Can you not be so exhausting all the time?
I sent you a money request so you can reimburse me for my ruined muddy shoes.
But Wilder wasn’t treating me like I was an inconvenience, and even his gentle scolding didn’t fill me with shame.
“I might not be an expert hiker, but I am about to crush you in go fish.”
He shook his head as he settled back on the couch. “Bring it.”
11
Wilder
Lucy ended up crushing mein multiple games of go fish. She said it was because of her card-playing prowess, and I wasn’t about to admit that the real reason was because her presence was so wildly distracting I couldn’t focus on my cards for shit.
My cabin was usually quiet. Sometimes I turned on the staticky radio to fill the silence, but the shitty reception—especially during rain or snowstorms—meant I usually gave up on it. But Lucy filled the space with her constant joyful chatter. I’d learned she grew up in Starlight Grove with four moms and a brother. The more she shared, the more obvious it became that our lives were nothing alike. She loved her friends and participating in town events, while I’d purchased this cabin specifically to avoid social interaction.
The little omega made a content noise as she snuggled deeper into my chest. She’d drifted off a while ago, moving closer to me in her sleep until she was curled up against my side. I stayed frozen, unwilling to risk any movement that would wake her. I was fucking playing with fire. We could never be together, but in my heavily medicated state, I let myself soak up these moments.
Eventually, sleep pulled at me, and I knew my time was up. I gently shifted her until she was in my arms. She let out the cutest little disgruntled noise before blinking her eyes open.
“Time for bed,” I said, my voice low.
Her arms wrapped around me and she rubbed her cheek against my chest. I didn’t know if she was intentionally scent-marking me, but I knew with certainty that I would never wash this flannel.
I gently put her down on my bed, pulling the covers back and arranging a pillow to place under her leg.
“How’s your ankle? Do you want more ice or pain meds?”
She shook her head. “Feels fine.” Her words were slightly slurred and her eyes closed.
“Just shout if you need anything.”
A line appeared between her eyebrows as she blinked her eyes open. “Where are you going?”
“I’m sleeping on the couch.”
She shook her head and pushed up to a seated position. “No. I should take the couch.”
Fuck no. “Lie down, Lucy.”
“Wilder, you’ve already done too much for me. You worked a long shift and then had to rescue me. You need a good night’s sleep.”
“No.”
“But—”
“The couch isn’t safe. It’s right by the front door.”
She frowned. “So?”
“So, if someone were to break in, they would reach the couch first.”
“Do you have many burglars making their way up the mountain during a storm?”
My traitorous lips twitched with the temptation to smile. “You’re taking the bed. The storm should quiet down overnight, and I’ll drive you back to town in the morning.”
Her lip jutted out in a pout, but she laid back down. “You could always lie down with me,” she murmured.
