Page 31 of Since Day One

“You didn’t have to look.” I crossed my arms beneath my chest purposefully bolstering the sight once more, and he blinked, gesturing a hand in my direction.

“There you go again.”

“So, what you’re saying is you enjoy looking.” I grinned maliciously, and he rolled his eyes, but I could see the smile behind the palm that finally fell from his face.

“It really was an accident.” I paused. “At first. I just used an opportunity that presented itself.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “Well, at least I lost with a good view.” He wiggled his brows and shot his gaze forward, blatantly staring this time.

I placed a hand against the bare portion of my chest and gasped. “How dare you objectify me,” I teased. He rapidly reached across the table, wrapping a hand gently around my wrist and pulling it away.

“You displayed it. I get to look.”

“The moment we leave this cabin, this never happened. Until then, I will let you look as much as you’d like. Deal?” I blurted out without thinking, before realizing what I also insinuated along with my spoken words.

Shock pulled his eyes wide for a moment. Tipping his head slowly, a hungry gaze wiped the surprise away. “Deal. But keep in mind that this was your idea, Princess. I don’t need to see any part of you to know I like what’s there.“ Gunnar lowered the wrist he was still holding and whispered one more sentence. “But I also won’t ever deny the opportunity.”

Immediately clenching my legs together in response to a rush of emotions I hadn’t felt in years, the world around me spun slower. A ticking time bomb rose around us as my gaze locked onto his, and I was lost in the swirling irises that held me in a thick trance.

To him, I wasn’t an object. Yet, for him, I don’t think I’d mind being one. He made me feel powerful and strong; he saw through all the crap that my family displayed. He didn’t see me as some crazy girl; he knew some of the baggage I was carrying and still openly admitted he found me attractive.

I gaped widely at him, trying to calm my own urges while simultaneously realizing how quickly things had just shifted. It didn’t scare me, but it did pull me into unknown territory with someone I was stranded with in the middle of a snowstorm. Which didn’t seem to have slowed down an ounce since we arrived here.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Willow,” Gunnar quickly said, moving away from me.

“Uncomfortable isn’t it,” I mumbled, letting my eyes wander down his body for the first time. Thick. Powerful. Broad. Strong hands that I wanted to have run across my skin. The glint in his eyes became knowing as he read my body language and seemed to read my mind. I immediately blushed, rapidly pulling my knees up to my chest and hiding away.

“Don’t turn all bashful on me now.”

I stuck my tongue out at him. “Go away.”

“You don’t really want me to go away, now, do you, Princess?” he growled with desire, and every part of my body roared with a hot, dripping warmth. No, no I didn’t. Gunnar grinned in recognition and inhaled deeply. “What you’re feeling is so strong, I can smell it.”

“I think that’s you who’s in desperate need of a shower,” I bantered sarcastically, grateful for my wit coming in handy despite the lack of brain function I was experiencing.

He laughed, raising an arm and sniffing. His nose crinkled in disgust. “You might just be right.” Gunnar stood up, glancing at the Monopoly board that held the evidence of his loss. “We don’t have running water so in order for us to bathe, we will have to boil pots of snow and take sponge baths. Which is not that glamorous at all.”

“It’s a way to get clean, and that’s all that matters,” I answered with a smile, only mildly grateful for a subject change. It wouldn’t be the first time my shower or bath came by different means than the usual set up, though it would be the first time I ended up in this situation unintentionally.

Gunnar studied me for a moment, his gaze drilling into me with this strange look. Not one that scared me, but one that held something like admiration. A look that I would desire to see again and again. Maybe, just maybe, I would finally be enough for someone.

He smiled tenderly and stood up. “You can go first while the water is still warm. Plus, I’m probably a little dirtier than you are.”

“You’re not even going to try to play some card to convince me to bathe with you?” I asked, teasingly. He chuckled and shook his head as I pushed myself off of the floor and followed him to the door.

“Don’t think I didn’t consider it. Especially knowing that you weren’t lying about those assets of yours,” he replied, tugging his boots on, and I did the same.

I clicked my tongue, and he lifted a questioning brow. “Such a waste,” I purred, and his jaw fell open as I tracked back toward the kitchen to find some of the bigger pots.

“Are you saying you’d agree?” he asked, stunned and standing frozen by the door. I pulled out two massive stock pots—the kind that I used to find above my fridge and that my mom would break out for holidays when we were entertaining.

“I guess you’ll never know since you didn’t ask.” I flashed a cheeky grin, returning with the two pots, and extending one of them to a still, stiff Gunnar.

“Wa-wa-want—“ he stuttered, and I pushed the silver pot against his torso. A grunt escaped from his lips as he wrapped a hand around it, pulling it from my grip. He shook his head vigorously, the tousled curls ruffling with the movement.

“Want to join me?” he finally blurted out.

“I’m not that kind of girl,” I answered with a grin as I opened the front door. Snow flew in, already piled high against the threshold, nearly knocking me off my feet. The wind caught the collar of the shirt that was still tipped over the edge of my exposed shoulder and practically blew me backward a second time and sent chills all over my skin.

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