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This is one of those moments I wish I could slip into the shadows and disappear. How is it that I can't even seem to think straight when just in her presence? I need to get myself together. I feel vulnerable, practically naked standing before her with those grey eyes –
Gold. Gold eyes.
I meet her gaze. "Happy or angry?"
"What?"
"Whatever you're thinking about me."
She takes note of her glowing hands before refocusing her undivided attention on me. Her throat bobs as she swallows. Oh, the things I'd do to that beautiful neck, if given the chance.
"Happy." Her voice is raspy and dripping with desire. "And sad."
Well, now I'm thoroughly confused. "Tell me why you're sad."
She opens her mouth slightly, but she must have rethought her response because she remains tight-lipped, allowing a small smile to stretch across her face. "I suppose I'll get dressed and meet you downstairs?"
"Right," I nod, bumping into the railing behind me. I swivel and trot down the creaky wooden stairs. The ground level is composed of one large room where the living room, dining room and kitchen are combined. There's a leather couch and two armchairs set on a bear skin rug facing the crackling fireplace. Above the stone mantel is one of my earliest paintings of the view of Elowen from across the lake. There's a scratched up wooden dining table just beyond the sitting area with six scuffed up chairs. We've had that set since I was a child and my mother, although liking the finer things in life, can't bring herself to part with it due to nostalgia. The kitchen is humble, with just one straight line of cabinets and a butcherblock counter resting on top. There are floating shelves with white mugs, dishes and pots situated on the wall with a window over the sink. It's not much, but I've always loved this place.
I was excited for Shaye to see it, but under the circumstances, I'm just glad she's alive.
It's doubtful the others will make it to the cabin tonight. They'll do their best to stay as far away from this place as possible to ensure they don't unwittingly lead any of Vesper's crew to the village, but I trust they'll be here by morning like we agreed. Part of me worries that something went wrong and one of them is injured or lost, but I can't nurture those thoughts. It won't do any good to worry about something I have no control over.
Instead, I busy myself by filling a decades old tea kettle with water and placing it on one of two burners and wait. I tidy the few books on the shelf by the dining table and grab several quilts out of the only linen closet, laying them on the bear skin rug in front of the fireplace. The tea kettle finally sings, and I fix two mugs of black tea with a bit of honey. Letting them steep, I am so lost in my thoughts that I don't hear her come down the stairs, even though each one creaks when you step on it.
"This is cozy." Her voice breaks my concentration, spurring me to turn around.
My eyes widen when I see her standing on the bottom step with nothing but my long, black button-up shirt and my socks that come up just past her calves. Her wet hair is loose and flows to her hips. I have to tear my eyes from her because my shirt is leaving very little to my imagination of what she looks like underneath.
I clear my throat, "Tea?"
She nods and walks to meet me in the living room. Passing off the mug, and instead of sitting beside her on the couch, I set my tea on the mantel and stoke the fire.
"It's warmer down here," she says, clearly to fill the awkward silence.
"It will take a while before the room upstairs heats up," I acknowledge, willing myself not to think of her naked in my bed. "I thought we could sit in front of the fireplace to keep warm." I motion toward the quilts.
"We?" she quirks an eyebrow and sips from her mug.
"You're still shivering." I point out, noticing her knees knocking together. "You need body heat."
For a second, she just stares at me, but then she sets her tea on the end table beside her and slowly slips to the rug, pulling one of the blankets over her bare legs. "Alright," she nods, motioning for me to join her. "We'll sit in front of the fireplace. For body heat."
I swallow one last gulp of tea before taking my shirt off and sitting behind her, stretching my legs along either side of hers. She fits so perfectly here. I take a shuddering breath and snake my arms around her front to hold her. I ask, "Is this okay?"
"Yes," she replies in a barely there whisper.
Several quiet minutes pass by with us cuddled together listening to the crackling of the dancing fire. I open my mouth several times to break the silence, but it takes me a moment to muster the courage to address what's really bothering me.
"You could have died tonight."
She tenses in my arms but makes no effort to escape me. "But I didn't."
"I need you to promise you won't endanger yourself for me anymore," I say softly against her cheek.
"Atlas – "
"Please, Shaye," I cut her off with my broken plea, burying my forehead against the back of her shoulder. "Please. I couldn't bear it if you died trying to save me."
