Chapter 8
EIGHT
CLIFF
I reach into my kitchen cupboard, and I’m annoyed to see that my favorite mug isn’t there.
I glance over at the sink, where it’s still sitting unwashed. I glare at it and grab the other clean mug.
When you live as simply as I do, you really only have two mugs. But when the favorite is dirty, beggars can’t be choosers.
Grumbling to myself, I fill the cup with coffee, and I’m momentarily distracted by the memory of bringing Sophie a cup of coffee in bed before I had to catch my flight back.
She’d looked so beautiful there, curled up in the white sheets of the lodge’s bed. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment as she pulled the sheet up to cover her chest, while her long brown hair fell into waves over her shoulder.
I thought she’d looked gorgeous at the wedding, with her hair swept up and her soft skin on display over the deep cut of the dress’s top. But she looked even better like that. Naked and in my bed.
Coffee spills over the edge of the mug, burning my hand. Hissing, I mutter a few choice words and slam the pot back in place.
“What the fuck is wrong with me?”
I’ve been like this ever since I got back from Winter’s wedding.
Distracted.
Horny.
Short-tempered. Even more than usual.
You’d think I was a moonstruck kid in love for the first time, the way my thoughts keep wandering back to Sophie and the short time we had together. It was a good time. Great even.
Okay, it was nothing short of incredible.
But we both agreed it was just one night. I don’t do relationships, and Sophie… Well, she seemed to be okay with that. The fact that I haven’t heard from her since that night proves the point.
Then again, I suppose I could call her too. But what would be the point? She lives in Seattle, and I’m here.
Without thinking, I take a huge gulp of coffee and nearly spit it all out.
“Fuck.” I wiggle my jaw around, trying to ease the searing pain burning in my mouth without much success. “That’s it. I need a change of scenery.”
Determined to get thoughts of Sophie out of my head for at least a couple hours, I tug on my outdoor gear and stalk toward the pile of wood that’s waiting to be cut.
I pick up the ax and a fresh memory floods my head. The memory of me showing Sophie how to hold an ax for throwing. One of my hands wrapped around hers. The other held onto her shapely hip.
A shapely hip I had the pleasure of exploring more thoroughly during our night together.
My cock springs to life, and I clench my jaw. Drawing to mind every unsexy thought I can possibly cobble together.
With more vigor than technique, I work my way through the wood pile. I work out some of my almost painful arousal with every chop I make. I get through the stack faster than I should and well before I’ve worked off all of my pent-up frustration.
“It’s going to be fine. In a couple of days, I’ll forget all about it. I’ll forget about her.”
Even as I say the words, I don’t believe them.
With an armful of wood, I head back toward my cabin. I stack it neatly in the pile that lines my lean-to, and I grab another armful of cured wood to take inside.
I’m just setting it down when my phone rings. Instinctively, I frown at it and in the next breath I want to laugh at myself. I can imagine what Sophie might have to say about my response to spontaneous social interaction if she was here.
Yeah, I’m definitely not going to be forgetting about her anytime soon. Even if it might make sleeping a lot easier.
I pick up my phone. Seeing my sister’s name on the display, I think about letting it go to voicemail. Not that there’s anyone else I’d rather talk to. Well, no one besides her friend.
But, I also can’t think of a good enough reason not to take the call. Besides, I promised myself I’d be less of a dick to the sister who is better to me than I deserve.
“Yeah?”
“Well, hello to you too.” I can almost hear her rolling her eyes on the other end of the line. “I’d ask what’s wrong, but you always sound this cheerful.”
“Sorry.” I sigh, annoyed at myself for once again being a dick even when I’m trying not to be one. “I just got in from chopping wood.”
“And that makes you grumpy?”
Instead of answering, I take a deep breath and make more of an effort to lighten my tone. “How’s everything going?”
“It’s great. The honeymoon was amazing though, I’m wishing we would’ve spent two weeks in Hawaii instead of one. You should keep that in mind if you ever take your honeymoon.”
“Sure.” That’s never going to happen.
Though I can think of a certain brunette I wouldn’t mind spending some time with on a beach. She’d be wearing an impossibly skimpy bikini. Being the gentleman that I can be when I put my mind to it, I’d put myself on sunscreen duty.
It would be a shame to see that creamy skin of hers get sunburnt.
My mind once again wanders, this time to all of the places where I’d make sure to spread the lotion. I’m about to slip completely into the fantasy when my sister’s voice pulls me back.
“Listen, I wanted to talk to you about Sophie.”
My heart stops. Shit. Did Winter find out what happened? Is she pissed off at me?
No, she hasn’t sounded angry at any point in this conversation. Not even when I was being an aloof jerk. She’d sounded more amused than anything.
I swallow hard. “Oh?”
She sighs again. “So, I’m just going to throw this out there. I know the two of you hooked up at the wedding.”
My stomach sinks. Fuck. “Look, I—”
“But that’s not why I’m calling. Well, not really. Though, we are going to talk about it at some point.” Her voice is more teasing than anything else, which only adds to my confusion. “Right now, that’s not what matters.”
I’m about to ask her what matters when it hits me. Maybe something happened to Sophie.
“Is she okay? Is she hurt?” I stumble over my words, barely able to get them out. “Is she—”
“Before you get all worked up, she’s fine.”
“Oh, thank God.” I drop to the couch in relief, resting my forearms on my knees. Head between them, I take deep breaths to calm my pounding heart.
“She’s actually on her way to Alaska.”
I straighten up. “She is?”
“Yep. I just dropped her off at the airport.” She pauses for a moment. “I was hoping you might go meet her flight.”
“Yeah, of course. Just send me the details.”
Still reeling from the rollercoaster of concern at my sister’s finding us out to fear for Sophie’s safety, I still haven’t fully processed the surprise that the woman who has been occupying my every waking thought—and most of the ones when I’m asleep too—will be on my turf in a few hours.
“Why is she coming to Alaska?”
“You can ask her about that when you pick her up in a few hours.” Winter pauses for a moment. “Could you do me another favor?”
“Sure.”
“When you see her, will you please… just really listen to what she has to say and think before you respond?”
I frown. “That’s a strange request.”
“But will you do it?”
“Yeah, of course.” I rub my hand over my beard. “I can do that.”
“Good. Because I think that once you hear what she has to say, you’ll realize it’s the best thing that could have ever happened to you.”