Chapter 8
AYLA
I stood in Oren's perfectly undamaged cabin. The bag I'd brought with me was on the bed and the big man was pointing to the bathroom.
"Take a shower, if you want, and I'll make us dinner." He set a pile of clean towels and washcloths beside my bag. "Got plenty of hot water, so don't feel like you have to rush."
He ran his eyes over me, like he was checking me for any sign of injury or pain.
There was nothing to find. I was fine, really.
At least that's what I kept telling myself.
But there was the exhaustion sneaking up on me.
It had been a long trip to get myself to the mountain in the first place.
To find the cabin in that state, and then walking to Oren's, going back there.
"Ayla, you all right?" The question made me realize that he'd gone quiet and I hadn't noticed until now.
I shook my head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."
"You can just go to sleep if you want. Up to you." It was a tempting thought. His bed looked comfortable and warm. Like I could wrap myself up in the beautiful quilt and drift away until morning. But I smelled like a bus trip and I hadn't eaten in too long.
"Actually, a shower sounds really good. Dinner, too." That earned me another small smile and my heart lifted at the sight of it. The effect this man had on me was problematic but I didn't want to think about that.
"Okay, then. I'll get cooking."
He left me alone, and I felt the absence of him when the door shut between us. It didn't make sense, the connection I already felt snapping into place. In the life I'd left behind, there'd be people telling me it was too soon. That I was just sad and lonely, grieving. Looking for a distraction.
It didn't feel that way, though. This, whatever it was, felt natural.
I stared at the door, chewing on my bottom lip as I questioned myself. Finding no real answers, a sigh escaped me. There was nothing else for me to do right now.
A shower. Food. Sleep.
Those were things I could do.
The rest would wait for tomorrow.