“I can finish the groceries if you want to unpack your clothes. Take as many drawers as you need.”
“Si— Is that your real name? Silo?”
“Silo is my call sign. It’s what we use in the military. My name is Rake.”
“Rake, I don’t want to put you out.”
“You’re not. I only use two drawers anyway. Open the two cabinet doors next to the fireplace. Theres a rack with hangers and four drawers. Use what you need.”
“Surely I can go home tomorrow.”
“I want a couple days to see what’s going on, get the generator fixed and make sure it stays fixed.” I nod toward the bathroom. “Go first. I’ll get the fire going and take the cover off the mattress so you can have the bed.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “Absolutely not. I am not taking your bed on top of everything else you’ve done for me. I’ll take the sleeping bag on the floor.”
“No. The bed.”
Putting her hands on her hips, she glares at me. “The only way I’m getting in that bed is if you’re in it, too.”
CHAPTER 4
Norah
Oh my god, that did not come out right at all. He coughs out a chuckle. My cheeks burn. “Look, that bed is huge. We can share so no one needs to sleep on the floor.”
He raises his hands in surrender. “Fine. I still want you to shower first while I make up the bed. I bag all the linens and towels before I leave so they’re clean when I come back since I never know how long I’ll be gone. This last time was four months.”
Grabbing my bag containing my last clean pajamas and the towel he holds out to me, I go into the bathroom. It’s almost small for me at five-nine with a curvy body. How does he fit? Once in the shower I realize he’s added a curb-mounted skylight in the shower stall to give him the extra height he would need.
Water sluicing over my body has never felt so good. I almost feel human. Then the pain of losing Nana ripping away what feels like everything else in my life, school, job. It’s as if I’m free falling with nothing to hold on to. No one to catch me. No one to trust. I wish I could stand here forever and let it wash the whole last year away.
But that’s selfish. I need to hurry for him. He’s already done so much. His water heater probably isn’t huge and he’s waiting his turn.
After drying and dressing I hang my towel on one of the two hooks inside the door, and he’ll have room for his on the other.
He’s crouched in front of the fireplace adding another log. His feet are bare, and he’s removed his shirt. A couple scars mar his back, one on the shoulder one closer to his waist. Thick thighs and hard buttocks lead to a narrow waist, and shoulders so broad they almost block the fire. His muscles ripple as he works the flames. With his ball cap off I notice he’s got a top knot with an undercut fade that I hadn’t noticed. Somehow that makes him appear even more dangerous. Like a marauding pirate taking his plunder. My breath hitches, an ache blossoms in my lower body.
Stop it. You’ve been reading too many romances. Focus.
Glancing over his shoulder, he scans my body from feet to the top of my head then stands. He pulls a packing bag from under the bed and removes an oversized floor pillow. “Sit by the fire so your hair can dry while I shower. Then we’ll put on a load of clothes for you.
“Thank you.”
With my back to the flames, I enjoy the heat as I brush my hair. The cabin is small by any standards with the extra-large bed taking up most of the space. I wonder if it’s even large enough for him. He’s so big he makes me feel small.
A dorm size refrigerator, two-burner hot plate, an old fashioned drip coffee maker, and a sink make up the kitchen. There’s a stack washer and dryer in the corner.
A single Adirondack chair is in the other corner by the window. An axe hangs over the door. Clean, sparse, no nonsense, like the man.
Comfortable. Safe.
It’s not long before he returns barefoot wearing only sweatpants and carrying his clothes. “You okay with me throwing a couple things in with your wash?”
“Sure.”
“I ran a prewash cycle earlier to clear the pipes. We should be good. From sediment.”
“Nana used to do the same. Was your farm in the mountains?” His jaw clenches as he starts the wash.
