Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
I knew I couldn’t resist his stare.
I peered past him to the window. The snow had finally stopped, the wind blowing itself out in the night. We’d spent all our time in bed, talking, eating makeshift meals in the kitchen. Drinking wine or, for him, whiskey. We sat on the sofa and played card games. Laughed. Talked more. I knew about his upbringing, and he admitted his hurt over the woman who had tried to trick him.
I confessed to being heartbroken at the news of never having kids. I admitted how scared I had been when Alan started stalking me. How alone I felt.
Somehow our confessions seemed easier in the confines of the cottage, the storm outside a protective barrier as we shared our secrets.
The bed was warm and cozy, Sully his own furnace. The air was still chilly, but the heater worked well, making it at least livable. I returned my gaze to him, finding his eyes open, studying me.
“Hi,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “What has you thinking so hard?”
“Nothing. The storm is over, I think.”
“It calmed down around four.”
“Do you think trains will run today?”
He shook his head. “Not until tomorrow at the earliest. Limited service, but I think they’ll start.” He traced a finger down my cheek. “Anxious to get away from me, Autumn?”
“No.”
A smile split his face. “Good.”
“I need to let Bonnie know I’m okay. Check on my aunt if I can.”
“We’ll walk to the village later. We can get cell signals. Even my booster didn’t work with the storm.”
“I know. I had tried using my cell earlier but got no signal. I wasn’t really worried at that point, but I didn’t know how long the storm was going to rage on for.”
“I don’t think anyone did.”
“Okay, so we’ll walk to the village and check in with people who might be worried.”
“Aye. I think Bonnie leaves a set of warm boots in the cupboard you can use. I doubt the runners I saw when I got here will do much to keep your feet from freezing.”
“Sounds good.”
“Coffee first.”
I hummed. “Yes.”
“You make such good coffee,” he said, nudging me, his eyes dancing with mischief.
“Sully, it’s cold outside this bed. You make the coffee.”
He rolled over instead and pinned me to the mattress. “How about I warm you up first? Then you make me coffee?”
“Sounds like a fair deal,” I replied, my voice breathless.
He lowered his face, tracing a nipple with his tongue. “I’ll make it more than fair.”
And he did.
SULLY
The trek to the village was slow. The usual paths were obscured with the amount of snow around. Although, now the sun was out, and the snow was already glistening as it started to melt. The boots Autumn borrowed were too big, but she tied them tightly around her ankles to stop them from falling off. Her gait amused me, being more like a horse clopping than her usual graceful walk. I teased her, and she threw a snowball at me. I tossed her into the snow and kissed her until she promised to behave, then pulled her out of the drift and brushed her off. I barely recognized myself. I wanted to make her laugh and grin. I liked teasing her—her reactions making me smile. She did a lot of things that made me smile.
We got to the village, heading straight to the pub. We walked in, and it felt as if every eye was on us. Mostly because they were. I had never walked into the pub with anyone but Bonnie. I ignored the curious stares, pulling Autumn through the crowd to a vacant booth I saw in the corner. I headed to the bar, ordering drinks and some lunch while Autumn called her aunt and Bonnie. Mrs. Harris looked up at me from her seat at the counter. “Well now,” she drawled, obviously recognizing Autumn and knowing I had been at the cottage as well.
“Don’t even start,” I warned. “What’s the news on the trains?”
“If they can make it from Edinburgh tomorrow afternoon, there’ll be one at six heading back. If not, then on Monday.”
“Right.” I picked up the drinks and nodded at the barman. “Thanks, Scotty.”
I carried the tray to the table. Autumn was on the phone. “No, I’m fine, Bonnie. I was perfectly safe at the cottage.” She listened a moment. “No. Everything was great. I’m heading back once the trains start running.”
“Tomorrow, maybe,” I mouthed, wondering why that word made me so unhappy.
“Tomorrow,” she repeated to my cousin. “So, I’ll see you Monday. If there’s an issue, then Tuesday.”
She said her goodbyes, then hung up.
I smirked at her. “I noticed you didn’t tell her I was here with you.”
She picked up her glass, taking a sip. “I didn’t have the strength for those questions over the phone. I’ll tell her in person. Besides, I had no idea what you wanted me to say. Or if you wanted me to pretend this never happened.”