Page 23 of Dare To Live

It’s not outside the realms of possibility that one has woken from hibernation and broken into the cabin in search of food.

A quick glance toward the door tells me that’s not possible. A bear wouldn’t have closed and locked the door behind it. Reaching the doorway, I raise the poker.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

There’s a small scream, and then my gaze is filled with wide blue eyes and blonde hair.

The poker clatters to the floor.

“Arabella?”

Chapter 13

Arabella

Heart in my mouth, I scream, and spin around. Eli is in the doorway, wielding a poker. The look of shock on his face is almost comical as he drops his weapon onto the floor.

“Arabella?”

“What the fuck, Eli?” I snap, my voice shrill.

“I thought you were a fucking bear!”

“Really? Really?” I glare at him and shove him back through the door. He moves back a step, and I tell myself I don’t notice how solid his chest is. “Well, Merry fucking Christmas to you too!”

“Christmas?” he repeats.

I nod. “You’ve been out of it for three days. It’s Christmas Day, or what’s left of it, at least.”

He eyes me, rubbing a hand across his bearded jaw. “Why are you sneaking around my kitchen?”

“I was trying to find the keys to the woodshed. The fire went out last night, and I’ve been tearing the place apart trying to find them.” I nail him with a glare, while trying to stop my teeth from chattering. “I’m also trying to cook dinner, and make sure you don’t starve to death.”

He rolls his eyes. “You could have just turned the heat on.”

“What heat system?” My voice is flat.

“The one I had installed.” He folds his arms, and tilts his head, and the move is so much the Eli I knew all those years ago, that my mouth dries up.

I scowl. “Well, that would have been useful to know when I first turned up.”

“I wasn’t expecting visitors. Sorry I didn’t put a fucking welcome sign up detailing all the available luxuries. I thought you fucked off the same day you arrived.”

“Of course, you did.” I stoop and pick the poker up from the floor. “Because I’m an evil heartless bitch who wants to see you suffer.”

His footsteps follow behind me. “You said it, not me.”

I place the poker back beside the hearth, and then spin to face him. “Could you just get some heat in here, please, before I become an ice cube?”

His chest moves with an irritable huff. “Fine.”

I go back into the kitchen to check on the boiling vegetables and small turkey I have cooking then lean against the counter and close my eyes.

I’m so tired. I’ve been living on no more than snatches of sleep for the last few days, while I focused on nursing Eli back to health.

“It’s on.” His tone is clipped.

I keep my eyes closed, wrapping my arms around myself as another bout of shivering hits me. “Hallefuckinglujah.”

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