“I don’t know, Emiliana. Maybe burn it?” My eyebrows arch together, wondering if she’s fucking with me. “I hear that’s what people withwood-burningfurnaces tend to do.”
She exhales sharply, her breath visible in the cold air. “Youdorealize it’s the twenty-first century, right? People have things like thermostats and central heating now.”
“Yeah, some people.Youare obviously not one of them.” I shift the firewood in my arms. “Unless you’ve suddenly figured out how to install an AC unit overnight. In which case, I’d love to see that, because last I remembered, you struggled to change a lightbulb.” Looking down at the shattered mess of broken glass by the table next to the couch, Iadd, “And you just broke something on your way to answer the damn door.”
Her glare could peel paint off the walls. “That happenedone timebecause the ladder was wobbly. Andthat thingwas in my way.” She gestures towards the fragments on the ground.
“Sure.” Taking a step forward, she immediately moves to block me in the doorway.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Inside,” I reply slowly, like it’s obvious and she’s the dumb one for asking the question. “Unless, you’d rather I leave this here and let you freeze.”
She hesitates for a second, her body trembling under the blanket. Her lips press into a thin line before she steps aside with a dramatic sigh. “Fine.”
I step past her as she closes the door behind me. The house is freezing. I figured it would be bad, but damn. It’s almost colder inside than it is outside. I glance around the place, taking in the state of things—half-unpacked boxes, a dusty old couch and a furnace that looks like it hasn’t seen a proper fire since the Great Depression.
“You planning on actually making this place liveable?” I ask, dropping the firewood next to the hearth.
She scowls. “Ijustgot here, Alex,” pausing as she rolls her eyes. “I need to fix the porch steps, maybe a new kitchen backsplash and I’ve always wanted a clawfoot tub, so maybe I’ll add one to the bathroom—” She catches herself rambling. “I mean… yes, I will eventually renovate… everything.”
“Okay. Well you need a fire first or you won’t be alive to do any of that.”
She huffs and kneels down in front of the hearth, grabbing the logs and jamming them inside. I watch as she fumbles with the kindling, muttering curses under her breath.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
Emma shoots me a glare over her shoulder. “Excuse me?”
I fight the smile threatening at the corner of my mouth and crouch beside her. “It’s not about stuffing as much wood in as possible. You gotta build it like a pyramid. Air is what gets it going.”
“Air,” she mutters. “Right. Should’ve guessed you’d be an expert on blowing hot air.”
I roll my eyes and grab a few smaller pieces from the pile on the floor next to her. “Here. Start with these. Leave some space between ‘em.”
She hesitates, like accepting my help will physically wound her, but then takes the kindling from my hands. Her fingers brush against mine for a half second, enough to short-circuit my brain. “Fine. But if you make me burn the house down, I’m haunting you from the afterlife.”
“Noted.”
The truth is, I don’t know what I’m doing here. Leo could’ve shown her how to start it. Hell, she probably would’ve eventually figured it out herself. And after our exchange last night, there really isn’t a reason for me to be back this morning.
Yet, here I am, apparently having lost every ounce of self-control I have. I couldn’t ignore the desperate urge of wanting, no,needingto see her again.
I hand her the matches. “Alright. Light it up.”
She strikes the match, the little flare of orange glowing soft across her face. Throwing it in the hearth, the flame catches and curls up around the wood. She slowly closes the door and watches through the little window, listening to the wood snap softly as the flames continue to build.
“Congratulations, Princess,” I say, leaning back on my heels and standing up. “You’ve officially started a fire all on your own. Big day.”
She smiles smugly. “Guess I’ll add it to my resume.”
I missed that mouth, in more ways than one.
“You should really learn how to do basic survival things, you know. What if I wasn’t here to save your ass?”
Rising to her feet next to me, she shoves my chest with one hand, the other still wrapped in the blanket. “I was doing just fine beforeyoushowed up.”
A sharp laugh escapes me. “Oh, yeah? Because from where I was standing, you were about five minutes away from hypothermia. Especially in those tiny ass shorts. Do you not own a sweater? Or PANTS?”
