Chapter 22
SYDNEY
Iwake up deliciously sore, my body wrapped around Cy’s, the two of us still cocooned in the blankets.
After round two, when we’d been here for hours and were still alone, we moved to the king-size bed.
While being farther away from the fire meant the bed was cold when we slid under the covers, we found ways to heat up the sheets, even if we did run out of condoms.
Cy told me about the box he discovered. But we agreed that using condoms belonging to complete strangers felt weird. Not that sleeping in their bed didn’t as well, but the hardwood floor got old fast.
Once we nixed the condoms, we used our mouths. Our hands. And I fell asleep sometime after orgasm six or seven.
“Good morning, BB,” his voice is more a vibration against my cheek than a sound.
“Good morning.” I turn and find his lips with mine. My nipples drag against his chest, a pleasurable ache instantly building between my thighs.
He’s hard against my hip in seconds, but with a groan, he breaks the kiss.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he murmurs.
I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in years. “You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.” He taps his index finger against my nose.
“We should probably get up. It’s light out already. I’m sure they’re looking for us,” I tell him.
I’d much rather stay here, just like this, but I’m sure production is worried about us. Or at least Cy. And the people who rented this cabin will surely return now that the storm is over.
“Not yet.” He tightens his arms around me, holding me in place against his chest.
I nuzzle into his embrace, just as reluctant to leave as he is to let me go.
Five more minutes. I’ll give myself five more minutes.
Eyes closed, I revel in memories of last night.
I had sex—toe-curling, mind-blowing, orgasm-inducing sex—with Cy Darby. The man I once wanted to be my first. The one I used to call my mortal enemy.
And he gave me the best night of my life.
I told myself this couldn’t happen. That it would make this whole situation more complicated. But even my conscience got on board when the possibility arose.
Who cares about the complications? You enjoyed yourself.
I did.
But what happens now?
Nothing.
That was our agreement. One night.
My heart clenches at the idea. Fuck. What was I thinking?
Already I know that one night isn’t enough.
But I’m one of a handful of contestants, the rest of whom are vying for Cy’s affection. On top of that, my reason for being here is far different. I’m not just another contestant. I have a job to do. And our one night is over.
I take a deep breath, then release it slowly and sit up. “They’re probably worried about us.”
Focus fixed on my face, he angles in, capturing my lips in a slow kiss that makes my heart flip in my chest. I want nothing more than to lose myself in it, in him. But I can’t.
I’m the one to break the kiss, quickly rolling over and tossing back the covers.
With the rush of cool air that hits me comes a big dose of sanity.
I stand, hissing slightly as my ankle aches.
It’s not nearly as bad as it was last night.
Still, I have to hobble to the bathroom.
With the door open behind me, I stare at myself in the mirror.
My hair is a wreck, my makeup long gone.
Sighing, I do the best I can with my fingers, and once I’ve splashed water on my face, I start to feel human again.
A knock sounds on the door jamb, startling me. I look up, meeting Cy’s gaze in the mirror.
He holds out my sweater, bra, and jeans.
“Your clothes are dry. It’s probably best if you stay off that.” He nods at my ankle.
“You’re probably right,” I say and reach for the clothes.
“Are we…okay?” he asks, still holding on to them.
I smile. “It’s a little awkward,” I say. “But we’ll get through it. One night, right?”
He nods, but he looks about as convinced as I feel.
“I, um, I’m going to try the phone line.” With that, he turns away.
Awkward.
Yeah, that’s an understatement.
I slip into yesterday’s clothes, then study myself in the mirror again.
Something changed last night. I may look the same, but my entire universe has shifted.
And it’s because of the man pacing across the cabin, the phone pressed to his ear.
“Okay, yeah,” he says to whoever he’s talking to now that he’s finally gotten through. “It’s called Northstar Cabin.”
He drags a hand over his face and peers out the window.
“Okay, I’ll let Sydney know. Thanks, Alicia.”
Cy replaces the receiver and meets my gaze. He’s dressed as well, his hair rumpled in a delicious kind of way.
“Mara’s out looking for us with a crew. Alicia is going to use the radios to let her know where we are. She thought it might be about thirty minutes.”
I nod.
Thirty more minutes. I can keep things from getting any more awkward for thirty more minutes.
“We should probably clean up. Maybe leave a note for the people who rented the cabin,” I suggest.
