A light tapping brought her from a deep sleep. She tried to roll over, only to find Chip was curled at her back, and he apparently wasn’t into moving. Damn. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. It was pitch black outside her window and, judging by the light show in the distance to the north, the storm she’d predicted earlier was still on track.
The tapping came again, and Chip gave a lowwoof. Her visitor apparently wasn’t going away, whether she was ready to face anyone or not.
“Who is it?” Kellie switched on the bedside lamp and attempted to straighten her clothes as she scooted back to the pillows that lined the headboard.
“It’s MacGyver. May I come in?”
“If I said no, would it do any good?” She tried to sound grumpy, but it was unlikely she’d succeeded, considering the giddy pleasure his deep voice had sent tap dancing up her spine.Jeez, get over it already.She’d asked him to put the events of last night behind him. How could she expect him to comply ifshecouldn’t keep her mind from replaying the highlights?
He didn’t answer—just turned the knob and pushed the door open. “I come bearing food, and you’ll have to be nice to me if you want any.” A grin riding his lips, he approached the bed, holding a tray aloft.
Kellie was just about to tell him she wasn’t hungry when she caught a whiff of sausage and pepperoni. “Oh my God! Is that pizza?”
“Yep. I owe you dinner, remember? Since it was my turn to cook, I did what any self-respecting Navy man would do—sent Travis to pick up pizza.” He deposited the tray on her lap and sat on the edge of the bed. “Charlie said it was your favorite.”
“Thank you. That’s so sweet.” She grabbed one of the three pieces on the plate and took a big bite, enjoying the flavors that burst on her tongue. A sausage bit rolled off the slice and landed on the plate. Kellie picked it up and held it out to Chip, who slurped it into his mouth as his tail beat a drum solo on the bed.
Kellie closed her eyes and savored another bite. “Oh God! If we weren’t over, I’d kiss you right now!”
“Yeah, about that.” MacGyver grabbed her hand as she was about to take another bite and leaned toward her. “Your sisterwasyour priority, and I totally agree, but now all you have to do is contact Marshal Dahl when you want to talk to her.”
“Do you really think he’d go along?”
“I think he’d be crazy to get between you and Anna.”
Kellie pulled her hand from his grip and shoved another bite into her mouth, chewing as the prospect whirled in her brain. “Talking to her was beyond amazing, and I’m really grateful, but I want to see her, hug her and be together as a family again. Is that too much to ask?” Of course it was, but she was selfish enough to want it anyway.
“I want that for you and Charlie too, but you’ll have to be patient.”
Kellie scoffed. “Patient? What the hell is that?”
“Don’t tell me they didn’t teach patience in the Marine Corps.” MacGyver slid closer until he was leaning against the pillows beside her, his legs stretched alongside hers.
“Believe me, they tried. I was a hard case.”
MacGyver laughed. “Really? Tell me something I don’t already know.”
She jabbed him with her elbow as she studied the last slice of pizza.
He grunted and held his side. “So…what do you think about reconsidering our friendship?”
Her head turned, and she looked at him. “Is that what you call it—friendship?” So that was where he was headed with all the talk about finding Anna. She should have guessed.
“We’re friends, no matter what happens, but we should think about being friends with benefits.” He cocked his head toward her, and the blue of his eyes darkened.
“Friends with benefits, huh? For how long?” Interesting proposition, but she was sure to get attached and have her heart broken. Would it be worth it?
“As long as you want. Until you find someone you’re serious about.”
Was he kidding? “UntilIfind someone? Meaning you won’t?”
An emotion she couldn’t recognize escaped his mask for a moment. “I’m not looking for a long-term relationship.”
“Just benefits?”
He grimaced. “Sounds crude when you say it like that, but yeah.”
Kellie regarded him for a moment. “Who was she?”