She laughs softly. “Cabin rules.”
I think about kissing her shoulder again. Letting my fingers wander to her wet, soapy nipples…
But the universe has other plans.
Because that’s when the front door opens.
I hear a voice, followed by the unmistakable rustle of coats.
“Oh shit,” Ally breathes.
I sit up fast, sloshing water over the sides. “Did you lock the door?”
“No!”
“Why not?!”
“I didn’t think anyone would show up in a blizzard!”
My entire body tenses. “Stay here. I’ll -”
“Hello? Mr. Woodruff? Mac sent me to check on the cabin generator - oh my GOD.”
Ally and I both freeze, my arms covering as much of her as I can, her body blocking and preserving my own modesty.
Standing in the open bathroom doorway is Taranne, Mac’s personal assistant. A long suffering woman who has seen far too much of my father’s chaos, and apparently now too much of mine.
Her eyes go from Ally, to me, to the two-person bathtub full of swirling water that we’re both still sitting in, unsure what to do next.
She drops the folder she was holding. “Oh my GOD,” she says again, hands flying to her mouth. “You… you two - Nate -Ally -oh my GOD.”
Ally makes a sound somewhere between a squeak and a threat.
“Taranne,” I attempt, “we can explain -”
“No you can’t!” she shrieks. “You’re naked! You’re wet! You’re - oh my God, I’m going to faint.”
“You’renotgoing to faint,” Ally snaps, reaching for a towel.
“Oh, trust me, I might!” Taranne fans herself wildly. “Nate, Mr. Woodruff said you were in Montana to rest! I thought maybe at worst you’d frozen to death and I’d find a corpse! I wasnot emotionally preparedto walk in on - on whatever - THIS!” She gestures at us like we’re a crime scene.
Nerves kick in. Adrenaline surges. Heat drains from my body in a cold rush ofholy shit this is real now.
“Taranne,” I say again, calmer this time. “Please. Breathe.”
She inhales like she’s drowning. “Does Mac know?”
“No!” Ally and I say in unison.
“Oh,God,” Taranne moans. “He’s going to absolutely… He’ll combust.Explode. He’ll -”
“Taranne,” I cut in sharply, “you can’t tell him.”
She looks between us, incredulous. “Are youjoking? I can’t keep secrets from your father! He’s myboss! And your father! Andyour-”
“Myex-stepfather, not my current one. Just throwing that out there,” Ally adds.
Taranne wrings her hands. “But I’msurethere’s something in the bible about this!Shit…He’s going to ask why I saw two wet naked adults in the bathroom!”
