10. Eric
Chapter 10
Eric
T he moment Cassidy had slipped down those stairs, my heart dropped and my body acted of its own accord. I’d thrown the axe into the snow and was on my knees beside her in seconds. When she began laughing, a wave of relief—and humor—swept through me. Alongside slight confusion. I didn’t warm to many people, and yet I found myself worried for her safety. Maybe it’s because she looked so misplaced and vulnerable here, like some bizarre natural instinct.
Then when Shadow had strutted past with that piece of steak hanging out of his mouth, I’d realized how much my world had turned upside down housing this strange bubbly brat.
A brat, that’s what I’d saw her as. But when she looked at me with those big blue sparkling eyes, something primal yanked at me. Probably seeking a woman’s touch. And I had to remind myself she was completely off-limits even after I had multiple filthy thoughts of her. She was way too young for me and I was hindered by the thoughts of getting close to any other woman again. Especially since the last one cost me everything. I’d promised I’d never allow myself into a woman’s web again. Sexual partners, no problem. There were clear rules and expectations. But with Cassidy… it was different. There was something homely about her, and the way Shadow took to her irked me because it was something I couldn’t entirely understand myself.
But the moment she began laughing again, that flutter of heartfelt joy and amusement eliminated all the tension and worries I’d been carrying throughout the day. I wondered how many people she touched in this way and if she was even aware she had such a charm about her.
I piled away the wood, grateful for the depletion of my energy. I’d felt on edge around Cassidy and needed something to exhaust the jittery nerves. And I wasn’t sure if it was because of Lori and Thomas’s meddling ways or if having Cassidy in my personal space was effecting me unreasonably. But after the physical exertion of chopping wood, I found myself steady and in control once again.
Stepping into the cabin, it felt like a sauna thanks to the fireplace. I’d noticed Cassidy felt the cold easily, probably because she wasn’t used to the temperature dropping this low, so I’d made a point to set up the fireplace whenever we returned.
An outlandish form of music filtered through the cabin as I walked into the kitchen. Cassidy was swaying from side to side with Shadow standing against her, like some fill-in dancing partner. I leaned against the doorframe to the bathroom, watching them thoughtfully. Part of me didn’t want Shadow learning bad habits, and yet another side of me… found it peculiar to watch.
With one hand, she reached back for her glass of red wine and took a sip, still swaying flawlessly to the beat with Shadow, tongue hanging out of his mouth, quite literally looking like a lovestruck puppy.
I cleared my throat. “Oh shit,” she cursed, startled and gently pushed Shadow off as if she’d been caught in the act. My smile twitched. “Dinner won’t be too long.” She avoided my gaze, either from embarrassment from earlier on or something else entirely. She didn’t seem injured by the fall but that could’ve been the liquid courage filling her.
She’d already set up the small wooden coffee table beside the fireplace with plates, a second wine glass and a bottle of red in between. “You have time for a shower,” she added, still avoiding looking in my direction. Granted, my shirt clung to me and a curious interest peaked. Was she finding it difficult to look at me, because of that?
“Okay,” I agreed, kicking off my boots and walking into the bathroom. As I peeled off my long shirt, I deliberated over the second toothbrush and hairbrush that sat on the opposite side to mine on the basin. I stared at her toothbrush as if it were some ill omen. How strange it was to have someone else here. It felt like it changed everything in the cabin. When I’d reached the shower, the pink loofah hanging off the shower rack grabbed my attention, along with a shower gel and various facial cleansers stacked.
My eyebrows furrowed. How many products did she need? I picked up the shower gel, curious. I opened it and took a whiff. A light florally and sweet tone flared my nostrils. It was very much Cassidy. Against my usual dark and wooden cologne, she was all spring, sunshine, lollipops, and unicorns.
That thought again, startled me. Why was I even comparing how opposite we were? I placed the bottle down as if it scorched me. The last time I had a woman’s belongings in my home, she’d taken me for everything I was worth and I couldn’t help but have the sensation I was being honey trapped again.
I scrubbed my body, trying to shake the thought. Cassidy was a random woman who needed somewhere to lodge until she could pass through town. She wouldn’t be my problem within the next few days. A blip in my usual quiet getaway. So why did I have the strong urge to stroke my cock with filthy thoughts about her. I internally debated with myself, furious over the temptation.
I towel dried my hair and wrapped the towel around my hips, cursing under my breath. I was so in the habit of living by myself that I hadn’t considered modesty on her behalf. Wouldn’t she be uncomfortable when I waltzed out in a towel? I grunted to myself. Now who was being conceited?
Steam followed me out the door as I walked out, patting Shadow’s head as he greeted me. Cassidy sat at the end of the coffee table, her drink suspended with mouth agape as she watched me walk to my chest drawers to grab a change of clothes. When my gaze met hers, she quickly diverted, staring at the fireplace instead.
The woman had no poker face. Sure, I knew I had a body most women were interested in, but I certainly didn’t act on it all the time and nor was I stranded in a cabin with them. My jaw ticked. This was probably why Lori forced her to stay with me in the first place.
“I won’t be too long,” I grumbled to Cassidy as I made my way back into the bathroom, curious about the casserole that sat in the center of the coffee table. Surely, with instructions, it couldn’t be that bad.
I sat down, pouring a glass of red, and that charged sensation came back to a jittering buzz. For the first time in a long time, I was starting to not feel so in control. And I didn’t like it.