Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Asher
I run my fingers through my hair, trying to focus on literally anything other than the woman across the way and that moment between us earlier.
The way she felt in my arms when I caught her keeps replaying in my head on a loop.
She was so soft and warm, and I can’t seem to forget the way her chest brushed against mine or the fullness of her hips under my hands.
The little gasp she made when I caught her and the way her fingers gripped my shoulders for balance.
She seemed worried that she was too heavy for me, which is ridiculous. She’s perfect. Not some fragile thing I have to be careful with, but a gorgeous woman with curves in all the right places.
The weight of her body, the way she fit against me…
I shake my head as I raid my small stash of basic supplies from the galley kitchen, settling on a protein bar and some cold chicken for dinner.
I eat standing at the counter because sitting down feels like too much effort.
I don’t want to disturb Kat while she’s on the phone with her friend, and honestly, I’m not quite sure if I should be going over there after what happened.
Yeah. Better to give her some space. Better to give myself some space to get my head on straight.
After I eat, I change into workout gear and spend the next hour putting myself through a training session.
Push-ups until my arms shake, sit-ups until my abs burn, burpees until I’m gasping for air.
Physical exhaustion has always been my go-to method for quieting an overactive brain, and today is no exception.
By the time I’m done, my shirt is soaked through with sweat and my mind feels clearer. The restless energy that’s been riding me since I left the main cabin has finally settled into something manageable.
It’s gotten dark by now, the winter evening coming early.
I head up to the bedroom, tugging my sweaty shirt off with one hand and tossing it toward the hamper, but when I glance toward the cabin, I notice movement at Kat’s bedroom window.
She’s standing by the window, her curvy figure backlit by the warm glow of her lamp.
Wait. Is she… watching me?
The thought sends a bolt of heat straight through me. I grin despite myself and grab my phone from the nightstand.
ME: Enjoying the view, bright eyes?
In my periphery, I see her jump a little, as if the sound of her phone startled her. Her response comes back almost immediately, which tells me she definitely had her cell in her hand.
KAT: I have no idea what you’re talking about.
ME: Right. You just happened to be standing at your bedroom window staring directly at the guest house.
KAT: I was checking the weather. It might snow again tonight.
ME: Sure you were.
I can see her moving away from the window now, probably mortified at being caught. There’s a longer pause before her next text comes through.
KAT: Sorry. I wasn’t trying to spy on you.
I could tease her more about it. Push a little harder, maybe bring up what happened earlier at the cabin. That moment when we were inches apart and I’m pretty sure I almost kissed her, when my fingers were under her chin and her lips were right there…
But instead, I let her off the hook.
ME: It’s fine, I’m just giving you shit.
Honestly, I kind of like that I can look across the way and see into the main cabin.
I’ve never stayed in a place like this before.
Remote and rustic, in the middle of nowhere.
It’s nice to be able to look over and see the light coming from your windows or catch a glimpse of you inside. It feels cozy. Less lonely, I guess.
I watch through the window as she looks down at her phone, reading my message. Then she looks up and grins at me across the distance, and even from here, I can see the smile light up her face.
KAT: I agree. I’ve spent a ton of time at this cabin over the years, but never on my own before. If you weren’t across the way, I think I’d be a little freaked out sometimes. It’s so quiet here, especially compared to Philly. No traffic sounds, no neighbors through the walls, just… silence.
ME: The silence is kind of nice though. Different from the city.
KAT: It is. Takes some getting used to, but I like it.
ME: Did you get to catch up with Samantha? How’s she doing? Enjoying Antarctica?
KAT: Sam’s great! Loving this assignment and having so much fun on her Antarctic adventure. She sent me photos of some penguins, and they’re ridiculously cute. And she wanted to know all about… never mind.
My eyes narrow, and I wait to see if she’ll follow up on that thought. When she doesn’t, I can’t resist prodding her lightly for more information.
ME: All about what?
KAT: Well, you.
My brows shoot upward.
ME: Oh yeah? What did you tell her?
There’s a longer pause this time, and I can see her pacing in her room, her lips pursed in an adorable way as she types. When she sends a response back, it’s not long, but it’s loaded with meaning.
