The shower is small, barely big enough for both of us, but he makes it work. He washes my hair with a tenderness that makes my chest ache, his fingers massaging my scalp, working through the tangles. I lean into him, letting the water sluice over both of us, letting myself be taken care of for the first time in longer than I can remember.
"I was supposed to leave today," I murmur against his chest.
"I know."
"I don't want to leave."
His arms tighten around me. "I know that too."
We don't talk about what it means. Don't make plans or promises or declarations. We just stand there under the warm water, holding each other, until the heat runs out and we're forced to emerge.
He dries me off with a towel, gentle and thorough, then leads me to bed. We climb in together, tangled up before we even hit the mattress. His hand settles on my hip, possessive even in rest.
I close my eyes and listen to the quiet. No howling wind. No rattling windows. Just his heartbeat beneath my ear and the soft sound of his breathing.
Today was supposed to be the last day, but I don’t want there to be a last day.
And that scares me a lot.
34
JADE
The following morning, Phoenix came back from checking on the road with cautious optimism. "The plows are working their way up."
“Another day. Maybe two?”
He nods. And then what?
Neither of us has said it out loud, but day seven has arrived. The deal is over. I should be packing my bags, calling a car, heading back to my real life. Instead, I'm sitting on the sofa in borrowed clothes and drinking coffee like everything is normal.
His phone buzzes on the counter. He glances at the screen and his jaw tightens.
"I need to take this."
He picks up, and I watch his face as he listens. Whatever he's hearing, he doesn't like it.
"What did you tell him?" Phoenix's voice is flat, controlled.
The speaker is loud enough that I catch fragments of the voice on the other end.
Phoenix puts it on speaker, setting the phone on the counter while he pours himself more coffee. I hear the voice clearly now. It belongs to someone older and in charge.
"Nothing. But he's pissed, son. Really pissed."
It’s his father. Nicholas Crawford.
"I'll handle Marcus," Phoenix says.
"Where are you?"
"The cabin."
A pause. "The cabin? Why?"
"I needed some time away."
"Phoenix." Nicholas's voice sharpens. "What's going on? You disappeared in the middle of the most important deal of your career. Marcus is ready to kill you. The Teos are asking questions."
