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“I’m not a pap,” she snapped at him.
“You should own that shit. Even a rat doesn’t deny that it’s a rat and belongs with other rats.”
“What a dumb analogy. You know, people are always raving about your intellect and emotional intelligence, but I confess, I haven’t seen much—or any—of that on display since arriving here. All I’ve seen is a mean, bitter arsehole of a guy wallowing in his self-inflicted misery.”
This time he was the one who gritted his teeth and Iris wondered if she’d actually hit a nerve.
“If I’m mean and bitter it’s because I have an unwelcome intruder in my space. You’re here on sufferance, lady”—as if she needed the reminder—“so tread fucking lightly. Hurry up and get warmed up so that I can get you out of my hair again.”
He turned away from her and stalked out of the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him, which was why she knew he hadn’t gone any further than the attached guest bedroom.
“You’re not going to give me more privacy than that?”
“Nope.” His voice drifted back insouciantly. “You can shut the door, but I have the key, so you can’t lock it.”
Iris eyed the open door. She could see only a sliver of the bedroom and she doubted he was able to see much of anything through that small gap. Besides, she was terrified that if she did shut the door, he would lock it. And she didn’t think she could stand it if he did that. She’d rather take her chances with the door ajar.
Decision made, she shrugged—eager to get into the bath—and clumsily shoved the jeans down her legs, before gingerly removing her tank top. She was sinking into the almost unbearably hot water mere moments later. She nearly added more cold water but she acclimatized quite quickly, despite the uncomfortable pins and needles skittering across her naked flesh.
Eventually, she was able to settle herself completely into the water with a blissful sigh. She lay there for a long time, allowing the heat to seep into her bones. Despite her shower last night, this was the first time she felt like she’d truly thawed since arriving here.
It was wonderful.
She hummed quietly to herself as she scooped water up over her arms, shoulders, and neck… allowing herself a moment of peace. Blocking her situation, and the awful man in the other room, out of her mind for a few precious minutes.
Just a few precious minutes, before…
“Hurry the fuck up, will you? I’d like to get warmed up as well.”
She sighed regretfully and shook her head.
“Nobody’s stopping you. Don’t worry about me, I’ll find my way back to my room.”
Silence. There was a beat of blissful silence, during which Iris allowed herself to relax again.
Then, “If you’re not done in five minutes I’m coming in there and hauling your ass out of that bathtub.”
Of course he was.
Iris clicked her tongue and idly soaped herself before—after way too short a time—she reluctantly rinsed off, got up, and wrapped a towel around her comfortably warm body.
There was an oversized fluffy, white bathrobe hanging from a hook behind the door and—after toweling herself vigorously—Iris dropped the massive plush bath sheet into the laundry hamper and shrugged into the robe.
She threw her shoulders back and lifted her head before pushing the door open and stepping back into the bedroom.
He was waiting for her there. Well, it appeared that he’d left the room long enough to at least divest himself of his own wet clothes. He was now wearing a pair of clingy light gray sweatpants—oh mama—and a form-fitting black T-shirt. He still looked pretty cold though. His hair was wet and she could see the gooseflesh pebbling his skin even with a couple of meters between them.
He was sitting on the edge of the large bed, his gaze trained on her face. His focus so intent, it was a little intimidating.
“You were in there for nearly fifteen minutes,” he grouched.
“I could easily have stayed in there for another fifteen, if you hadn’t been such a time tyrant.”
His beard twitched—what was happening under there? Was he grinding his teeth, chewing the inside of his cheek, clenching his jaw? It was anybody’s guess.
“The beard’s a bit of overkill, no? Is it meant to be a disguise? Not like anybody will find you out here in the middle of nowhere.”
“You did.”
