Chapter Five
“Let’s get you a toothbrush, baby,” Aiden said and held out his hand.
She grabbed onto it and let him lift her up over the sofa. She froze when she realized she wasn’t wearing any panties and pressed her hands against her stomach. Aiden smiled, trying to reassure her.
“Honey, they were wet and dirty. They are in the wash. We’ll get them taken care of when the electricity comes back on. All right?”
She nodded and followed Aiden into the bathroom. He pulled out some things she might need and set them by the sink.
“Yell for us if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Aiden.”
“You’re welcome.”
Camila listened to the door shut and then used the toilet.
She glanced up at herself in the mirror when she was washing her hands and almost screamed.
She had abrasions on her face, and the cold had chafed it.
Her hair was in a rat’s nest and desperately needed a comb.
It was a look she’d never experienced before.
A smile bloomed across her face, and then she started laughing. God, if he could see her now.
The knock at the door startled her.
“Everything okay in there?” Malik asked.
She grinned. “Yes, it's okay.” It was better than okay, she thought. “I’ll be right out.”
“Take your time.”
She brushed her teeth and then looked for a comb to take care of some of the knots in her hair, but it was hopeless. She usually put conditioner in it before she combed it and then blew it dry.
She shrugged. At that moment, she didn’t care. Maybe it was because she was exhausted, or perhaps the sense of freedom she felt was making her loopy.
She opened the door and walked back into the living area.
“Your bed’s made, honey.”
“Thank you.” She crawled in and cuddled under the covers as a shiver started up her spine. As the warmth invaded, her eyes started drooping right away. She tried to keep them open so she could see the guys, but she didn’t have the strength to resist.
Camila didn’t know how much time had passed when the wood in the fireplace popped, jerking her awake. She looked around in confusion for a moment and then caught sight of the guys on the floor in front of her.
Jesus. They both had their shirts off, and she couldn’t see what they wore on the bottom because the blankets covered them.
Both men were built like tanks. Every muscle she could see was defined.
She could tell they spent time outdoors because they were both tan.
Aiden was a bit darker, but he had that type of skin tone.
She glanced at their hands, which were either relaxed on their stomachs or by their sides.
Malik had one arm over his eyes. She would have thought the masculinity and arrogance would soften when they were asleep, but it was so much a part of them and deep in their genes that nothing would take away from it. She found both extremely handsome.
Aiden was darker. Dark brown hair and hazel eyes that seemed to see right through her, and Malik had dirty blond hair and piercing, chocolate-colored eyes.
Both were over six feet tall, and they stood head and shoulders over her five-foot-four-inch height.
She glanced at the fire and felt sleep drag her down again. She wished she had the energy to stay awake and stare at them, but her body had been through too much and needed the rest.
Camila awoke sometime later when she started shivering. It pulled her from a deep sleep. She curled into a ball, hoping it would help, but it didn’t. She saw a few logs off to the side and wondered if she could put them on. She’d never done it before, but how hard could it be?
“Honey, come down here before you freeze to death.”
She glanced over at Malik. She hadn’t realized they were both awake.
“I’m so sorry. Did I wake you up?”
Aiden chuckled. “It’s kind of hard to sleep through chattering teeth.
She buried her head, making them both laugh.
Malik got up and put a piece of wood on before helping her make a bed between them. She lay there staring up at the dancing shadows on the ceiling as both men settled in on either side of her.
Aiden snorted. “Go to sleep. You know you’re safe with us.”
“I know.”
Malik propped his head on his hand.
“Then why are you so nervous?”
“Because I’ve never slept beside anyone and especially men, not to mention two of you...”
“We get the picture,” Aiden said and laughed. “Close your eyes. You still look tired, and it is the middle of the night.”
A thought surfaced. “Is there any chance someone can come here right now?”
“There is no chance at all.”
She relaxed, nodded, rolled to her side, and closed her eyes.
Several times during the night, all she had to do was reach out, and one of them was there. The last, she felt the cocoon of security surround her as both men gravitated toward her and wrapped themselves around her.
After that, she felt nothing but peace.