It’s cold. Socold that I forget about the toy buzzing between my legs. My body has more pressing concerns, like trying not to go into shock. Alec keeps a hand on my back, steadying me as we fight through the freezing gale. My shoes slip, but Alec keeps a firm grip on me.
“It’s okay,” he shouts again. “You’re okay.”
Finally, we reach the farmhouse. Alec yanks the door open, and I’m unceremoniously pushed inside, into?—
Calm.
The room is warm, filled with flickering gold light from the fire. Fraser is sitting at the table, eating a sandwich. Cameron is fiddling with the record player, which is playing a gentle tune in the background. They both stare at us as we step inside, dripping.
“Blankets,” Alec orders, locking the door behind him. “Now.”
“What did youdo,” Cameron growls. “She’s soaked!”
Fraser smiles at me. “All right, London? Decide to go for a stroll?”
Alec pulls his wet coat and scarf off me and lets them drop to the floor. His cold hands cup my face, forcing me to look at him. “You okay?” he says urgently. “You didn’t get hit by anything, did you?” His eyes flicker over me, like he’s looking for injuries. I don’t answer, my teeth chattering.
“She wasfine,” Cameron says, limping up to us. “You half drowned her.”
Alec keeps scrutinising my face. Drips of rain roll down his cheeks and speckle his glasses. “Summer. Are you okay?” he demands.
“Yeah.” I gasp, and his hands tighten. “You’re, um, kind of holding me too tight?”
Suddenly, Fraser is at my side. “Hey, mate,” he says, his voice soothing. “How about you leave her to us, yeah? You go dry off.” Alec doesn’t move, his grip tightening.
“Alec.” Cameron touches Alec’s cheek, grabbing his attention. Alec flinches violently. “Look at me. Look. She’sfine. I’m fine. Everyone is fine. Let her go.”
Alec just stares at him, breathing hard. There’s a low whining sound, and I look down to see Scout pawing at Alec’s leg, his liquid eyes troubled. Alec blinks and lets me go, numbly reaching down to stroke the dog’s face.
“I’m…sorry,” he tells me stiffly as Scout licks his fingers. “That was probably…shocking. But…the weather became hazardous, and it wasn’t safe for you to be alone in that cabin with no way to contact us.” He takes a step back from me. “I’ll make sure to refund you the night’s stay. We’ll set up a guest bed for you.”
“What?” My brain can’t process all of this.
Scout whines and gently bites Alec’s hand. Alec turns and disappears without another word. Scout trots behind him, staring at his face, and Cameron pushes me towards the sofa.
“You were safe,” he mutters, sitting at my side. “That cabin’s got stronger bones than this house. Did he really just drag you into the storm?”
“I-it’s fine.” In the flickering firelight, I can see he has a bit of my lip gloss on the corner of his mouth. I reach up to wipe it off without thinking, and he goes very still. I drop my hand. “Sorry.”
He just picks a blanket off the sofa and drapes it over my shoulders.
“How about a nice cup of tea?” Fraser says, sitting on my other side. “That’ll warm you up. You can one-star us, we don’t mind. I think we’ve been kind of shitty hosts so far.”
“Er, I’m okay actually—” I shift. Now that I’m inside, I amveryaware of the vibe still rumbling in my underwear. I’d been soclose when Alec walked in…
I squirm as Cameron wraps another blanket around me. “I’ll heat you some soup,” he says, tucking it tighter around my neck. His rough fingers rasp against my throat, and all the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. “It’ll help warm ye.”
I squeeze my legs together as my sex violently clenches. “No thanks.”
“Give Alec some,” Fraser suggests. “Poor guy looked like he was about to pass out.” He lifts the corner of the blanket and starts gently wiping my face dry.
Cameron shakes his head. “He won’t eat.”
“Tell him your leg hurts and look really pathetic. He’ll eat then. Ow!” he protests as Cameron reaches over to hit him. The movement presses his body against mine, and electricity jolts through me. I can feel wetness on the insides of my thighs which isdefinitelynot rain.
Oh God.
Oh God.
