Chapter 3
Iawoke to the smell of bacon.
Glorious, mouthwatering, flesh of a pig—bacon.
Even though I could, in fact, resist the bacon if I had to, and I felt much safer locked inside my freezing room, unfortunately, I had to pee. I refused to be any sort of die hard, if it meant me squat-hovering over the tiny trash can in my room. My phone said it was nearly 9am and my stomach groaned in agony. Before my mind could question my motives, my bladder had me beelining toward the bathroom. I used the facilities, washed my hands, splashed water on my face, and refused to add makeup—because I didn’t care what Chase thought—and reached for the door to open it. Instead, I turned back to the mirror to apply a quick coat of mascara, (it’s hardly anything and it made ME feel better, but I still don’t care about him at all) and then I exited the bathroom.
I found him in the kitchen, wearing jeans and a flannel button down shirt, scooping a pile of bacon and a couple of fried eggs onto a plate. He turned, his eyes taking me in, before handing me the plate.
“Morning, Blister. I made you some breakfast before you hit the road.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, sweetly and took the plate, sitting down at the table, “but I’m not leaving.” I had spent most of my frozen night stewing over the thought. I didn’t want to be here with Chase, but I had nothing to get home to. I had a deadline to meet and… nothing to get home to.
He stole a piece of bacon off my plate as he sat down across from me at the table. “I figured you’d say that. How’s this going to work then?”
I swallowed my mouthful of eggs. “How about we just pretend like the other isn’t here? We don’t even have to talk to each other. Let’s just go about our own business and let go of any sort of pressured socialization for what this is. I have a big deadline due in a couple weeks, and I was counting on being here to get most of it finished. I promise I’ll be quiet, but I need to be here.”
His eyes laughed at me. “You really think you’ll be able to resist talking to me?”
I leaned forward, my hand clutching a piece of bacon. “I managed itwonderfullywell the past ten years.”
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. “I don’t know, it just seems awfully convenient that you just ‘accidentally show up’ at the cabin after all this time… Right as I’m taking a shower…” He trailed off with a knowing look.
I refused to take his bait. “No. That’s not… I didn’t…” When he began to laugh, I added, “I’ll bet you knew I was coming and planned the whole shower thing. Just to get me…” I stopped, realizing I was coming very close to trapping myself in his snares.
“Just to get youwhat?” His eyes lit up and a tantalizing smile broke across his face.
“Stop it.” I leaned forward and slapped him on the side of his face with my bacon. He ducked away, laughing. My face began to feel heated, but I jumped up and walked to the sink to get a glass of water, because I was very… thirsty.
When I sat back down again, his brown eyes met mine. “You became a writer, then?”
“Yes.”
“For what? Books?”
“Yes.”
He seemed mildly impressed. “Really? How many books have you written?”
“I’m writing my third one now.”
“What are they about?”
Nope. No way. I gave him a tight smile. “I don’t think we’re tight enough for that information.”
He cocked his eyebrows. “I’m suddenly very intrigued.”
I felt my face turn pink as I turned away and bit a piece of bacon. For all he wasn’t, the man could cook bacon perfectly crisp, but that didn’t mean I was going to discuss my romance novels with him.
“Where have you been since high school?” I asked him instead. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t kept a few tabs on Chase Riley since graduation. He was best friends with my brother, after all. But, the less he thought I knew, the better.
“Marines,” he said, smiling at me.
“Doing what?” I stood and moved back to the sink, shoveling the last bite of eggs into my mouth. I had to move away from his beautiful smile as his intense eyes focused on me.
There was a silence before my skin broke into goosebumps, when his voice tickled my ear. “I don’t think we’re tight enough for that information,” he whispered.
Startled, I shoved my elbow back, landing right into his stomach. I only heard his breath catch, but it was enough for me. I whirled around to face him. “If we are going to co-exist in this cabin, rule number one is; don’t sneak up on me.”
