She tried to move, and the blanket slipped off one shoulder. He held up a hand and backed up. “I can get Holly. She’ll help you so you can shower and get dressed.”
Mia pushed out a frustrated breath and held the blanket up high again. “I’m covered up, Zeke. I’ll shower in a minute. Please tell me what has you so upset. I’m sorry I jumped in the lake. I was gutted when I thought you were in danger. I hurried along the dock to get a better view. When I saw Blaine with a chokehold on you, it ripped me apart. As I jumped in, I saw you flip him over.” She smiled. “You could beat him no matter what he tried. Thank you.”
“Thank me for beating him, or for not killing him?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You really hate him.”
“I do.” He rubbed at his neck. “I really do. Especially if …”
“If what? If he’s a world-class git? He is.”
He almost smiled, but he was so stirred up it didn’t seem like he could calm down. “Why did you date him?”
“I date every handsome bloke who asks.” She shrugged.
His eyes went so dark gray that she cuddled deeper into the blankets. Zeke was angry. No, he was furious. He stalked closer to the bed. She could only imagine how fearsome he would be in battle mode. The way he looked now, every muscle engaged, ready to tear somebody apart, made a thrill shoot through her. Zeke would never hurt her, she knew that without a doubt, but blimey she was glad he was on her side.
“Every handsome bloke who asks?” he gritted out.
“Oh. You didn’t like that, now did you?”
“No.” He grunted in disgust. “No, I absolutely didn’t like that.”
“Zeke, I just go on dates. I’m not some player.” That wasn’t technically true. She dated a lot and had since she turned fifteen and her mum had won the battle and her dad had let “approved chaps” start asking her out. As soon as she left home at eighteen, she dated like she’d never get enough. She loved having fun, going out.
But she’d give it all up to spend one day with him.
“Really?” His gaze swept over her face, and he said in a quiet voice that pierced through her, “So you don’t sleep with them before you move on?”
“Excuse me?” she yelled. No, she probably shrieked. She pushed out of all those blankets, scurried over the wet spot, jumped out of bed, and stood on tiptoes in an attempt to face him on his level and still only reached his chin. She was angry enough she felt all puffed up and taller than if she had her five-inch heels on. “How dare you?”
“M-M-Mia,” Zeke squeaked out.
“What?” she demanded, but then she noticed the cooler air outside the bed touching the bare skin of her back and abdomen. She looked down. At her bra and panties. Oh. If he hadn’t been able to handle seeing a bare shoulder … No. What did she care? This barmy bloke thought she slept around. And after she’d told him she was a Christian and believed in the sanctity of marriage.
Zeke whipped his shirt off and started trying to pull it over her head, obscuring her vision and ticking her off even more.
She heard the door open and Holly called out, “Hey, I’ve—”
There was a tremendous crash. Mia pushed Zeke’s shirt off her head and could see Holly staring at them with wide eyes while soup, sandwiches, tea, and some broken dishes lay at her feet.
Mia looked up at Zeke, his chest bare as he held his shirt awkwardly over her head. He looked like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. If she hadn’t been so furious at him, she would’ve thought he was as adorable as he was handsome and this situation was hilarious.
“What are you twodoing?” Holly finally found her voice.
“Holly?” Joseph’s voice. “Everything okay?”
Joseph stormed into the room, slipping on the mess on the floor but recovering quickly and staring between the two of them with wide eyes.
Zeke must’ve given up trying to tug the shirt over her head. He held it like a shield in front of her and tugged her behind him with the other hand. Mia appreciated his attempt at keeping her modest, even if he believed she didn’t care about modesty. Leaping out of bed like that had not been the correct move, but he needed to explain his barmy comment, and quick.
She grasped at his arm that was holding her back. “How dare you claim I sleep around?” she demanded.
He glanced back over his shoulder at her, keeping his eyes securely fastened on her face. “Mia, this probably isn’t a good time.”
“Well, when is?”
“What is going on here?” Joseph asked.