Page 28 of Stuck with My Bossy Protector

“I wasn’t very nice to you. I’m sorry for that.”

“I think saving my life a few times in twenty-four hours more than makes up for that.”

He chuckles and then kisses me softly on the lips. “Hey, I’m just doing my job.”

“Well, you’re amazing at it,” I whisper, my fingertips tracing the lines of his face. My heart swells with affection.

“You know what I could really go for right about now?”

“What?”

“A shot of whiskey,” he smiles. “Maybe two.”

“When we get back to civilization, I will buy you a whole bottle of whiskey. You can have all the shots you want.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Chapter twelve

Noah

We lay together on the mattress, the only light coming from the crackling fire, but Mia feels distant. I can sense it, the way she’s pulling away. I guess she might be having some regrets about what just happened.

I didn’t.

We aren’t out of danger yet. I know we still have to hope someone comes for us. A walk back to the plane is not going to be pleasant.

“It was just sex,” I tell her. “Don’t overthink it.”

She offers a shy smile. The fire casts flickering shadows across her face, highlighting the tension in her expression. “Yeah, I know,” she murmurs. “I’m just...not used to this kind of thing. I don’t typically have sex with random strangers. I’m not someone that does the one-night thing.”

“I’m not either, really. But we’re here, in this cabin, in the middle of nowhere, after surviving a blizzard together. The circumstances are unusual, to say the least. I think we get a free pass.” I weave our fingers together, watching her relax a little. “We’re going to be okay. A little sex after a series of near-death experiences isn’t all that unusual. We’re riding the high of being alive.”

She nods again but doesn’t say anything more. There is a pop and sizzle as a drop of sap escapes, only to boil away in an instant. The cabin is warm now. Cozy. There’s really no need for us to sleep together on the floor. One of us could very easily move to the couch. But if I have to choose between the floor and the sofa, lying next to her naked body will win every time.

I can feel the exhaustion creeping up on me. My muscles ache from the cold and the march through the wilderness. I’m actually pretty proud of myself for even being able to perform. I didn’t think I had the energy. That is a testament to her sweet body and the need to remind myself that I am very much alive.

“My friend, Eric, he must have been held up because of the storm. Or maybe he left before it started.”

I frown, trying to piece together what she’s saying. “Are you sure he knew you were coming today?”

“Yesterday,” she corrects. “I told him I would be here yesterday. He was going to spend a few days here with me to track the wolves, and then we planned to head out together.”

“How?”

“Snowmobiles.”

“Is this something you guys do often?” I ask. “Cozy up in this nice little cabin way off the grid.”

I wonder if the guy is married and if this is their love nest. I don’t know why I’m jealous, but I am. I don’t like the idea of her with another man.

“He’s like a father to me,” she laughs.

She picked up on my jealousy. I hate it. But that doesn’t stop me from asking more about this man. “How old is he?”

“He’s fifty,” she says, turning to look at me with a playful smile. She twists my nipple, causing me to pull back and laugh. “Ow!”

“And he’s married. It’s not like that. He’s just been there for me, you know? His wife is wonderful. She is like a second mom to me.”

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