I’ve been chasing off thoughts of him since we met, and being stuck in a room with him only made it worse. Now, we’re in a cabin. It would be romantic if I were here with anyone else.
If I think about it too long, it maystillfeel romantic, but I don’t let those thoughts linger. I’m getting better and better at squashing them before they take root. The key to happiness is staying busy. I’ve always known that, whether it was loading up my work schedule or working two jobs during a busy semester.
There’s nothing for me to do now, but I’m already itching to bake. The cupboards are bare. A box of baking soda, a moth trap, and some dust. That’s all I can find inside. This won’t do.
The walk to town is a short one. That’s one thing that can be said for these little European towns. I feel safe on the fifteen-minute walk, and everyone is friendly to me as I pick up a few things for the cabin. The hardest part to overcome is thelanguage barrier, but I flounder through the interactions and return home with two bags of groceries.
They shouldn’t be all that heavy, but they are, thanks to the flour.
Before I can shuffle inside, a sound alarms me.
THWACK!
I freeze in place, my head slowly turning, looking for the source of the sound. There’s nothing. Maybe I imagined it…?
THWACK!
No. There it is again. I set the bags inside before investigating the sound. Maybe I shouldn’t be looking for it. It’s some wild animal, and Theo is still fast asleep. He’s the nature guy. He would know what to do!
Of course, he has to abandon me when I need him the most. My pulse races, and I creep through the yard despite my better judgment.
But he’s not sleeping. Not at all. Theo is in the backyard, and he’s…
Oh my God!
He’s not wearing a shirt.
His tan skin glistens in the sun. My stomach clenches, and misplaced butterflies swarm my very being. They don’t belong there, dancing around my belly in such a maddening fashion. Why do I feel like this?
He brings down an axe onto a piece of wood, easily splitting it in two. Despite my thinly veiled crush, I’ve never imagined what he would look like without a shirt…
I don’t have to imagine it anymore. It’s here. It’s real.
Theo leans on the axe, wipes sweat from his brow, and exhales heavily. I never realized just how muscular he is underneath his suits.
His eyes lock onto mine. “Where did you go, Evie?” He practically growls my name. Desire pulses between my thighs.
“Um…” My voice is higher than usual, and I try to pitch it down. “Shopping! Just got a few groceries.”
“Ah. Good.” A bead of sweat drips down his forehead. My head tilts, and I follow it to where it lands on his chest. Sparse dark hair covers the expanse of his lean pectorals. “You had me worried.”
“I-I thought you were sleeping,” I utter, incapable of looking away.
“Couldn’t sleep.” He picks up the axe. “It’s cold, and I thought this would help me get some energy out. We’ll need a fire soon, anyway.”
“I’m… I’m sure it will help.” I clear my throat. “The energy, I mean. This looks like it takes a lot of that.”
I can think of other ways for him to get his energy out—no! No, I can’t. I shake my head, pushing away the thoughts threatening to slip past my lips.
“I’m going inside!” I yelp, shuffling away.
“I’ll be in soon.”
He says it like it’s meant to be reassuring, but it isn’t. Not anymore. Being around him puts me on edge, and I don’t know where I’ll find comfort on this trip. I’ll feel better once Christine joins us. She’ll be a few cabins away, and I’ll have somewhere to escape…
Oh, who am I kidding? The only thing that can save me is his obsession with work. Does he realize how close he is to giving me a heart attack at my young age?
Baking always calms me down,but it’s not usually like this. When I need to calm down, it’s usually because I’m stressed from work, anxious about school, or anticipating a conversation with a friend.
