Chapter 13 #2
I texted with my parents, letting them know we were okay, feeling a little strange about what I had been doing to fill up the hours alone with their old friend but never once feeling like we had done anything wrong. We were two consenting adults, no matter how we’d met.
They let me know that the snow near them had stopped, and that the second wave of the storm wasn’t scheduled to hit them. Once we could get out of Randall’s driveway and down the mountain, we should be able to make it home.
I quietly cleaned up the kitchen and retrieved my tablet, tucking myself into a chair and reading as Randall’s fingers flew while the rest of him remained virtually still.
He was in the zone with whatever he was doing, and I could have watched him from my new angle as well, but I didn’t want to distract him, so I pulled up a book and quietly shared his space.
Next thing I knew, my tablet was being taken from me. I opened my eyes, and he was leaning above me, looking apologetic.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. I was just worried you’d drop this.” He waved the tablet and placed it behind him before draping a blanket over my legs.
I sighed and stretched. I had no idea how long I’d been out, but my voice had a note of sleep in it as I responded, “Didn’t mean to fall asleep. I was promised a holiday romance with you.”
His eyes expanded to the size of saucers if saucers could be shocked. I replayed my words. “Holiday movie! A cheesy made-for-TV Christmas-themed movie!”
“Right,” he said, then he dropped to the edge of the coffee table and did that thing where he slumped his head, like a damn puppy that had done something wrong. He needed to know he hadn’t done a fucking thing wrong.
“I’m sorry, I …” I untucked my legs and leaned forward to meet him eye to eye.
“You get in the zone when you're coding or whatever you were doing. It’s fucking hot.”
He thought my comment was so funny that his demeanor changed immediately, and he took to laughing. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I was typing on a computer, and you make me sound like one of those sexy superheros.” Yeah, he’d nailed it.
My response was to kiss him. It was supposed to be searing and dirty and quick, but my arms wrapped around him, and his found purchase on my thighs, and the kiss went on for minutes.
The wind picked up, and I was envisioning throwing off the blanket and shoving him onto the floor on top of it until he was absolutely sure how sexy I found coding.
I got as far as tugging the blanket out from under Randall’s hands when a muffled pop from outside startled us apart.
The lights flickered, and the white noise of the heat and other appliances pulsed before all sight and sound gave up.
We were without power as we pulled apart, both of us looking around as we came to understand what had happened. The relative darkness increased the intensity of the glow coming from the fireplace. It cast his face in an ominous frame, firelight flickering on one side, a dark shadow on the other.
He heaved a sigh full of emotion and dropped back onto the coffee table, his hands behind him, holding him up. An energy surrounded him, but I couldn’t pin it down. Was it emotional? Sexual? Or merely frustration over our situation?
I really couldn’t tell. I sat back and took him in. I really, really wished I could tell. I wanted to be able to read his every emotion, to clock his every need, and to be the person who could answer his every desire.
His arousal was apparent, tenting his sweatpants as he sat, his legs spread open in front of me. He ran his fingers through his hair, and it pulled my focus from his groin to his face. He let out a long sigh as his hands slowly raked the top of his head.
“Randall?”
A mechanical noise kicked in as I was saying his name in question. He didn’t move except for the hand that finished raking his hair.
“There it is,” he said, not as relaxed as I would have liked to hear him.
“Is that the generator kicking in?” I asked.
“Yeah. It should power the refrigerator, the HVAC, and the hot water. It powers my loft as well. I house a backup server here. I need to check and make sure everything’s functioning properly.” He paused, but I could tell he had more to say.
“Maybe you should check in with your parents.”
I jumped up, feigning enthusiasm and hoping that would help adjust his mood as well.
“I texted with my folks a little bit ago, but you’re right.
I’ll let them know we’ve lost electricity, and that we’re going to power down our electronics.
I’ll check the fridge and the hot water heater—in the garage, right? You go check your server.”
He’d slowly worked his way to a seated position while I prattled on.
I held out a hand to him as he ran an anxious hand through his hair again. “And then,” I insisted, “Maybe we can take a nap?”
His mood lightened, and he smiled at me.
