“This place is magical.”
It is. I try to imagine what it would be like to live in a place like this, but I can’t think of anything more perfect for us than the desert. That’s not to say I won’t try to come here every year at this time to celebrate.
“We should probably get out.” His right. Who knows how long we’ve been out here. With a shift of his hips, he slips out of me, and I instantly feel like a part of me is missing. I know my body will yearn for him until he’s deep inside me again.
Pivoting me to the side, Bodhi picks me up bridal style before he stands and steps out of the water and onto the deck. My body shivers as the freezing air hits me. I can’t imagine how cold it would be if the heater weren’t on. Instead of wrapping me in the robe, he takes long strides to the door before quickly locking us away inside. He moves with purpose toward the bed, pulling the thick comforter back and then carefully depositing me before climbing in behind me and wrapping me in his strong arms.
The warm press of his body against every inch of mine has my eyes drifting closed only a second after resting my head on his bicep.
The last thing I hear before I drift off to sleep is how much he loves me.
CHAPTER3
BODHI
Coco steps into the kitchen in a pair of flannel pajama pants, a sweatshirt, and bare feet. Her brows are pulled together as she looks at her pink toenails. “Have you seen my socks?”
“They were on the bed when I left to make us some breakfast.” I slide the cheesy eggs onto a plate, waiting with bacon for Coco. Even though she watches cooking shows all the time, she still hasn’t gotten the hang of cooking and not burning it, so I volunteered to make us breakfast this morning.
“I looked everywhere, and I can’t find them. Can I borrow a pair of yours?”
Placing the pan back on the stove, I move to wrap my arms around her waist and hug her to me. “Of course, you can. I’ll go grab them and look for yours as well.”
“Thank you,” she pops up on her toes and kisses my chin.
Heading up the stairs, I’m instantly on alert. I didn’t mention it to Coco in case it was nothing, but the shirt I wore yesterday is also missing. Maybe I’m making too much out of our missing items, but I can’t help it after everything Coco’s been through. I will always remain hyper-vigilant where she’s concerned. She doesn’t deserve another ounce of pain in her life after what her ex did to her.
I scour the bedroom and bathroom, looking for our missing garments, and find nothing. Well, except for the fact that I can’t find my polka dot underwear that Coco loves so much.
Why would anyone be stealing our clothes, though? And who?
My mind instantly goes to the older man who rented the house to us. He does have a key and would know where to hide for us not to see him.
Grabbing a pair of my socks, I go back downstairs to find Coco finishing up the breakfast I made for her. Kneeling down, I turn her chair and slide my socks onto her tiny feet.
“I take it you didn’t find my socks.” She frowns.
For a brief moment, I think about not telling her, but she needs to know, and I don’t want to hide anything from her. For Coco to be safe, she needs to be aware of the situation. “I don’t want to alarm you, but I have a couple of items missing as well.”
“Well, too late,” she laughs nervously, sitting up ramrod straight in her chair and scanning the area.
Pulling her up, I hold her to me, rubbing one hand up and down her back. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know you won’t, and that’s what worries me.” I know that I look down at her with a quizzical look on my face. Coco buries her face in my chest and shudders. “I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”
“I feel the exact same way about you. That’s why I’ll go to the ends of the earth to protect you.”
“If you get shot again, I’ll never forgive you,” she cries, her hands twisting the fabric of my shirt in the back.
“Just as I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt.” I look out into the winter wonderland outside and then down at Coco. “Let’s get dressed and go outside to see if we can find any tracks or anything. Maybe we’re overreacting.” I sure as hell hope we are, but where are our clothes then?
“Yeah,” she pulls back and tries to give me a smile but fails. “I’m sure we’re just being overly sensitive. No one knows we’re here except for that sweet old man.”
I sure as hell hope that’s the case.
It doesn’t take us long to put on our winter gear that Coco had somehow hidden in the back of my SUV. It still feels wrong to call it mine, but Coco insisted I needed my own vehicle. Ever since meeting her, my life has seemed like a dream I never want to wake up from. I’m still in awe every day that Coco looked past everything; the long hair and beard, my dirty clothes, and my homelessness. Instead, she saw what I had always wanted the world to see. Me.
Hand in hand, we descend the stairs into a world of white. The SUV has at least four inches of snow covering it, and there isn’t a single track to be found.