“I’ll clean up. You sit.” He plucks a notepad off the counter in the kitchenette, as well as a pen. “You can leave the note. Tell them to reach out and that I’ll cover any necessary costs. When you’re ready, I’ll give you my cell number to add.”
We’re two planets orbiting each other as he moves from area to area, straightening up, removing almost all traces of our little visit. I write the note, explaining that we found the cabin during the storm, then add Cy’s number once he gives it to me.
With every step, emotions pummel me, one overwhelming wave after another.
Over and over, I push back against the sensation. Right now, it’s better if I focus on what needs to be done and nothing else.
“Sydney,” Cy whispers from the opposite end of the couch.
Once we finished our tasks, all we could do is wait, so here we are.
I drag my attention away from the dark fireplace.
When I meet his warm brown eyes, a shiver of awareness slides down my spine.
“What if…” He ducks his head, then forces it up again. “What if I wanted it to be more than one night?”
Just like that, those damn butterflies are back, flapping furiously in my stomach.
Does he feel it too?
I open my mouth to respond. To tell him I want more too, but at the sound of a car door slamming, we both whip around, eyeing the door.
A heartbeat later, there’s frantic knocking.
Cy turns back to me, watching me silently as Mara calls to us through the door.
“Cy? Sydney? Are you in there? Are you okay? Hello?”
“What do you think, BB?” he asks, his lips kicking up in a half smile.
“Hello?”
My heart thuds heavily against my breastbone as I force out my next words. “What if I asked you the same question?”
“Hello?”
When the knocking turns to pounding, Cy stands and heads for the door.
With one hand on the knob, he assesses me. He’s silent, but the answer is there, ready for me.
One night wasn’t enough. For either of us.
But what does that mean?
“How’s the ankle?” Cole asks.
“I’ve done nothing but limp around this room for the last three days. I’m losing my mind,” I grumble, staring down at the ACE bandage that the show’s medic used to wrap my ankle when we made it back to the lodge.
Limp around my room and wish Cy were here. I guess I spend a good amount of time reliving our night together as well. Not that Cole and Sawyer need to know any of that. The only thing they know is that Cy and I were stranded in a cabin and that I twisted my ankle when an ATV almost ran me over.
“The walls are starting to close in,” I add.
Especially since now that I’ve sampled Cy, my fucking hormones are clamoring for more.
No matter how many times I’ve sat on this bed with my iPad, determined to focus on finding out who Scarlett is, thoughts of Cy always take over.
“It’s not feeling any better yet?” Sawyer chimes in.
The mostly silent big brother on our conference call.
I huff and sit up, propping a pillow behind me and flexing the foot in question gingerly.
“It no longer feels like a thousand needles are being shoved into my ankle when I put weight on it.”
“Didn’t they set you up with crutches?”
“They offered. I told them to shove those death sticks up their asses. Both of them. Together.”
I sprained my ankle in middle school, and the pain they created from my fingers to my armpits was almost worse than the sprain. More than once, I nearly broke my neck when one slipped out from under me, so I threw them in my closet, choosing to hobble around for a few days instead.
“Fuck,” Cole breathes the word. “You didn’t?”
Before I can answer, Sawyer speaks up. “She didn’t. But she turned them down.”
“How do you know that?” I figured I could get them both riled up by saying that.
“Because you know how important it is to keep your cover,” Sawyer says. “And that involves staying professional.”
Shit.
Having a wild, crazy night of sex with Cy in the cabin was anything but professional.
Not that I regret it.
But I haven’t seen him once in the three days we’ve been back. Josie, the sweetheart that she is, has been bringing my meals to me so I don’t have to navigate the stairs. The rest of the group is probably relieved that I’m tethered to my room with a bum leg.
“Anything more on the background checks from my servers?” I ask, changing the subject.
It still irks me that I had to open access to my servers. But Cole needs that access since I’m not there to do it myself. We have to find Scarlett. I was a woman on a mission before, but after last night, the intensity of that mission has ratcheted up.
“Actually, yeah. Jade Sinclair didn’t exist until four years ago,” Cole says.
With a sigh, I sit up, twisting at the waist and dangling my legs off the bed. Then I slowly work my way to standing, ignoring the twinge in my ankle.
“We already knew that.” Looking up to the ceiling, I fight back the urge to shout the words.
“Yeah, but since the last time we talked, I discovered a record of a name change. Jade Sinclair used to be Lena Calder.”
“Why did she change it?” Sawyer asks before I can.
“She…”