Chapter 14 #2
He keeps walking away and looking at things.
He pulls open one of my kitchen cabinets, unfortunately, it’s the broken one, and it falls off its hinge.
He drops it to the ground with more force than necessary.
He moves to the window to investigate the seal.
He tries to open it, and no matter how hard he pulls, it doesn’t budge.
The anger he has is radiating off in suffocating waves.
Seeing him be this worked up over this cabin, I’m one hundred percent confused about my feelings for him.
The majority of my anger was toward this cabin, even after I came to somewhat enjoy it; it’s not really a place you would put someone you care about.
I mean, obviously, anger of the past has bled in too.
But even I am having a hard time pinpointing what hurt is coming from what.
He swipes his hand over a dusty window seal before turning back to me. “Get your things, you’re not staying here another night.”
“My grandpa‘s house doesn’t have a room for me, and I’m not about to impose on him. I have nowhere else to go,” I state defeatedly. Kind of the whole reason I told him I needed a place to stay. He knows this.
“As long as I’m still on this earth,” his hands powerfully clap against his chest as he gestures to himself, “you will always have a place to go. I don't care if it’s fifty years from now and you still hate me. I will always have a place for you. Meet me outside when you’re done packing.
” He turns to walk away toward the door.
Frustrated, I throw my hands in the air. “And where will I be staying?”
“My cabin has multiple bedrooms. You can stay with me. I can promise you it’s a hell of a lot better than this, but it definitely is a bit of a man cave. I promise I’ll get it cleaned up tomorrow.”
My eyes all but bug out of my head. He did not just say that. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, there is no way I’m staying with you.”
“You’re telling me you’d rather stay here than stay with me?” Now he just looks plain insulted.
“Yeah, I’m already settled in. The cold showers really help wake me up in the mornings.
” And not to mention, this cabin puts a healthy amount of space between us.
I’m newly single. The ring may be on, but the engagement is off.
Being under the same roof takes away my safety net of space.
Space I need to be able to function, because when he’s around, I spend more time at war with myself than I do on my work.
“Well, it may be good enough for you,” he slaps his chest, “but it’s definitely not good enough for me and what I expect for you to have.
You’re not staying here; it’s not up for discussion.
Your fiancé will just have to get over us being roommates.
” Authority rushes out of him, and damn it, my stupid body loves it.
The good news is my brain is a hell of a lot smarter and quicker than the gooey thing inside my chest, “And who the hell do you think you are making that decision for me?”
“Someone who still gives a shit about you. You may think I don’t, but you have no idea.
Seriously, get your bag together.” He points to the suitcase I have stashed in the corner.
“I’m gonna go run my horse back and come back in my truck.
If you think I won’t throw your ass over my shoulder and carry you out of here, you’re wrong. ” He turns on his heels.
The screen door on the cabin slams shut behind him, and I take a good three minutes to pick my jaw off the floor.
It’s embarrassing how hot that just was. It reminds me of the man I thought I knew, the man I loved. Sometimes I wonder if that should even be in the past tense, because being here is confusing everything I thought I knew.
But over my dead body am I about to let that man tell me what to do. So, I walk across my super roomy, wonderful place and plop down on my bed. If I’ve survived here this long, I can finish off the summer. Even if I spend the afternoons sweating and the nights shivering.
My mind wanders, and I lose track of time before I know what I hear: truck tires on the gravel road and a door slam. I don’t bother opening my eyes for my little daydream, I’m half going on.
“Why aren’t you packed?” I don’t even have to open my eyes to know that he’s annoyed; his tone says it all.
Finally opening my eyes, I shoot him a glare. “Because I’m not leaving. I’m not just moving in with you because you say so. I can live here. I’m not above living in a little bit of inconvenience.”
Weston stalks over to the bed, complete determination in his eyes. I sit up and cross my arms over my chest. I feel like a child throwing a temper tantrum, but I don’t care. Apparently, neither does he, because a few seconds later, I am thrown over his shoulders and his hand is on my rear end.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I try to push off him, but his grasp is firm and secure.
“It appears you didn’t take me seriously, but when I said I was gonna throw your ass over my shoulder, I meant it. You’re not living here, at least not while I’m six feet above.”
“So you’re just gonna kidnap me and force me to live in your house?” The world sways upside down as we walk across the cabin.
“Yep.” His hand wraps around the back of my thigh and squeezes. Good Lord, does my whole body set a flame. A pulsing begins in my core, and I hate myself for it.
We walk out to his truck, and he effortlessly opens the door with one hand, turns me upright, and pulls me into the seat. He goes as far as to pull the seatbelt and buckle it for me. Clearly, there is no reasoning with him.
This man is going to make me live with him.
If I thought working with my ex-boyfriend would be tough, I cannot imagine living with him. I need to keep my distance and protect myself, so he can’t know I’m no longer off the market. It’s better for this project, and better for my heart.