“I’m sorry. I’m okay.” She sniffles and looks embarrassed.
“It’s okay.” I take a solid step away from her. “Now tell me what the hell happened here and why the hell you’re walking around in your underwear.” She takes a deep breath and begins.
9
Cora
Matt’s usually friendly tone is menacing. What is he doing here? How did he know I was in trouble? I wonder as I stare up at his face. Even wearing a furious expression, the man is downright gorgeous, and I feel a twinge of longing down there.
I drop my gaze in embarrassment only to look back up into his sharp blue eyes.
I’m practically naked, I realize hysterically.
My alarm and embarrassment must be evident all over my face because Matt’s own expression seems to relax ever so slightly as his eyes shift and roam freely over my barely-clothed form. His gaze goes from my blushing face to my heaving breasts and then moves a little lower to my nearly see-through panties.
But to my surprise, I’m not self-conscious from his scrutiny but instead kind of turned on by it. And for just one second, I wonder what it would be like if his hands were to follow the same trail his eyes just made down my body. And then his lips.
Oh my god, Cora, stop fantasizing! I scold myself. This is such a ridiculous time and place to be fantasizing about your ex-father-in-law!
In some ways, though, maybe my little fantasy isn’t so out of line. After all, he did just burst into my house and rescue me, I acknowledge. Plus, it doesn’t help that even after fighting an actual fire, Matt looks like a towering god, with those sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes and…
“Cora.” The sharp sound of my name coming from Matt’s lips jolts me from my reverie.
“Sorry. I – I need to, let me go find something to put on.” Suddenly mortified by my dirty thoughts and almost naked body, I scoot around Matt and run to the couch to grab a blanket.
Quickly I unfold the quilt and start to drape it around me only to realize it’s sopping wet from the water hose. The water drips onto my skin and immediately seeps into my bra, making my nipples go taut from the chill. From the kitchen, Matt watches me with an unreadable look in his eyes, as if he wants to say or do something. But instead, he merely stands back and observes my struggle with the soggy cloth.
I drop the offending blanket and scurry to the entryway closet, hoping to find something less absurd in there. I dig around for a minute and finally emerge with a large coat. I struggle into it, and thankfully, it’s still dry. But the coat only covers my torso – the damn thing barely reaches down to my panties!
Well, at least it’s better than nothing, I decide ruefully and raise my chin as I walk back to the kitchen and the lecture I know is coming.
Matt looks at me, raising his eyebrows in amusement.
I tug the coat down discreetly, but it’s no use. The movement only draws Matt’s eyes to my barely-covered pussy, and I blush all over again. Resigned, I cross my arms in front of my chest and ask Matt my own questions before he can start scolding me.
“What are you doing here? How did you even know where I was?” I demand, indignation rising in my voice.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Matt’s deep voice is even lower than before. “That’s some thanks, Cora.”
Chastened, I lower my head.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Thank you, really. The fire was out of control and if you hadn’t shown up when you did – ” I stop, my voice catching as the fear of the previous moments comes rushing back in.
But Matt doesn’t comfort me. Rather, he turns away and walks further into the kitchen, his brooding form huge and ominous in the small space. I follow him timidly, unsure what to do or say. I don’t have to wait long because Matt spins around and grabs my arms, anger flashing across his handsome face.
“What the hell were you thinking, starting a fire like that? Were you trying to get yourself killed?” Matt’s voice is sharp.
“What?” I ask indignantly. “Are you crazy? No!” I shove his hands off of my shoulders and give Matt my most outraged glare. “No, I was cold, the power went out, and I just started a fire in the fireplace. I mean that is what a fireplace is for, right?” A hint of sarcasm sneaks into my own voice, but I don’t care. How dare he just show up and assume the worst?
Matt takes a deep breath and sighs. It’s obvious to me that he’s trying to control some underlying emotion.
“Cora, I didn’t mean that. It’s just when I walked in, you were practically standing in the middle of a burning blaze.”