Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
But I’ll take what I can get.
I sigh and when he starts walking, I follow, resigned to my fate. I wanted to pick a fight because of how miserable this all is, but he manages to calm me down even in these dire circumstances.
“‘Honey’ sounds nice,” I mumble.
“You like that?” he shouts back as the rain intensifies. I reach for his hand, but it’s so cold we both decide to focus on just reaching our destination instead of holding hands like two babies on a Victorian Valentine’s card.
The trek is miserable, but I also find myself battling guilt over going after him so hard. Cassian booked us a cabin because he wanted to spend time with me, away from everyone else, and here I am, only pointing out the bad things.
Still, I know there is no point in having this conversation now, so I drag one foot after the other, following Cassian’s lead. I don’t know how much time passes before he utters a loud cry of victory.
“We’re here!”
“What? Where?”
I look around, and a lightning bolt illuminates the sky revealing a dark cabin at the top of the hill we’ve been climbing.
I wished to hide from the rain, but now that I see the place, I’m freaked out by how spooky it appears.
“What if there’s squatters?” I ask. “Not that I’m scared or anything!”
“There’s no squatters. Just look how dark it is,” Cassian says and grabs my arm, instantly invigorated. The air smells of moist dirt and leaves, but right now I want nothing more than to leave those wonderful natural scents behind and follow Cass to the dark silhouette of the building. There’s also a shed close by, but we ignore it and dash straight for the main building.
Cass had the presence of mind to place the keys in the pocket of his jacket instead of burying them somewhere in the backpack, but when we enter the space, it feels icier than the air outside. On the upside, there’s no wind pulling me left and right, and no rain pouring down on me, so I shut the door behind me and exhale.
“That was… intense,” Cass says, and moments later his cell phone illuminates our faces.
I look around. “This feels like we’re in a zombie game and about to be murdered.”
I try my flashlight again, but the battery must have run out completely. I’m trembling when I take off my backpack, and Cass finds some candles on a rickety table.
“Okay, we’re here. Maybe much later than planned, and on the verge of hypothermia, but at least we reached our destination, and I can start taking care of you,” he says and lights a thick candle.
The cabin consists of a large room with a double bed on the far side, and a cooking area close to where we stand. There is no television, but books are sprinkled in a few spaces among trophies and dated decor. There’s an odd aroma in the air, a bit like damp wood, but since I spot no leaks, I figure it’s the result of the wooden building being old and left unheated for most of the year. Whatever, we’ll only be here for a day.
“Ooh, look, they left wood in the fireplace,” Cassian says with an amount of enthusiasm that feels inappropriate when we’re in such a miserable state. But maybe he just wants to pump us both up with hope for a bit of warmth.
He approaches the stone structure which has planks and logs piled up in its mouth. Bits of newspaper are tucked between the wooden chunks, and Cassian hurriedly lights several of them before glancing my way with a grin.
He’s irresistible when he smiles, but I still throw my wet jacket at him.
“I can’t wait to be warm again,” I say as the fire begins spreading and illuminates the room with a yellow glow.
Cassian rolls back to his ass and lies down on the floor with a laugh. “I’ve provided!” His eyes glint my way. If my legs weren’t covered with icy mud, I’d crawl on top of him to share warmth.
“Did you now? Better provide snacks.” I shake my head as I pull off my soaked boots. Maybe they’ll dry until tomorrow. I have to reluctantly admit that with the fire burning, the cabin is evolving from a home for ghosts and murderers to a cozy place I’ll gladly spend the night in.
Cassian rolls to his knees and gets up, shaking his backpack. “Why don’t you wash all that mud off with an icy shower, while I get us something to eat?” he asks, and when he kisses me, his lips feel shockingly hot on my cool skin.
My shoulders sag. Of course there’s no heating. “I suppose I should be glad there’s a shower at all, huh?”
On the bright side, I do have pajamas packed, which will be warm and dry after I wash in liquid ice. I even hang my T-shirt and pajama pants on the back of a chair and put them close to the fire so they’re nice and toasty by the time I get back.