Chapter 4
Natalie
My body was still a little confused about my sudden return to the land of the living—a.k.a.
not working nights. I woke up Saturday morning feeling a bit like I’d napped too long in the middle of the day.
The good news was, a cup of coffee and a hot shower could apparently work miracles, and I no longer looked like a sleep-deprived panda.
After getting dressed and throwing a load of towels into the washing machine, I went in search of breakfast. The low hum from the fans in the basement had become our constant companion.
It was mildly annoying, but at least we had water.
Jason the plumber had fixed the problem, and Annabel’s cheerful suggestion that we all pee outside had not become necessary.
The green and red paper chain hung from a magnetic hook on the refrigerator. I had a feeling Annabel was not going to need any reminders to remove a link each day. She also had an Advent calendar that was the highlight of her morning, and this year’s didn’t even have candy in it.
I grabbed some eggs out of the fridge and glanced into the living room. Annabel was curled up next to Nina on the couch while they read a book together. It made me smile. I helped out with my niece as much as I could, and we had a special bond, but I was happy to play second fiddle to my sister.
Nina had gotten pregnant with Annabel when she was only seventeen, and her boyfriend had bailed as soon as he found out. Spending her senior year growing a baby hadn’t exactly been the plan. But she and I had already learned the hard lesson that life is full of uncertainty.
We’d always been close, and the hardships we’d faced had only brought us closer. And even though Nina was young, she was a great mom.
After scrambling my eggs, I took them to the living room and sat in the armchair next to the couch.
We’d scored a great deal on new-to-us furniture a few years before, finally replacing the worn-out couch we’d jumped on as kids.
A few family photos hung on the wall and a wood stove sat in the corner.
“Wow, look at you,” Nina said.
“Look at me, what?”
“Awake and looking all bright and chipper. Are you wearing concealer?”
I scowled at her. “No. But thanks for reminding me that I usually look like garbage.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s actually unfair how pretty you are even when you keep vampire hours.”
“What’s a vampire?” Annabel asked.
“They’re pretend monsters who only come out at night and drink people’s blood,” Nina said, making her voice sound spooky.
“Ew.” Annabel wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like blood.”
“Tell me about it, kiddo,” I said. “Once, at work, a patient came in with a gash on his forehead. It was only about two inches long, but the amount of blood coming out of his head was incredible. It—”
I stopped. Nina winced with horror, and Annabel’s eyes were wide. Both looked a little pale.
“Sorry.” I took a bite of my eggs. “He was fine. Just needed stitches.”
“Anyway,” Nina said. “How about another story?”
Annabel shut the book and hopped off the couch to take it to the shelf.
“Any plans today?” I asked.
“I have a bunch of errands to run.”
“Can I come?” Annabel asked, bringing another book to the couch.
“Of course,” Nina said. “What about you, Auntie Natalie? Any plans?”
“I don’t know. Probably more laundry. And I should clean up some of the mess in the basement.”
“It’s a thrilling life we lead.”
I smiled despite feeling a hint of sadness. I had a good life. I didn’t want to complain. But the way she’d said thrilling reminded me that mine was anything but.
I finished my breakfast while Nina read Annabel another book.
Then I cleaned up the dishes and went upstairs to check the towels.
Still damp. I had a load of clothes to do, and the towels were going to take forever.
Our dryer wasn’t exactly top-of-the-line.
But we had a second washer and dryer in the apartment.
If I washed my clothes over there, I’d get through everything faster.
Stepping outside with my laundry hamper, the shock of cold air made me shiver, and I hurried up the stairs on the side of the garage. I should have put on a sweater over my T-shirt. Balancing the hamper on my hip, I punched in the code to unlock the door and rushed inside.
My heart almost beat right out of my chest, and I screamed, dropping the hamper, as a man walked out of the bedroom.
Not just a man. An almost naked man.
Nothing but a white bath towel slung low around his hips. And when he startled in surprise, the towel loosened and fell to the floor.
“Oh my god.” I clapped a hand over my eyes and turned away. But not before I’d gotten a glimpse.
Okay. Wow. That was a thing that existed in the world.
Anyway.
“I am so sorry.” I kept my hand over my eyes. “I didn’t know anyone was over here.”
“That’s all right, love.” His deep voice, smooth as dark chocolate, wrapped around his British accent. “No harm done.”
I stood still, like I was frozen to the floor, and kept my eyes squeezed shut.
“It’s safe to look,” he said.
Peeking through my fingers, I checked. He’d re-wrapped the towel around his waist and held it in one hand.
His thick, dark hair was damp, and his crooked smile called attention to his stubbly chiseled jaw.
The cut of his musculature was as shocking as his presence.
They really made men who looked like that?
They weren’t just photoshopped fantasies?
The light dusting of chest hair and dark happy trail did add some realism to his physique.
Not that I was looking.
Slowly, I lowered my hand. “Well, this is mortifying.”
His gaze swept up and down, the corner of his mouth lifting in an amused smile. He adjusted his grip on the towel, and my eyes were drawn inexorably downward before I could regain control of myself and look up.
“Sorry,” I repeated quickly. “I didn’t know you were here. I’m guessing my sister dealt with your reservation and apparently forgot to tell me.”
“I’m a bit of a last-minute guest. And where are my manners?” He walked toward me and held out his hand. “Jensen Lakes.”
I reached out and slid my hand into his. “Natalie Thatcher.”
Instead of shaking my hand, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the backs of my knuckles. If any other man had kissed my hand upon our first meeting, I probably would have smacked him. But something about this guy made it seem like the most natural thing he could do.
The brush of his lips across my fingers sent a tingle down my spine, and he paused, looking at me with the most intense dark eyes I’d ever seen.
