“I can’t wait to play assistant.”
“You might regret saying that when your toes are freezing.”
I parked in front of the cabin and turned off the engine. “I’m tough.”
Her lips twitched. “You’ve already admitted you’re a spoiled actor.”
“Can’t I be both?”
“I guess there’s no reason why not.”
“Good.” I pushed open my door. “Let’s check this place out.”
We gave the dogs a command to stay and started towards the cabin. Snow covered any sort of path and the front steps, but the porch was dry. I pulled out the keys Hayes had given me and unlocked the front door, tugging it open.
As we stepped inside, a low-level heat greeted us. I was sure the temperature was whatever was required to keep the pipes from freezing. The living area was one big room that held a large stone fireplace bracketed by windows. There was a comfortable-looking couch, a couple of overstuffed armchairs, and bookcases ladened with worn paperbacks.
Laiken was already moving towards those shelves. “It’s been so long since I’ve read a whole book in a few days.”
“Now’s the time.” I could see us here, curled up on the couch. Laiken reading and me simply staring at her.
She plucked a Stephen King novel from the bookcase. “I never read horror when I’m home alone, but since I know you’ll be in the next room, it’s the perfect time.”
I didn’t want to sleep in separate rooms. I wanted the feel of Laiken’s body against mine. I’d never slept better than the two nights we’d fallen asleep on my couch. But I also didn’t want to push. Instead, I shot her a grin. “You can wake me up anytime. I’ll chase the bogeymen away.”
24
Laiken
I rolledto my back in bed, just a hint of light seeping through the curtained window. The bed felt cold. Not because the heat was too low, but because I knew I could’ve had Boden’s fire next to me. I could’ve had that heat kissing my skin all night long. Instead, I’d gone to bed alone with nothing but Stephen King to keep me company. Even Gizmo had abandoned me, choosing to curl up on the dog bed with Peaches.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, crossing to the window. I pulled back the curtain, and my jaw dropped open. I could no longer see any glimpse of my beautiful mountains. Thick, gray clouds covered the peaks, and snow swirled in thick rivulets. The ground, which already had a dusting, was now completely covered in the white stuff.
I hurried out of the bedroom. “Boden?”
He stumbled out of his bedroom, rubbing at his eyes. “You okay?”
“Did you check the weather before we left yesterday?”
He nodded. “It called for snow flurries today. Sun tomorrow.”
I grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the front door. Opening it, a blast of freezing air hit us. “I don’t think this is flurries.”
There had to be at least two feet already, and it was accumulating fast. Boden’s eyes bugged. “Shit. There’s no way we’ll be able to drive in this.”
“You said it was Hayes who hooked you up with the cabin?”
“Yeah, it belongs to one of his friends.”
“He knows we’re here. He’ll get a plow up here once the snow stops.” It wasn’t as if we could call anyone. There was zero phone service up here. I stepped back inside, closing the door. “I hope you brought enough food in case we get stuck up here.”
Boden grinned. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“What was I thinking? There’s probably enough in the kitchen to get us through a nuclear attack.”
He shrugged. “Better safe than sorry.”
I moved to the dog bed and hooked Gizmo up to his wheels. “Did you see a snow shovel anywhere? Gizmo will drown in that much snow if I don’t clear a path.”