Chapter 3 Tyler
TYLER
I woke up warm. Warmer than I should have been, considering the last thing I remembered was my car sliding off the road into a snowbank. I should've been frozen solid instead of toasty warm with someone’s strong arms wrapped around me.
Not just someone. A man. A very naked, very hot man whose scent made something desperate inside me want to climb inside him.
Wait, what? I kept my eyes closed, trying to process what the hell was happening. Where was I? And more importantly, why didn't I feel scared?
The steady thump of a heartbeat against my ear was oddly comforting.
My body fit perfectly against his, and I was wearing.
..something. Not the clothes I’d been wearing but an oversized shirt that smelled like pine and cinnamon and something wild I couldn't name.
The fabric was soft against my skin, but beneath it, I was definitely naked.
I should have been freaking out for waking up naked in a stranger's arms. But instead of panic, all I felt was a deep, inexplicable sense of security. Like everything was right in the world.
The man shifted slightly, and his muscular arm tightened around me. “Are you finally awake, sweetheart?” His skin was so hot against mine, like he ran several degrees warmer than a normal person.
I kept my breathing even, feigning sleep to see what he'd do next.
"You scared me, omega." He rubbed my back. "But I knew you’d be okay."
“You did?” I couldn't keep pretending not to hear him. I needed to see his face to fully understand what was happening. I shifted slightly, letting my eyes flutter open as if I were just waking up. “How? And…hi.”
Holy shit.
The man was so gorgeous it actually hurt to look at him. He was tanned and had a nice scruff on his cheeks that looked like it would feel good against my thighs.
"Hi." He smiled and pulled his arm back to give me some space to move off him. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay, but where am I?" What I really wanted to say was something embarrassingly thirsty, but I kept it PG. “And how did I get here?”
"My cabin." He reached for a t-shirt near the fireplace and pulled it over his head.
"I found you in your car a few miles from here.
You were freezing and barely conscious, so I brought you here to warm you up.
" He grabbed a pair of jeans off the sofa and quickly slid into those. “The old-fashioned way.”
I tried to sit up, but everything was achey. “How long ago was that?”
“About an hour.” He was watching me with intense eyes, gauging every reaction. “I’m Spike, by the way.”
"Tyler." I pulled the blanket up to my chin. "Did you...um..."
"Yeah, sorry. Your clothes were soaking wet." He didn’t have a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "Body heat is the fastest way to combat hypothermia, and I wasn't going to let you die."
“Oh.” The way he said it made something flutter in my chest. "Then, thank you." I cocked my head and really looked at him. He wasn't just handsome. He was built like someone who could chop wood all day without breaking a sweat. "For saving me."
His eyes softened. "I will always find you. Always save you."
There it was again. That claim over me like we were long-lost friends.
"Do we... Uh, have we met before?" I hated to forget a face, but I couldn’t place his, even though I didn’t think I could forget it either.
A shadow passed over his face, and he smiled. "No, but I've been waiting for you my whole life."
That should have sent me running for the door, but it made my heart race in a way that had nothing to do with fear.
"The storm's gotten worse." He glanced toward a window I hadn't noticed before. All I could see was swirling white flurries. "You're safe here, Tyler. I have food, water, and heat. Everything we need to get through the night."
"We?" I raised an eyebrow, remembering it was Christmas Eve. “Oh, I need to call my sister. She’s expecting me.”
"The cell service can be spotty when the weather’s bad." He nodded toward a corded phone on the wall of the old cabin. "Same with the landlines. I grabbed your bag but didn’t see a phone. As soon as it clears up, I'll go back to your car and look again."
"Oh, okay. Thank you." I was feeling awkward but not enough to decline the offer. "I really appreciate you saving me."
He shifted his body so he was facing me with his eyes boring into mine. "I'll always take care of you. You don't have to worry about anything."
I should have felt smothered by his intensity, but I didn’t. I felt warm and wanted. Claimed. "I don’t understand..." I swallowed hard. "What’s happening here?"
Spike stared at me for a moment before nodding. “I’ll get your bag so you can get dressed, and then we can talk."
As soon as he handed me my bag, I practically fled to the bathroom for a moment to think. What was that look he gave me? Like he wanted to devour me.
And worse, I kinda wanted to let him.
The bathroom was small but clean as I leaned against the door to catch my breath. I could still smell his scent all over me.
I put on my clothes and took a deep breath before heading back out.
When I emerged, Spike was in the adjoining kitchen area with his back to me as he worked at the stove. "Feel better?" he asked without turning around, like he could sense my presence.
"Yeah, much." I hovered awkwardly in the doorway.
"Good. I'm making cheesy pasta.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m vegetarian."
“No, of course not. That sounds great.” I loved pasta, so that sounded amazing.
I moved closer, drawn to him despite my confusion. The cabin was rustic but cozy. Basically one large room, with the kitchen on one side and living area on the other. The fireplace dominated one wall, with doors leading to the bathroom and bedroom.
"This is a nice place." I slid my hands in my pockets, hoping for casual instead of awkward.
"It was my grandfather's." Spike was stirring whatever was in the pot. "It’s always been one of my favorite places."
"You live here year-round?"
"Yeah, I like the solitude and the connection to nature." He glanced at me and winked. "Though I've never appreciated company more than right now."
There was that strange flutter in my chest again. What was it about this man that made me feel so...content? I'd only just met him, but I felt like I'd known him forever.
"Sit." He gestured to a small table with two chairs. "Supper's almost ready."
I sat down and watched him move around the kitchen with efficient grace. For such a big man, he was surprisingly nimble.
"What were you doing out in the storm?" he asked as he served up two bowls of rich, steaming stew.
"Heading to my sister’s for Christmas." I sighed and looked at the clock on his wall. “She’s probably freaking out.”
"I have a sat phone. You can call her if you know her number." He nodded toward a wall cabinet. “It should be charged.”
“Thanks, but I don’t remember her number. But maybe I can get an email out?”
"You can try." Spike set a bowl in front of me, then sat across from me. “After you eat.” His eyes never left my face.
The rational part of my brain was screaming that this was crazy and I needed to get to my family, but the rest of me wanted to pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist and just live in this little bubble with Spike.
It was insane.
I wasn't the type to fall for someone instantly, but I’d never met someone I wanted to learn everything about. No one I could just stare at and never get bored. Spike was different, but so was I. Nothing felt the same as it did a few hours ago.
And that was okay. Confusing, but okay.
"Why do I feel like this?" The question slipped out before I could adequately analyze it.
Spike's fork paused halfway to his mouth. "Like what?"
"Like I..." I swallowed hard, unable to find the right words. "Like I know you…and I'm supposed to be here."
Something flashed in his eyes. I couldn’t tell if it was triumph or relief or something almost animalistic. "Maybe because you are supposed to be here."
I looked down at my plate, unable to hold his gaze. "That's crazy, right?"
"Is it?" His voice was gentle as he studied me. "Sometimes the heart knows what the mind doesn't understand yet."
"Are you always this philosophical?" I smiled, deflecting the heavy moment with humor.
His return smile was sexy as hell. "Only when I find something worth being philosophical about."
For the next few minutes, we focused on eating. And the food was really good. Sitting with Spike was comfortable, like we'd shared a hundred meals together before.
"This is really good." Suddenly famished, I dug in like I’d missed ten meals instead of one.
"I’m glad you like it." His eyes softened as if genuinely concerned about me. "There’s plenty more."
Outside, the wind was still howling, and the windows rattled. The storm showed no signs of letting up. Instead of being worried about that, all I felt was relief that I didn't have to leave yet.
What was happening to me?