‘Haven’t you noticed?’ He looks around his cabin. ‘We still don’t fit.’
‘Why don’t we fit?’
‘You want to be a loner in the woods?’ he asks drily.
‘I don’t know,’ I reply with a shrug. ‘Maybe.’
He narrows his eyes at me.
‘At least it’s just you and me here,’ I add. ‘No one else to interfere or fuck it up.’
‘Just us,’ he says. ‘We’d still fuck it up.’
‘Not necessarily.’
He moodily returns his gaze to the view outside the windows.
I do the same, and soon the warmth of the fire coupled with the cosiness of his blanket and the sound of the rain makes my chest feel heavy.
I adjust my position, wishing desperately that we could go back in time, before things went south, and that I could lie on his crappy sofa, my head in his lap, while he strokes my hair.
His eyes cut to mine. I stare back at him, my half-closed eyes opening fully.
He jerks his chin in the direction of his bedroom. ‘Go and have a lie-down.’
I do feel very, very sleepy, but I’m reluctant to leave him so I stay where I am.
A couple of minutes later, my head lolls and I jerk awake to find him watching me. There’s a light in his eyes, an amusement. It gives me a fizzy feeling as I snuggle deeper beneath the blanket.
The next thing I know, I’m in his arms again, blanket and all, and he’s carrying me into his bedroom. My heart warms and opens as I reach up to touch his beard.
He frowns and lays me down carefully on his bed.
‘Just rest awhile,’ he commands, flipping the other half of the duvet over me and backing up into a standing position.
I’m too tired to argue.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
When I come to, the rain has slowed to a gentle drumming. I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling.
No wonder this room is so light – it has two big skylights. I lift my head and smile. There, on a high raised platform accessed by a wooden ladder, is his big white telescope. My heart floods with love.
Sitting up fully, I notice my suitcase on the floor. What? How did he get that?
I climb out of bed and open it up, riffling through the contents until I find jeans, a T-shirt, a jumper and fresh underwear. I get dressed quickly and come out of the bedroom to the smell of frying bacon.
‘Hey,’ I say.
Ash is at the hob. He gives me a quick once-over before returning his attention to what he’s doing.
‘How did you get my suitcase?’
‘I found your car key in your bag. Didn’t think you’d mind. Took it to a charging station before driving it back down here. Figured you could do with some clothes that fit.’
‘That’s amazing, thank you. I really appreciate it.’
I kind of liked wearinghisclothes, but there’s no doubting I look better in mine.
