Chapter 21Emir

Chapter 21 Emir

How could she go to sleep after all this? I’d been sitting down for a good hour, but my pulse remained elevated. Although watching Janie bend over in a pair of white tights likely had something to do with it. I should have kept my eyes on the book, but I struggled to focus on the story, my mind split between fantasies of her naked body and scenarios of the break-in. Neither activity helped me relax, and by the time she finished her workout, I felt like going for a long run, but I didn’t want to leave her alone, even for a half an hour. Besides, I’d already done a run and a workout in the morning, which now seemed like a week ago.

As Janie headed to her bedroom, I grabbed the flashlight and got back outside, circling the house, checking every possible point of entry. I’d already closed every window and checked the locks. The front door did show some scratches that could have been made by a lock pick, but that was to be expected. I knew I hadn’t left the door unlocked. I’d found no scuff marks on the other doors, which suggested the thief hadn’t tried them first. Why the front door? The location was remote, with no neighbors watching, but it still felt too brazen. Why not even try the back door? That was usually the weakest link.

And why bother with lock picking? Why not just break the glass on one of the many sliding doors, flip the simple lock and let yourself in? It would have been a lot faster. After all, there was nobody around to hear the sound of breaking glass. Unless the intruder had planned to get in and out without being noticed. And in that case, what were they after? If they had stolen something, Janie would have noticed. She’d had a strange expression when checking her laundry hamper, but it might have been just the shock or sheer awkwardness of having to do it in front of me. If she said nothing was missing, I had to believe her.

But if nothing was missing, and the phantom burglar had planned to pop in unnoticed, then why break in at all? It made no sense. The whole situation was making me itchy.

I was so deep in thought, mulling over every scenario, that I never even considered I was approaching Janie’s bedroom. The sliding door was now locked, and the curtains drawn. I rounded the corner.

I swear it never crossed my mind that she had a window on the other wall, right above her bed. It didn’t have a curtain, maybe because it was quite narrow and sat relatively high. Not too high for me, though, especially as I stepped on a wooden bench lining her wraparound deck. I only did it to check a potential vantage point the intruder might have used to spy on her. To my shock, standing on the relatively low bench gave me a direct view into her bedroom, zeroing in on the bathroom door. I couldn’t see Janie, but I pointed my flashlight carefully down at my feet, to avoid spooking her if she happened to look outside. Looking down at my feet, my eyes caught something shiny. A gum wrapper. It had lodged between the wooden slats. I hadn’t noticed Janie chewing gum but maybe her sons did. Was it possible someone had been standing right here at night, peering into her house like I was doing right now?

I was about to step down from the bench, when the bathroom door opened, and Janie stepped out, wearing a towel. I turned off the flashlight, just to be sure, and should have looked away. I should have left. But when I saw her starting to unwrap the towel, my body seized. I couldn’t look away. I stared, unwilling to even blink, as the towel came undone, falling on her bed. Janie, in the nude. I kept staring as she picked up a pair of black panties and pulled them on. She was so hot I gave up breathing along with blinking, my throat turning to sandpaper as my mouth hung open in the cool night air. All the Pilates had paid off. Her body was a work of art, one I desperately wanted to touch.

Janie reached under her duvet, digging up something purple. I was still looking as she pulled on pajama bottoms, then a matching camisole. When her pink nipples finally disappeared behind fabric, I sucked in a sharp breath, lowered onto the ground, and shifted away from the window, leaning my shoulder against the wall. I tried to adjust the crotch of my pants. They felt too tight.

Focus, I ordered my brain. Check the rest of the perimeter. Make sure everything is in order. I shone the flashlight down to the bushes, but my mind replayed a highlights reel of Janie’s curves.

Taking small, uncomfortable steps, I returned inside, locking the door. I highly doubted the intruder would try again the same night, but I still brought out one of the dining chairs, propping it against the door handle. If anyone tried to break in, they’d make enough racket to wake us up. Gru followed me around the house, jumping on the chair.

“Good boy. You keep watch all night, let us know if anyone tries to get in.” I gave the dog a meaningful look and he yipped, settling on the seat.

I’d mostly seen him snoozing on his fluffy bed in the corner of the living room, or zooming through the house for no good reason, so it was good to see him looking alive. At least one of us was onto it and not too horny to think straight. Who would have thought it was the dog?

I grabbed the heavy flashlight and the book I’d pretended to read and retreated to my bedroom. It was going to be a long night.