Chapter 4
FOUR
SEBASTIAN
Iforgot what a workout it is to chop wood.
That combined with the snow and slight breeze has me dead on my feet by the time I’ve chopped enough that I think it can last Annalise a couple of weeks.
I wish I could be here with her the entire time, but it’s been like pulling teeth trying to get her to let me stay as long as I have.
I stack the last of the wood and wipe at the sweat on my forehead and head inside.
The smell of eggs and bacon hits me the second I open the door.
I find Annalise standing over the stove flipping a piece of bacon, and my mouth instantly waters.
I’m not sure if it’s more from the smell of food and the way my stomach groans for me to feed it, or the sight of Annalise’s leggings hugging her ass in a way that has me wanting to go over and slap it just so I can watch the way it’ll bounce.
I quickly avert my eyes, because the last thing I need is for her to catch me staring at her ass, even if she was checking me out earlier. She may have denied it, but I caught her well before I said anything.
She places a few pieces of bacon on a plate and then an omelette and sets the plate in front of me. I know better than to poke at her right now, so I say, “Thank you,” and grab a fork and dig in.
She leans against the counter and bites into a piece of bacon.
“I was saving this for later in the week, you know. I didn’t want to break the good stuff out too early.”
I grin at her, the thought that she made me something she considers special warming my belly. “Thank you, Lise.”
I watch the way she fights her blush when I call her that.
She did it earlier, too, before her entire mood shifted and she was doing her best to kick me out.
She turns around and works on cleaning up and doing everything she can to ignore me.
I smile to myself as I watch her hand wash the pans before setting them on the counter to dry. She looks everywhere but at me.
When I finish my food, I take my plate to the sink and wash it, watching her as I do. When I’m done, I lean against the counter, taking her in.
Annalise has always been gorgeous, but these last few years have done nothing but amazing things for her.
Her nearly black hair has a slight curl to it and lands halfway down her back.
Her leggings hug her every curve, and even though she’s practically swimming in the hoodie she’s wearing, I can see the shape of her chest underneath.
I know I’m not supposed to be lusting after my best friend’s sister, but this girl has had me wrapped around her finger since I was seventeen.
Walker and I were in the same grade in school.
We bonded over our love of the same music and became fast friends.
I felt like an ass the first time he brought me over to their place and I found myself nearly drooling over his younger sister.
She was this sassy thing that always had the perfect retort, and I was enthralled, although Annalise would never know it.
Annalise turns around and crosses her arms in front of her, pushing up her chest, and I hold back a groan.
“Like what you see?” she mocks.
And I can’t help it. I run a hand down my face and say, “Yes.”
The tips of her ears turn pink, and she ducks her head, looking at her feet as she toes the edge of the kitchen counter.
“You should probably get on the road so you can make it home before it’s too late.”
Disappointment rushes through me. I’m not ready to leave when I’ve only been here a few hours. I’m not ready to leave her when I’m just now getting to see her again.
“We could watch a movie. I could start a fire,” I suggest, and she straightens her shoulders.
“Sebastian, I think you should leave.”
Knowing she’s already let me stay twice and I’m not likely to get a third, I slowly get my shoes on again and slip into my jacket. I try to think of any reason to get her to let me stay longer, but I can’t think of a single one that she’ll actually give in to.
“I guess I’ll see you around,” I say, and she nods.
I pull open the door, and my eyes go wide as I thank the universe, because someone has my back out there. It’s no longer just snowing, it’s blizzarding, and there’s no way I’m going to be able to get out of here, even with four-wheel drive. I’m stuck here, and I couldn’t be happier.
“Um, Lise, I won’t be going anywhere anytime soon,” I say and immediately feel her at my side.
She swears under her breath and tips her head back. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Of course, I’m snowed in with you.” The way she says you has my spine stiffening, and I close the door, turning to face her as I lean against it.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.
She throws her arms out to her sides. “It means that, of course, with all the shit going on right now, I’m snowed in here with the last person I want to be with. I wanted to be here alone to enjoy my favourite place before I completely lose it.”
Her words hurt, but I know why she feels that way, and it has to do with me choosing my friendship with her brother over her all those years ago.
But she doesn’t know that Walker is the reason everything happened that night.
I need to warm her up to the idea of having me here before I start dropping bombs like that on her, though.
“Would you be less pissed if I told you I had s’more supplies in my truck?” I ask, and she pauses, running her hands through her hair to stare at me.
“You better not be fucking with me, because if you just dangled that in front of me only to rip it away, I just might strangle you, or lock you out in the cold.”
I roll my lips at her antics, because it’s so fucking her, and I love it. “Not fucking with you. I may have packed supplies before I came out here.”
She crosses her arms over her chest and tilts her head, assessing the situation. “Bring in the supplies and then we’ll see how pissed I still am.”
I nod, smiling, and say, “Of course.”
I head out to my car, thanking whoever turned this into a snowstorm so I could be snowed in with Annalise Reid.