KAT: The truth.
My heart thuds heavily against my sternum. The truth. Which means someone else knows this whole thing is fake, that we’re lying to everyone including her family.
KAT: I hope it’s okay that I told her. But I promise the secret is safe with her. Sam won’t tell anyone or blab about it. She’s never broken my trust, not once in twenty years of friendship. She’s a vault when it comes to secrets.
ME: It’s fine. I trust you, so I trust her too.
Her shoulders relax a little, and she looks up from her phone and smiles at me through the window. She’s too far away for me to pick up all the nuance of her expression, but there’s something soft in it that hits me right in the chest. I grin back and shrug, trying to play it casual.
I still need to wash up after that workout, so I take my phone and head into the bathroom, still texting.
ME: What did Samantha have to say about what you told her? Was she shocked?
I set the phone on the counter and strip down, then turn on the shower and let it warm up before stepping under the spray. My phone pings after a bit, and I poke my head out of the shower to read it, water dripping down my face.
KAT: She thinks we’re crazy, which we probably are. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t approve of the plan, especially if it means Daniel doesn’t get to spend the whole holiday season sitting on his high horse feeling superior.
I chuckle, brushing my wet, shampooed hair back from my face with one hand while I dry my other hand off on the towel hanging by the shower. Leaning out past the curtain, I tap the little microphone icon on the screen with my finger, then dictate a response using voice-to-text.
ME: I like this Sam woman. She sounds like she’s got her priorities straight.
KAT: Sam is the best. She’s been my ride or die since elementary school. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her.
KAT: Wait, how are you texting right now? Are you in the shower?
ME: Yeah, but I can multi-task. It’s a valuable skill.
KAT: That’s impressive. And slightly concerning. Don’t drop your phone in the water.
ME: Lol. I didn’t bring it into the shower with me.
I finish washing my hair and rinsing off, then step out of the shower and grab a towel. My phone pings again while I’m drying off.
KAT: I never could get into evening showers. I can never get my hair dry all the way before bedtime, and then I wake up with it all wavy and wild, like a bird’s nest.
ME: I bet that looks cute.
KAT: *eyeroll emoji* Sure, if you think actual bird nests are cute. It’s a disaster.
I have a sudden vivid image of her waking up with messy hair, her face soft and relaxed from sleep, her skin warm from being under the covers. Maybe wearing one of those tank tops she seems to favor at night, the fabric riding up slightly to reveal a bit of her stomach…
I adjust myself and finish drying off with the towel, pulling on fresh boxers and gray sweatpants. Maybe that dream from last night is still affecting me, because my body is reacting to thoughts I definitely shouldn’t be having about someone I met three days ago.
ME: What’s your bedtime routine then, if not a shower before bed?
I walk back into the bedroom as I text, toweling my hair one more time.
I can see her moving around in her room across the way through the window.
We’re both doing our bedtime routines while we keep texting, which feels nice, in a weird way.
Like we’re together even though we’re in separate buildings.
KAT: The usual boring stuff. Brush teeth, wash face, floss even though I always forget and feel guilty about it. Then I’ll usually either read or draw before I fall asleep. Depends on whether my brain will shut off or not.
KAT: I get a lot of my best ideas at night—even right when I’m falling asleep, for some reason. I keep a sketchpad by my bed just for those moments when inspiration strikes at weird times.
I glance over toward her window and can actually see the sketchpad on her nightstand.
I also see Kat, who’s changed into sleep clothes now.
Nothing revealing, just a simple tank top and what look like soft cotton pants—but still, the sight knocks me on my ass a little, and I look away before I get busted for staring.
ME: I’d love to see some of them sometime. Your middle-of-the-night inspiration sketches.
KAT: My rough sketches aren’t really meant for public consumption. They’re messy and half-formed, just ideas I’m trying to capture before they disappear. But I could show you some of my finished work sometime if you’d like.
ME: That sounds great. I mean it.
ME: What’s your favorite piece you’ve ever done? The thing you’re most proud of?
There’s a longer pause this time, like she’s really considering the question instead of just firing back a quick response.