4. CHAPTER FOUR - UNSPOKEN DESIRES
Chapter four
CHAPTER FOUR - UNSPOKEN DESIRES
I couldn’t help myself. I kept stealing glances at Lily as she rested on the couch, close enough that I could feel her warmth mingling with the glow from the fireplace. The soft glow of the fire in the fireplace illuminated her in a way that seemed mesmerizing to my eyes.
The flickering light danced on her skin, easily bringing out the delicate curve of her neck and the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. She looked ethereal, almost untouchable, and yet, all I wanted to do was reach out and touch her.
I wasn’t sure why that was, but I don’t think I had ever been drawn to a woman the way I was drawn to Lily at that particular moment. I fought with myself, reminding myself that regardless of anything, she was still Colton’s little sister.
I wasn’t sure how to act in this situation. My initial plan was to warm up to her again, possibly clear her horrible idea of me, and then gift her Richard Ginsberg as the final cherry on top. Being trapped together all alone in this cabin was in no way what I thought would actually happen. It was almost too perfect, like some cruel twist of fate designed to test my willpower.
Suddenly, a window blew open, and her head turned in the direction of the window. The snowy white skin of her neck teased me, and I felt something stir inside of me. A gust of wind blew in, and Lily shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.
I instantly snapped out of my daze, hurriedly getting up to close the window and locking it in place.
“Thank you,” she mouthed softly, her eyes meeting mine briefly
I smiled at her in acknowledgment. “I better go around checking to make sure all the windows are locked properly,” I said, trying to steady my voice.
She nodded, and I quickly walked out of the living room, afraid of what I would do if I was left for even another second in that room with Lily.
I need to control myself. Quickly. I thought, as I walked through all the rooms and hallways of the cabin.
The cabin was cozy, almost too cozy for my current predicament. The wooden beams overhead gave it a certain rustic charm, and the plush furniture was all done in warm, inviting tones of browns and creams. Soft, thick rugs covered the floors, and there were framed photos of nature scenes on the walls. The huge stone fireplace dominated the living room, its mantel filled with quaint knick-knacks and candles. It was romantic, no doubt about it—everything about this place screamed intimacy. At least to me.
When I was done checking all the windows and was slowly making my way back to the living room, still unsure of what I was going to do, I turned the corner and nearly bumped into Lily. She was carrying a couple of blankets, probably looking to make herself more comfortable. As she stepped to the side, she almost tripped and fell.
Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her into me to stop her from falling. Her hands clutched my arms for balance, and her body pressed against mine. I could feel the warmth of her through our clothes.
For a moment, we were frozen, inches apart. The scent of her filled my senses—something floral, mixed with a hint of vanilla—and I felt a wave of desire wash over me. Her eyes were wide, and for a moment, we just stood there, our breaths mingling.
“Careful,” I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.
“Thanks,” she murmured, looking up at me with her big brown eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, whether from the cold or our closeness, I wasn’t sure.
She didn’t pull away, and neither did I. “Are you okay?” I asked, my hand still resting on her waist.
She nodded, but her eyes never left mine. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my heart was pounding loudly in my chest. “Good,” I managed to say, my voice husky.
I let my hands linger on her waist for a second longer, and then I forced myself to let go and step back. The loss of contact felt like a physical ache, but I ignored it.
She took a step back as well, and the spell was broken. She adjusted the blankets in her arms, looking flustered. “I was just going to set these up by the fire. It’s getting colder.”
“Yeah, it is,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “Checked all the windows and we’re good. I’ll help you out.”
She nodded, giving me a small smile before turning to head back. I watched her go, her hips swaying lightly with every step, and I groaned internally, taking a deep breath as I tried to steady my racing heart.
It was safe to say that being around Lily was proving to be more difficult than I had anticipated. I followed her back into the living room. She had already settled back on the couch, tucking her legs beneath her and pulling a blanket over her lap.
I took a seat in the armchair farthest from her, trying my hardest to focus on the fire instead of the way her hair shimmered in the light. I glanced at her, catching her looking at me with an expression that made my breath catch in my throat.
“We should try to make the best of this,” I said, breaking the silence. “It’s not like we have any other choice.”
“What do you mean?” She asked.
I cleared my throat, finally confronting my demons. “We have no idea how long this snowstorm is going to last. It could be hours, or it could be a few days. That means you and I might stay here for a few days.
“I figured you would want to set some ground rules.” I shrugged, glancing at her to catch the moment she fully realized what was going on.
Lily’s eyes widened in shock, flickering to me before she quickly looked away. I pretended not to notice, leaning back against the armchair.
“How many rooms are in the cabin?” she asked, her voice a little higher than usual.
“There’s just one bedroom,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
Her face paled, and I could see the panic slowly taking over. Her eyes darted around the room, and I couldn’t help but smirk at how flustered she looked.
“Relax,” I said, trying to keep the amusement out of my voice. “You can sleep in the bedroom alone. I’ll take the couch in the living room.”
Her eyes seemed to calm down, the tension easing from her shoulders. “Okay, that works. Thanks.”
Wanting to change the subject, I leaned outwards and groaned, “I’m pretty hungry. Have you had breakfast?”
She shook her head. “No, I haven’t, actually.”
I nodded, pushing myself off the couch. “Let’s go to the kitchen and whip up some breakfast then.”
I needed a break from the tension in the room, but as I walked toward the kitchen, I heard the soft sound of her footsteps trailing behind me, dashing my hopes.
We entered the kitchen, and I started rummaging through the cupboards. “You check the lower drawers,” I said, pointing to the cabinets near the floor. “I’ll take the ones up top.”
She nodded and crouched down, opening the drawers and peering inside. I reached up to open the higher cabinets. A few moments later, I pulled a box out of a cupboard. “Hey, I found some pancake mix,” I announced, holding the box up for her to see.
Lily looked up from her crouched position, her face lighting up. She got up, brushing her hands on her jeans. “Pancakes sound great.”
We got to work making the pancakes. The kitchen filled with the comforting aroma of pancakes cooking, and for a moment, it almost felt normal— like we were just two people having breakfast together, not two people stuck in a cabin during a snowstorm.
“Can you pass me the spatula?” she asked, her voice soft.
“Sure.” I handed it to her, our fingers brushing for a split second. That tiny touch sent a jolt through me, but I forced myself to focus.
“So, you cook often?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“Sometimes,” she replied, pouring the batter into the pan. “Not as much as I’d like to, though.
“I hear you,” I sighed
“But you, on the other hand,” she continued, turning to me, “seem like you can handle yourself in a kitchen.”
I chuckled, “Nothing too fancy, but I get by.”
The scent of cooking pancakes filled the air, mingling with the warmth of the cabin. It felt oddly domestic, almost like we were playing house. I stole a glance at Lily, noticing how the golden light from the stove highlighted the curve of her cheek. “My God Alex, what is wrong with you?”
“These smell amazing,” she said, breaking into my thoughts. “I haven’t had pancakes in ages.”
“I’m pretty sure they taste just as good as they smell,” I replied with a grin, sliding the first batch onto a plate and handing it to her.
We moved to the small table in the corner of the kitchen, sitting down to eat. The pancakes were fluffy, golden brown, and perfect. I watched her take a bite, her eyes closing as she relished the taste.
“That long, huh?” I chuckled, and she laughed back, her high cheekbones complimenting her smile.
“I’ve been so busy trying to get my store in order I completely forgot to just stop and make myself breakfast.”
“Whatever happened to stopping and smelling the roses?”
She simply shrugged. “Turns out it’s a lot harder than it looks.” Looking out the window at the raging snow outside.