Chapter 7
ELI
“Guess you really don’t have anything to worry about,” Nathan says with a smirk. My hands grip into balls by my side. I want to wipe that smug expression off him.
My anger is the only thing keeping my embarrassment from burning me alive. I’ve never been completely naked in front of another man before, and I hate that Nathan’s the first person to see me so exposed.
But I couldn’t have him thinking I wasn’t packing. He already looks down at me for not being built like him, so I wasn’t going to let him shame me for my dick size, too.
His gaze heats my body. It must be because of how much his smug smirk pisses me off.
I scoff, grab the blanket from the couch, and wrap it around me. The fabric is soft against my skin, and I sigh in relief at the warmth it brings me, even if it doesn’t completely chase away the chill that seems to have soaked deep into my bones.
I bundle myself up and slump onto the couch. Before I can even make myself comfortable, I’m startled by another thick blanket being thrown over me.
By the time I tug it off my face, Nathan’s already turned his back to me. He bends over to pick up his sweater, and I totally don’t stare at his sculpted ass. Nor do I blush at the way his back muscles constrict as he dresses himself.
I hate myself for checking him out, but I can’t deny the fact that he’s jacked. He doesn’t play football anymore, yet his arm muscles are still as thick as trees. He can probably bend me in half without breaking a sweat.
Nathan heads to the kitchen, but I turn my focus away to anything aside from the man who’s taken up way too much space in my mind.
Now that I’m sitting, and the adrenaline from the dip I took in the cold lake has worn off, I notice how fucking cold I am. I can’t stop shivering, and rubbing my arms isn’t doing much when my hands are ice cold too.
The two blankets covering me don’t feel hot enough to warm me, and it doesn’t help that my hair is still dripping ice water onto my shoulders. But I’m too cold and tired to move to do anything about it. I just want to close my eyes and take a nap.
I try to fight it. I read somewhere that it’s dangerous to sleep if you have hypothermia. Not that I think I have that—hopefully not—but it’s better safe than sorry. I rub my shoulders again and try to fight the exhaustion, but my lids are heavy.
I’m overcome with droopiness when something whacks me in the head and has my eyes popping open.
“What the hell!” I yell and glare at the culprit who threw the hand towel at me.
Nathan snatches the hand towel before I can throw it in his face and see how he likes that.
“Dry your hair, and don’t fall asleep,” he says and ruffles the fabric into my hair.
I’m so stunned by the action that I actually let him wipe the remaining droplets from my neck before I return to my senses.
“I can take care of myself,” I snap and slap his hand away.
Nathan seems to have expected my reaction and releases the hand towel easily. He smiles and just watches me wipe my hair, as if confirming I’ll actually do as I say.
I’m angry that I need him to take care of me, but I’m even more pissed that a part of me is pleased by the care he’s showing me. As if the fucker hasn’t played with my feelings enough already.
Nathan doesn’t say anything and turns around. He tugs on his jacket, then walks toward the back door.
Panic wells up, and I wonder if I’ve finally pissed him off enough that he’s actually going to ditch me here alone.
“Where are you going?” I ask just as he opens the door, and a cold blast of wind makes the entire cabin feel like an ice cave. I hate the vulnerability in my tone.
I don’t need him.
But I also don’t want to be stranded at his uncle’s cabin all by myself.
“Gonna get some firewood. You’re going to go into shock at this rate,” he says, glancing back at me. He doesn’t mention how I’m practically falling off the couch, with one leg on the ground, but I’m too exhausted to hold myself up, so my upper body is still slumped on the couch.
He stays silent as he returns to my side and easily scoops me up and plops me fully on the couch again. The way he does it so effortlessly tells me his muscles aren’t just for show. He picks up the hand towel from the floor and drops it back over my head.
I’m about to nag at him for manhandling me like I weigh nothing, but he’s already turning around and striding out the back door.
“I’m hitting the gym when I get out of here,” I mumble to myself and roughly wipe my hair with the towel.
The sleepiness is gone now. I’m too annoyed with him and myself. Nathan didn’t make a comment, but I can’t help feeling like I made a fool of myself again.
The frustrating situation doesn’t help. I’m trying not to worry, but it’s getting dark outside with seemingly no help in sight. At this rate, I might be stuck here overnight…with Nathan.
A part of me is thankful I’m not stranded by myself, while the other part is cursing Nathan for getting me in this situation in the first place. I should have insisted on waiting for Ava even if I had to show up at her office unannounced.
I jolt when a strong gust of wind hits the cabin. The place is sturdy enough not to shake, but my nerves are still shot. I’m not afraid to admit that being in this unfamiliar place in the middle of nowhere by myself is terrifying.
More rattling comes from outside, but this time it doesn’t sound like it’s caused by the wind. It’s louder now, going from the side of the house up to the roof.
Did a bear wander onto the property and is trying to break in? Never mind the fact that bears should be hibernating now. My brain isn’t working on logic. It’s heightening my fears until I’m sliding down the couch.
I wrap the gray blanket tightly around me, crawl to the fireplace, and pick up the metal poker. If I’m about to face a giant creature, then I sure as hell am going to arm myself.
