4. Oaklyn Bridges
OAKLYN brIDGES
Iraced into the first available room my eyes landed on and slammed the door shut behind me.
With my back pressed into it, my head titled back, and I released the shakiest breath ever.
What the fuck . . . The image of turning around to see Jasoni standing on the porch replayed in my mind, making my heart race relentlessly.
He was the last person I expected to see, even though his presence made the most sense.
He was Journi’s twin, and it was their birthday, but damn; she never mentioned he was a part of the plan.
Walking toward the bed, I plopped down then rushed to pull my phone from my purse. Within seconds, I had Journi’s contact pulled up. I placed the phone to my ear, listening to the rings on bated breath. I sighed in relief when she picked up.
“Journi!” I shouted before she could fully get her greeting out. “Why the fuck is Jasoni here?”
There was a long pause, to the point I had to pull the phone away from my ear to make sure the call was still connected. By the time I confirmed she was still on the phone, I placed it back to hear her say, “Huh? What? I can’t hear you. My phone is breaking up.”
Even though I was high-key annoyed and ready to go across her head, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not playing with you. Why wouldn’t you tell me your brother was coming?”
She sighed. “Because I knew you wouldn’t come if you knew. I’m sorry,” she whined. “Just do this one little thing for me. I don’t ever ask for much, but this is the first time in a long time I get to celebrate my birthday with the two most important people to me.”
I allowed all my weight to crash into the plush mattress while simultaneously releasing a long exhale. “Wow, you’re really playing it like that, huh?” I shook my head, forgetting that she couldn’t see me. “I am highly disappointed in you. You better be glad it’s your birthday, ho.”
Journi cackled on the other end. “Ayeeeeeee.” I just knew she was doing a little dance on the other side of the phone.
“Anyways, where are you? What time do you get here? I need a damn shot or two now.”
Before she could respond, I heard a gravelly voice speaking over the intercom in her background.
I couldn’t make out what was being said, but she was clearly in the airport.
“Girl, the flight was about to board, but the lady just came on saying they cancelled it because of the weather.” She groaned into the phone in tandem with me springing up from the bed.
“Cancelled as in . . .”
“I probably won’t be able to fly out until after the storm passes.”
“Just drive instead,” I suggested, not ready to fully accept the fact I would be stuck in this cabin with Jasoni. My stomach lurched at the idea when his face flooded my mind. How would I be able to ignore him?
“The wind won’t be pushing me off the side of a mountain. Hell nah, sis. I will have to wait this out. It’s supposed to get even worse tomorrow.”
I palmed my face, wishing I had a solution while knowing this was one of those things that was out of my control.
Journi’s safety came before my personal feelings for her brother.
“Wow. I can’t believe I’m trapped with your fake ass brother.
” I glanced out of the window and noticed the snow was floating down even faster now. “Maybe I’ll just come to get you.”
“You would literally be driving into the storm. Best thing for you to do now is bunker down and wait for it to pass.” She sucked her teeth before continuing. “I’m kinda jealous because I wanted to be stormed in at the cabin.”
“We can trade places.”
“If only.” She groaned while I forced a sad smile on my face. I traced the butterfly tattoo on my wrist and sighed in defeat. “Anyways, let me go to talk to this agent about rebooking my ticket.”
My mouth opened, but the sound of a knock on the door stole whatever I wanted to say.
I lifted my gaze to find Jasoni standing in the doorway.
His tall, muscular frame filled it completely, to the point it was like he was blocking all the sunlight filtering in from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.
I gave him a glare while fighting the urge to study his frame.
I wasn’t blind. Time and the military had done him well.
Jasoni was well over six feet tall and built like a bodybuilder.
He had the kind of arms that could surely put an enemy to sleep if positioned around their neck like a python.
His taut skin was the color of Hennessy, and the way his Adam’s apple bobbed made me want to have a drink.
I even found his square nose to be sexily positioned in the center of his face.
His low-set eyes were so intense under his bushy eyebrows that I found myself wanting to take a closer peek at the color.
His beard was perfectly trimmed, along with the mustache covering his full lips.
His low-cut hair was also lined to perfection, pissing me off.
Why couldn’t he look terrible? That would’ve made this unwelcomed reunion easier to handle.
But everything about him made me feel things I shouldn’t.
I cleared my throat and straightened my spine. His tongue glided across his lips, and my fucking nipples hardened. Crossing my arms over my chest to hide the evidence of my body’s betrayal, I cleared my throat to gain his attention.
“What?” I questioned in an icy tone.
“That’s Nini on the phone?”
Turning my gaze to the phone, I realized she’d hung up. “It was. Her flight got cancelled. She doesn’t think she’ll make it until the storm passes.”
I heard him sigh before his deep voice shook the room.
“I told her ass to ride with me, but she’s so hardheaded.
” Refusing to give him my eyes, I glanced back out of the window, knowing outside wasn’t the only place where a storm was brewing.
“Well, I was going to make something to eat. You have a taste for anything?”
I shook my head. “I can feed myself, Jasoni.” I felt the rage in me beginning to bubble in the pit of my stomach. “Just stay out of my way. You haven’t talked to me in ten years. We can make it ten more.”
“Oatmeal . . .” Hearing him say that forbidden nickname made tears well in my eyes.
I hopped up so quickly that he didn’t have time to prepare before I was standing in front of him.
Planting my hands in the middle of his broad chest, I ignored how solid he felt and used every bit of strength I could muster to push him out the door.
His lips parted to say something, but I slammed the door in his face before he got the chance.
I could hear him chuckling on the other side.
“How can someone so little be so fierce?” he mumbled, unfazed by my attitude.
I pressed my ear to the door and listened for his retreating steps.
Only when I couldn’t hear anything was I able to breathe again.
Being trapped in this cabin with him felt like a sick joke orchestrated by Todd.