“Nice to meet you,” I said. He didn’t offer any resistance when I pulled my hand away, but I caught the flash of surprise that crossed his features. “I should get out of your way.”
Tilting his head slightly, he gazed at me with an almost puzzled expression. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Very nice.”
Why did he sound like that surprised him? Had he expected to run into the owners of the property and find them abhorrent?
“Okay, well, this has been… an experience. I’ll just—” I was about to turn and escape out the door when I noticed my laundry scattered all over the floor. He’d stepped over one of my bras to take my hand, and his foot was right next to my hot-pink boyshort underwear.
Pressing my lips together and hoping my face wasn’t flushed red, I crouched down to scoop my clothes back into the basket. Everything would have been fine, but he did the same. We both reached for my underwear and wound up lifting it together, our hands touching.
They were dirty. A mysterious and very handsome British man was holding my dirty underwear.
I pulled them out of his grip, and they snapped against my fist. He didn’t say a word. Just licked his lips and pushed some of my laundry closer to the basket.
“Thanks,” I muttered, wondering how I hadn’t already died of awkwardness.
It wasn’t that he was gorgeous—although he was—that had me wishing I could snap my fingers and disappear. He was a guest in my Airbnb, and I’d walked in on him unannounced, dumped my dirty laundry on the floor, and surprised him so much he’d dropped his towel.
Unprofessional didn’t even begin to cover it.
I finally got my clothes under control and stood, balancing the hamper on my hip. He straightened, still holding the towel around his waist. I opened my mouth to apologize for being the worst host in the history of ever, but he spoke first.
“Would you have dinner with me tonight?”
“I… what?”
“Dinner. A meal, usually takes place in the evening. Pleasant when shared with good company.”
I looked at him like he’d just suggested I jump out of an airplane. “Are you asking me out?”
His mouth twitched in that subtle grin again. “Is that so shocking?”
“I just…” I sputtered, not sure what to say. “No. No, I can’t.”
His eyebrows lifted. “No?”
Something about his apparent astonishment at being turned down snapped me out of my awkward daze. “That’s right. I said no. Is that so shocking?”
“It is a little bit, actually.”
I laughed softly. “Sorry, not sorry. I’m not available.”
“Of course not.” He shook his head. “I could hardly expect a woman like you to be single.”
“Oh, I’m single. Very single. And staying that way. I don’t need a boyfriend to be unavailable.”
His dark brow furrowed. I didn’t understand why he seemed so puzzled. I was being very straightforward.
“Anyway, sorry again for walking in,” I said. “It won’t happen again. Enjoy your stay.”
“Goodbye, Natalie.” The hint of awe in his voice—was that awe?—sent another shiver down my spine.
I hurried out before I could make things worse.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” I said in time with my steps as I descended the stairs.
I flew in through the side door and shut it behind me with a relieved exhale. Nina was in the kitchen. Because of course she was.
She shot me a confused glance. “What were you doing outside?”
“I was going to do a load of laundry in the apartment.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh no. Did I forget to tell you it’s booked, and we have a guest?”
“Yes. Yes, you did.”
“I could have sworn I mentioned it. Or texted you. Didn’t I?”
“No. And I walked in on him right when he came out of the shower.”
She put a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. “Oh no.”
“Oh yes.”
“Well, I mean…” Grinning, she raised her eyebrows. “Did you get a good look?”
I set the laundry basket down. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You did, didn’t you?”
“He’s a guest, Nina. We’re not having this conversation.”
“Yeah, but I saw him fully clothed and—”
“Mommy?” Annabel came in. “Is it time to put shoes on?”
Nina pressed her lips together and gave me a knowing smile before replying. “Did you go potty?”
“No.”
“Okay, go potty first, and then we’ll get shoes on.”
“I don’t have to go.”
“Are you sure? Remember how sometimes you think you don’t need to go, but when you try, you really do?”
“Actually, I have to go big potty.” Annabel spun around and scurried toward the bathroom.
“Why are six-year-olds so opposed to going potty?” Nina asked. “If you have to go, just go.”
“It’s a good thing you asked.”
“Believe me, it’s a required question before we leave the house these days. So about our guest over there.” She waggled her eyebrows at me.
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes. “He’s attractive. But that’s not the point. Can we focus on the fact that I just humiliated myself?”
“I’m sorry. That does suck.”
“Thank you.”
“How did he react? Was he mad?”
“No,” I said, confusion plain in my voice. “Actually, he asked me out.”
“What?” Nina shrieked. “He asked you out? When, tonight?”
“I guess, but I said no.”
If she’d looked surprised before, she looked positively shocked now. “You said no? To him?” She stuck her arm out to point at the apartment.
“Of course I said no. I’m not going out with the random guy who rented our Airbnb for a few days.”
“Sure, I can totally see why you’d say no to the insanely hot guy with the sexy accent. Makes perfect sense.”
“Why would I go out with him? A man who looks like that, and is only in town for a short visit, is only after one thing.”
“I know,” she said vehemently. “And you could be the one to give it to him.”
“I’m not having a fling with a guest.”
“Why not? You deserve a fling with a hot British man.”
“No.”
She groaned. “Fine, but you’re no fun. And I think you’re missing out.”
Annabel bounded into the room. “Ready, Mommy!”
“Let’s get coats,” Nina said.
“I don’t need a coat.”
“Wear it or carry it. Your choice.”
“Carry it,” Annabel answered decisively.
“Have fun, ladies,” I said. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Auntie Natalie.”
I waved goodbye and watched them go, then picked up my laundry basket. A fling with the hot guy staying in our Airbnb? No, thank you. I didn’t care what Nina said. I wasn’t missing out on anything.
Jensen Lakes was exactly the sort of complication I did not need.