It was a simple, almost-shy smile, but my heart reached out to it, wanting to wrap it up and protect it from the world outside.
From asshole exes and friends he couldn’t confide in about being gay.
From the Midwest family he hardly saw to whatever else had led him to think a life of isolation in a cabin made for romance was the life for him.
“You already had a nap,” he said matter-of-factly, and I couldn’t tell if he was disappointed.
“Did I snore? I snored, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. I was trying so hard not to disturb you. I can’t imagine how detailed that work you were doing is. Having to get the code exactly right, calculate it all. I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”
“You didn’t,” he assured me. “I … I shouldn't have opened my blasted laptop. We did say we’d spend the afternoon … with a holiday romance.” Was he making a joke? His lip quirked. I couldn’t help but kiss it off him, my smile matching his until they were linked.
“Afternoon’s not over, babe. And you had work to do.
No harm, no foul. Now go check your server.
Make sure everything’s okay. Alert the corporate office or call Anson Day.
Whatever important, business-y thing you have to do.
I’ll make sure we have heat and food, then we’ll see what else we can get up to this afternoon. ”
“Austin.”
I matched his tone. “Randall.”
“We should …”
“Yeah, we probably should. But whatever the next thing we do is, we’re going to do it confident that the generator is working, and we’re going to do it snuggled under a blanket. Okay?”
“Okay.” I couldn’t get enough of his shy smile. After a pause, he added, “Good.” I loved that subtle accent.
“Good,” I agreed.
Randall hoisted himself up, and I couldn’t help but clock the boner that hadn’t yet subsided. He passed the thermostat on his way up the stairs to the loft where my stuff was, but where I had yet to sleep.
“Heat seems to be working.”
“That’s good news,” I replied on my way to the kitchen. I placed a hand on the side of the refrigerator before opening it for a few seconds to confirm the light came on, listening and feeling for the hum. “Fridge seems to be on.”
“Great,” he yelled down from the loft. Server’s kicking in. I just need … I’m sorry, but I need a few minutes to check in and let them know everything’s still functioning. This is the first time I’ve lost power since I bought the place.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m gonna kick the fire up a notch.”
I got to watch him work again as he sat up in the loft this time.
I was back on my chair, skimming an article on my tablet and stealing glances in the darkened cabin, his cell phone flashlight illuminating him.
He was more restless this time as he typed on his computer.
When he found his way back down, I jumped up and joined him at the foot of the stairs, holding out a hand in offering, which he took.
“May I?” I asked, nodding my head up toward his bedroom.
“You may,” he said.
I let go of his hand and held both of the railings, letting my hands drag as I took the stairs, one of his bumping into me more than once. It shot sparks up my spine every time he did it, and his adorable little “sorry” ratcheted the sensation up a notch each time.
I quickly took in my surroundings when I reached the top of the stairs, the snowy window letting in enough gloomy light to get around.
A narrow walkway led to a closed door to my right, which I guessed was the bathroom, and ahead of me was another loft area, with a big bed in the center of it, a nightstand on each side, a chair set to look out the expansive window.
Bookshelves lined the wall on one side as well.
A door in this area stood open, allowing me a glimpse of a neat and organized closet.
I turned and was on him as soon as he hit the top step, searing my mouth to his, amazed at how turned on I was again, based on what? His hand tapping mine and his soft, automatic “sorry” each time.
He may have been surprised, but I could feel him melt into me, give into me so completely that I was afraid we’d topple back down the stairs.
“Bed,” I muttered into his lips as a warning before I started to back us up until my legs hit the edge.
He pulled apart from me, and I swear my body had a mind of its own as my lips tried to chase his. It was his turn to take my hand and lead me the few steps to the side of the bed. We stood face-to-face, hand in hand, his smile bright enough to light the dim room. “We’re supposed to be napping.”
“You’re right,” I said, dropping his hand and taking a small step back. Just enough room to free myself of my clothes, which I collected and placed on the chair before sliding under the covers.
He watched me the whole time, still standing in the same spot. I wiggled around and got comfortable in his bed. Propping myself up on pillows against his headboard, I lifted the corner of the covers in invitation.