Chapter Twelve #3
“You’re in Sweden now,” she shot back over her shoulder.
“We’re a very trusting crowd, especially up here in the north.
And what would be the point of locking it?
If someone was intent on breaking in, they would.
” She shrugged and gestured him to come inside.
It was dark, and it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust. The place was small and dank, clearly not used very often.
The hut contained the basics, only a little better than the one they had rescued Kenichi from the other day.
A fireplace, a rustic bench running along one wall—probably used as a bed—a small wooden table and two rickety chairs.
The worn material hanging over the windows did little to block out any light.
That was it. Not the homey, comforting cabin he’d been hoping for, but it was shelter nonetheless.
“At least they’ve kept the place stocked with wood,” Aurora commented, draping his now frozen-stiff clothes over the back of a chair, and dumping her little black bag on the table.
“I’ll light the fire, you get your wet pants and boots off,” she said, sending him a look that said she would brook no argument.
He watched as she removed her gloves and fumbled with the zip on her bag; her fingers clearly as cold and useless as his.
Even though he kept his hands wrapped tightly inside the blanket, they were still numb and barely working.
But he did as he was told, dropping the silver covering onto the bench and sitting down so he could attack his shoelaces.
He felt like he was a hundred years old; he could hardly work the knot free, and he swore more than once out loud at the bothersome thing.
He did finally get them both undone, but then he struggled to get the wet, heavy boots off his feet.
He looked up to see Aurora crouched by the fireplace, coaxing a small flame into life.
“I can’t…” He wasn’t sure how to phrase it, didn’t want to tell her that he was as helpless as a child.
“I’m coming,” she said, glancing back over her shoulder.
She helped him tug off his boots, which made a loud sucking noise as they suddenly released, almost sending her onto her backside.
She pulled off his soaking wet socks as well, and his feet felt like blocks of ice, and now that they were outside the support of the boots, they began to throb with cold.
Without comment, she pulled him up to standing, and helped him undo the buttons of his pants, then pushed him back to sitting so she could tug each leg free.
Should he be embarrassed that she was helping him undress like he was a three-year-old?
He was now sitting in his boxer briefs, her too-tight jacket wrapped around his torso, but couldn’t raise the energy to feel anything but relief.
Her fingers had been like ice where they touched his bare skin.
“You’re just as cold as I am,” he commented.
“Nearly,” she agreed. “Which is why we both need to get warm.” Sitting down beside him, she began to undo her own boots.
He watched as she removed her socks and then pants as well, leaving her standing in the tiny room with only her brief panties on.
The purely male part of him took note of the fact they were black lace.
As well as her nicely shaped legs and athletic calves.
But the rest of him was still wondering how he was going to get warm without any dry clothes to put on.
“I’m going to stoke up the fire, really get it blazing,” she said without preamble, as if standing half naked in a rundown cabin in the middle of a Swedish wilderness was an everyday occurrence.
“Can you spread out the blanket so that we can lie on it on the bench? But leave enough room to wrap around both of us.”
“Both of us?” he asked stupidly.
“Shared body heat is the best way to get warm,” she added matter-of-factly.
Aha, the plan was beginning to dawn on him. He did as she had asked, making a little bed for the two of them on the bench. It wasn’t very wide, but they both should be able to fit side-by-side. “What now?” he asked.
“Take the jacket off, we’ll use it as an extra cover over both of us.
Then you lie down and get comfy. I’ll be with you in a second.
” He lay down, the silver material icy to the touch and watched as she finished her task of hanging up his wet clothing as best she could near the now-raging fire to try and get them dry.
He wished she would hurry up, because he was beginning to shiver again.
At last she walked over and stood beside the bench, staring down at him.
Was that hesitation he saw in her eyes? Whatever it was, she drew in a deep breath as if reaching a decision, then lifted her own sweater and thermal shirt over her head, revealing a matching lacy bra.
The all-male part of him woke up a little more at the sight.
She was bloody gorgeous. Better even than he’d imagined.
But he didn’t have long to take in all that glorious skin, as she crawled in beside him, draping her jacket over the top of their bodies, then wrapping the silver blanket around them both, tucking it in over their feet, and pulling it up over the heads as she lay down, so they were cocooned together.
Her skin was icy to the touch, much the same as his.
But her breath was warm on his cheek as she settled her head against his shoulder.
Well now, this was much better. He had to say he was almost enjoying himself. He wasn’t any warmer yet, but there was something special about having her body draped against his. Something intimate, and deeply satisfying.