4. Nat #2
But he was already pushing out the door. I may have been livid, but at least there was one beacon of light. I’d have blessed AC. Even if it was being installed by the most condescending, infantilizing asshole in the world.
He’d won this round, but this was just one battle in what was shaping up to be a war.
The next morning, my door creaked as Jack made his way inside my cabin with a massive box and a drill in his hands. He cringed at the sound but didn’t say anything. In fact, neither of us said anything. I’d call it awkward, but the tension was more angry than anything.
Part of that was on me. I’d spent yet another night in my sweatbox, tossing and turning as I thought of ways to get away with sabotage. Maybe we’d see how he’d deal without an air conditioner.
He pushed my couch out of the way and used a drill to remove the screws from the board the AC was mounted to.
Then he unceremoniously pushed the piece of crap out the window, and it crunched onto the bush behind the cabin.
I would say the man had a problem with aggression, but he was smiling, so I figured he was just being lazy instead of doing it in a normal way.
He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, and I basked in his wrongness.
I was so close to saying something about how right I was regarding the debilitating heat, but another drip rolled down the side of his face, and I found myself practically salivating.
Damn, why did someone who looked like that have to be such a douche canoe?
It was ridiculous to question whether we’d gotten off on the wrong foot just because he was hot, right?
Right.
I was beginning to wonder if I should break the silence.
It was starting to drive me up the wall.
Then I talked myself out of it, because no, I would not cave first. He could live in his discomfort.
He was the one who needed to apologize, and I was the one who’d done nothing wrong.
But chances were, if I waited for an apology, I’d be waiting forever.
Jack ignored me as he efficiently got to work using a pocketknife to slice open the box, drawing attention to his rippling muscles in his too-tight T-shirt. I knew I shouldn’t be looking, and I knew I was right about that when he scowled at me as he started to lift it without assistance.
I figured now was the time to prove I wasn’t the precious princess I’d been dubbed by the king asshole.
I took one side of the unit and lifted with him, seeing the relief in his face when he realized I was helping.
We walked to the window and placed it gently.
The unit started to shift, and we both reached on top to stabilize it, my hand landing on his.
That was when I realized it was just the two of us in my too-small, too-hot cabin. And he had those forearms.
I needed a slap across the cheek or an air horn to get my head together.
He stared at me, and I could see the twilight blue spark of his eyes.
Were they beckoning me closer? Or were mine playing tricks on me?
My breaths became short, light puffs, and I almost said something embarrassing, but Jack broke first, taking back his hand.
I held onto the air conditioner, wondering if he’d felt it, too. That all too hazy buzz of… something.
“Thanks.” There was a rough edge to his low tone, but it wasn’t in the same way I’d heard before. I reminded myself that I was grateful, not disappointed, and that we hadn’t both pulled away and broken yet another AC. Not that the first one was my fault.
Jack drilled the AC into place on the inside, then made his way around the back of the cabin, and I heard the screws going into place.
I let go of the unit, and it didn’t move, which was enough for me to hightail it to my small kitchen, open my freezer door, and stick my head inside.
I didn’t have a plan, but I needed to cool off if that man was coming back in here.
Anything to get my mind off Jack. Then I saw the ice cubes.
I grabbed them and dropped them the second I turned around and found him in a freaking backward cap, hair curled behind his ears.
“You okay?” he asked, the divot between his eyebrows deepening. A coherent version of me would have realized that was the nicest thing he’d said to me this year.
“Yeah.” I quickly picked up the tray and set it on the counter, reaching for two glasses as he started cleaning up.
I cracked the tray and dropped ice cubes into each glass, pouring the sweet tea I’d made yesterday over top.
Then came the sound of heaven. The AC unit burst to life, and I was probably dreaming it, but I swear the air instantly reached me across the room.
I turned, glasses in hand, squealing in delight as I saw the air blowing his long hair off his shoulders.
He sighed in relief, and yet again, I wanted to point out just how hypocritical he was.
But I didn’t. Because the circulating oxygen went straight to my brain, and I kept my foot out of my mouth.
Nothing could take away this high. Even Jack let out a satisfied grin, and it made him seem almost bearable. What was more bearable was the hum of the machine and the cool, refreshing air as we both leaned into it. The contrast of the cold air on my way-too-hot skin caused me to tremble.
He stepped closer to me, and I froze as he nodded to my hand. I looked down at the drink, realizing what he was asking, and shoved it at him a little too eagerly. He didn’t appear to notice.
“It’s finally manageable in here.”
“Don’t mention it,” he deadpanned. He took the tea carefully, as if to avoid my fingers this time, and gulped it down in two quick swallows.
Even the way the man’s throat worked was irritating.
Were my eyes wandering again? Was I being obvious?
I had to get it together. But his shirt, covered in sweat, annoyingly clung to him, and of course, he had the gall to smell good, even in tight quarters like this.
It wasn’t as if I was seeking this out, but it was just so… pornographic.
Shit, there was no denying this after all.
Jack let out a little puff of air, the relief loosening up his form. “Thanks.” He set the glass in the sink and looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead, he grabbed the cardboard box and went through the door. “Don’t break this one,” he called over his shoulder.
I slammed the door shut behind him.