Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Theo
I blink several times, trying to orient myself. I’m in my room like always, but something seems off. It’s still pitch-black outside. I strain my ears but hear nothing.
Nothing.
There isn’t the whir of the furnace or the rumble of the dryer I started before going to bed. The alarm clock beside my bed is black, no red numbers in sight.
Fuck. I peel myself out of bed, the chill in the air immediately hitting me. Grabbing my glasses off the nightstand, I walk into the hallway.
Cole pauses on his way down the stairs.
“Power out?” I ask.
He nods. “Probably. I’ll get the fire going if you wake him up.” He points in the direction of Finn’s room. He pauses for a second. “Or I guess both of them.”
With a nod, we both head in opposite directions.
I shake Finn’s shoulder until he turns to glare at me, his hair strewn about in a chaotic mess. “The fuck?” he groans.
“The power’s out.”
“Oh,” he grunts, crawling from beneath the covers. He’s only in a pair of boxers as he walks into the hallway. “It’s fucking cold,” he says, running his hands over his arms.
“No shit.” I chuckle. “Go put some more clothes on, you idiot.”
He grunts before disappearing into his room. “Open the cabinet doors under the sinks on your way down,” I whisper-shout after him.
Frozen pipes are the last thing we need after the power goes out. It still might happen, but at least opening those doors will let some of the heat in the house get to the pipes.
Fingers crossed.
I knock quietly on Riley’s door, knowing I won’t get a response. It seems like the right thing to do, though, even if I know she’s fast asleep. When she doesn’t respond after a minute, I ease the door open.
She’s lying on her side, her breathing slow and even. The hoodie of mine she’s wearing is pulled up to her face, almost like the smell of me was enough to lull her to sleep.
There’s no way, though. It’s just a wishful thought. Of all the Rivers brothers, I would never be the one she wanted. No one ever chooses me.
She looks so peaceful, but if I leave her here, she’s going to be freezing in a few hours. The fireplace will help heat the house, but the living room will be the only place that feels really toasty and warm. Not much of that heat will reach the second floor, at least not for a while.
I sit on the side of the bed she’s facing and gently stroke the side of her face until her eyes flutter open. She looks around, confused, until her eyes focus on me.
“Theo?”
“Sorry to wake you. The power went out.”
“Oh,” she breathes out. I bite my lip to keep from smiling at the similarity to Finn’s response moments ago. She moves to sit up. My hand falls from her face onto her lap.
“We’re getting a fire going downstairs, so we’ll be fine. It’ll be warmer down there, though.”
She stares at me through sleepy eyes. I grab her hand, helping her crawl out of bed. I duck into all our rooms, grabbing as many pillows and blankets as I can. She catches on, clutching an armful before we make our way downstairs.
Cole has a fire roaring in the fireplace that’s already taking the bite out of the air. The couch is only big enough for two people to sleep on, so we pile layer after layer of blankets on the floor to make it a little more comfortable.
Riley and Cole both seem too tired to argue with each other. Cole grabs his pillow and a spare blanket before sprawling out on one side of the sectional.
He faces the back of the couch, going completely still. Riley snuggles into the middle of the mat on the floor.
Finn and I hold up our hands to play rock, paper, scissors for a spot to sleep in, but then we both glance down when Riley shivers.
My eyes connect with Finn for a moment before we grab the rest of the blankets and settle on either side of her. We situate all the blankets on top of us, mostly on her.
She rolls onto her side, facing me. “One of you can sleep on the couch.”
“We’re right where we want to be,” Finn says. When she shivers again, he snuggles in behind her, wrapping one of his arms around her waist.
She holds her breath for several heartbeats before relaxing into the pillow and Finn.
“Get some sleep,” I tell her, squeezing her hand. I expect her to move her hand away, but she laces her fingers through mine under the warmth of the blankets.
I stare at her perfect features, from her long lashes to her plump lips. Eventually, I can’t keep my eyes open any longer.
I fall asleep with her hand still clasped in mine.