. Recovering, she shook her head. “No, thanks. Coffee and yoga don’t really mix well.”
Careful not to let her eyes wander anymore, she forced herself to walk into the kitchen. It might have been her imagination, but she thought she felt Noah’s gaze follow her. She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder as