The back door opens slowly. I grip the poker and point the sharp end toward the intruder. I’m ready to face whatever is making all that noise, but the only giant creature that appears is Nathan.
“What are you doing?” he asks. Firewood is stacked in his arms as he uses his foot to kick the door closed. His gaze is pointedly staring at the makeshift weapon in my hands.
“Nothing!” I reply and try to put the poker back where I found it, but my clumsy ass loses hold of it. It slips out of my fingers and falls right on top of my toe.
“Fuck!”
My foot jolts, which only causes the metal poker to shift and bang against the flat part of my foot this time.
I finally manage to kick the dangerous item away from me and clutch my injured foot with my hands. The blanket falls from my shoulders, but I can’t care about the icy air caressing my skin when all I’m feeling is the pain in my foot.
I’m cursing my clumsiness and the string of one misfortune after another. In fact, I’ve had nothing but bad luck today, and the only thing I’ve done differently is being in Nathan’s presence. It’s like even the world is telling me Nathan isn’t good for me.
The man in question strides to my side. He drops the pile of wood he’s holding beside him, then kneels in front of me and pulls the blanket back around me.
“Why are you so clumsy today?”
He asks in a soft murmur that isn’t accusatory, and that’s the only reason I don’t blow my lid. It’s also the reason my reaction is slow when he pulls my injured foot to his lap.
I watch—in horror or sheer shock, I don’t know—as he rubs slow, gentle circles over my skin. Worst of all, it’s actually helping with the pain and stops the stinging in my eyes.
“Why are you being so nice to me today?” I ask a minute later when he’s still rubbing my foot. Every inch of me his skin touches is warm now, unlike the rest of my body. I wrap the blanket tighter around myself.
“I’m always nice,” is his answer.
I scoff, and he peers up at me.
“I am, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make mistakes,” he argues. He presses his thumbs deeper into the groove of my foot, hitting a point that releases all the tension in my body.
It’s hard to be a jerk to him when he’s now giving my foot a massage, so I drop the subject.
It’s not like I care to learn his innermost thoughts or anything like that.
All I need to focus on is getting through this night and hope that someone will rescue us tomorrow, then I can go back to ignoring Nathan Bailey.
He looks almost disappointed that I didn’t probe him or continue the conversation, but that isn’t my concern. I rub my arms to try to create some warmth, because while one of my feet is warm from Nathan’s rubbing, the rest of me still feels like a block of ice.
Nathan notices and tucks my foot under the blanket before standing up. “I’ll get the fire going,” he says and goes to do just that.
I ignore how cold my feet are without his hands warming them. I pull them closer under me as I watch Nathan kindle the fire.
The cabin we go to for our yearly retreat is much more modern than this one, with central heating and an electric fireplace that starts up with the press of a button. So this is my first time seeing someone start an actual fireplace.
It’s easy to see that Nathan’s done this before. He arranges smaller pieces of wood together, then lights up newspaper to get the fire started. Within minutes, the flames grow, and he starts adding the larger pieces of firewood.
Once he finishes tending the fire, he turns to me. “You have enough strength to move closer, or do you want me to bring you over?”
I roll my eyes. I’m already on the floor, and I’m not even that far from the fireplace! I’ll crawl over first before asking for his help.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that. My legs wobble when I stand, but they keep me upright.
I’ll never admit that almost all my energy is used up to take the few steps closer to the flames, but I don’t complain when Nathan piles the spare blankets into a makeshift cushion and helps me lean against it.
I’m settling myself and basking in the warmth of the fire as Nathan shuffles around behind me.
I kinda expected him to sit with me, so I’m curious what he’s up to.
I don’t have to wonder long before seeing him return with my clothes.
He lays them out by the fire, probably so that they can dry faster.
I’m surprised to learn just how considerate he actually is. He’s more caring than I expected, and even if this is part of his act, it doesn’t feel bad to be on the other side of his care for once.
Nathan lays my jacket down, then I notice the black article of clothing in his hand. He’s looking at it too, like he’s examining it.
I’m on my feet before I can think and reach out to snatch the black fabric from his hands. However, I overestimated how stiff my bones are, and just as my fingers grab onto my briefs, I’m falling forward on top of him.
Nathan lands on his back, his arms wrapped around my naked waist. He’s shocked as he stares down at me. His expression is clearly asking what the fuck I’m doing, but I’m too embarrassed to acknowledge that. I ball up my underwear and feel myself turn red.
“Why are you staring at my briefs? Pervert,” I mutter, as if that’s excuse enough to tackle him.
Nathan quickly composes himself. “I was just thinking that we wear the same brand,” he comments.
There’s an evil glint in his eyes as he continues, “I didn’t know they made them that small.
We’re both men, so how come we’re so different?
I can probably wrap both my hands around your waist since it’s so tiny. ”
As if to prove his point, he stretches his fingers out over my lower back. His touch causes a shiver to ripple through me. This is the first time anyone’s touched me like this, and I’m so confused because the person doing it is the person I hate the most in the world.
I should probably punch him right now for touching me inappropriately. I should hate his touch.
But I don’t.
And that’s a fucking problem if I’ve ever had one.