Before this trip and the mountain spirit’s meddling, this wouldn't have bothered me. Now that I'm tied to Mags by an invisible tightening string and a soulmate bond that’s just waiting to be completed, this presents a problem. There’s absolutely no way I’m going to be able to sleep with herthatclose to me.
I’m a man whose desires have been suddenly reawakened after years of being dormant, and sleeping next to my One all night andnotbeing able to touch her will be akin to torture. I may have a lot of self-control and a lotmorerespect for Mags, but evenI’mnot that strong.
I don’t want to send her running for the hills now by ambushing her with a ‘two people, one-bed’ scenario, not when my surprise for her tomorrow is a date–of sorts–where I’m planning to tell her how I feel.
Having seen many Calls over the past few years, I know that the mountain spirit is not happy until her chosen soulmates are together and have completed their journey. But if this is a test in restraint and determination the mountain’s giving me to make sure I do right by Mags, it's one I’ll fight tooth and nail to pass. Because if there’s something Idoknow, it’s that I do not want to mess this up.
“Whoa,” Mags breathes as she stops next to me. “This is…rustic…isn’t it?”
A snort escapes me. “That’s puttin’ it nicely.”
She shrugs, shooting me a wry grin. “I mean, it’s notpink, and it doesn't look like it’s come straight off the set of Boogie Nights.”
I laugh, marveling at how she always sees the positive in everything. Even in the mostrustic—akabasic—cabin in the middle of nowhere with her best friend who wants to beeverythingto her.Not that she knows that yet… but she will.
I told her that Anna made me see in Technicolor, but it hits me like a sledgehammer right then that Mags lights up every room she’s in and right now she’s shining that light on me. She’s like that sliver of sunshine that breaks through a storm.
She was my lighthouse in my darkest hour, the only one I wanted close to me when I was surviving. So it makes all the sense in the world that she’s the one destined to be by my side now that I want to startlivingagain.
Mags’s smile slowly falls the longer I stand there staring at her. “Is something wrong, Red? You’re lookin’ at me all funny.” She wipes her mouth. “Do I have food on my face or what?”
I shake my head but still, I stare.How did I not see it—seeher—for so long? It’s like I was going through life with a blindfold on and it took the Call to finally take it off.
“Red, you’re startin’ to worry me,” she says, snapping me out of it.
“Sorry. I just—“Get it together, Grayson. “I’m thinkin’ we might have grabbed the wrong key. This cabin isnotlike it looked in the pictures online.”
Mags pops her hip and looks around the room again. “I don’t know. It’s kind of cute. We can make it work.”
“There’s only one bed,” I blurt out, stating the obvious. “I can make a bed on the floor with clothes and blankets or somethin’ though. Or sleep in the truck. Whatever you’re more comfortable with. It’ll be fine.” There, now I’m giving us both an out.
She giggles, her dancing eyes locking with mine as she rests her hand on my shoulder making me jolt. “Sorry to tell you, Red, but my virtue was compromised about three marriages ago and I have it on good authority thatyou’reno longer pure either.” She winks and my shoulders drop from around my ears. She must feel the change because her smile gentles. “I think we can handle sharin’ a bed for a night or two. Weareadults, after all.” For all her bravado, I still catch a little wariness in her gaze.
“Only if you’re sure…”
“Red Grayson, quit worryin’ so much. You’ll give yourself a hernia or somethin’ and then what use will you be to me.” She picks up the bags of food and walks toward the kitchen area. “You can make yourself useful though. Why don’t you see if there’s firewood outside and start the fire? I’m goin’ to put our supplies away and start thinkin’ about what to make for dinner.”
“I can’t help—” I stop when she shakes her head. “Iwantto cook for you tonight, Red. Then we can drink beer by the fire, and I can try and wrangle out of you what tomorrow’s surprise is before we construct a pillow fort between us in the bed. Deal?”
“Sorry, darlin’. Not goin’ to ruin the surprise now. Not when you’ll find out tomorrow anyway. You’ll just have to wait.”
Thatgets a reaction out of her. She spins around and narrows her gaze before a slow-growing smirk appears. “Mmm hmm. Okay, mister. You keep your secrets.”
“One more night, Mags. I’m sure you can survive.” What I don’t know is ifIcan.
I guess we’ll see.
22
MAGS
That would have to be the worst night of sleep I’ve ever had in my entire life–and that includes when Charlie was a baby with colic and barely napped.
A double bed isnotbig enough. Actually, I don’t think a CaliforniaKingwould've been big enough to share with Red. Even a pillow wall, pajamas,andextra blankets weren’t able to keep us apart.
All night it was like I couldfeelhim close to me.
When it was still dark out, I woke up feeling super warm and cozy. So much so, that I didn't think anything of it when I snuggled deeper into the blankets and the mattress, having never felt more comfortable in my entire life.
