Page 34 of For Now

Me: Apparently, we are going to acabin.

Emma: OMG.Yay!

Me: Don’t do that. I can’t even begin to tell you how nervous Iam.

Emma: Did you pack something pretty to wear? Something lacyperhaps?

Me:Stop.

Emma: What? All I’m saying is that if something does happen, do you really want to be wearing your very grandma-like laundry dayunderwear?

Me: OMG. I packed plenty of those types of things, okay? This isn’t helping atall.

Emma: Relax, D. Listen, you like him. He very obviously likes you. I’m really glad you decided to give him a chance. Now you just have to enjoy it. But you’d better text me later and dish about every deliciousdetail.

Me: Deal. Thx, Em. Loveyou.

Samuel arrived back and we threw our bags into the back of his car and hit the road. It wasn’t really that far at all. Just a few miles outside the city. We played twenty questions again and shared songs with each other. The cabin was a cute little place, secluded and surrounded by beautifully bare trees. It was really starting to get cold outside so I was hoping this place hadheat.

The cabin featured a cozy living room area with a fireplace as the focal point, a small kitchen toward the back, and a spiral staircase leading up to a loft bedroom area and a bathroom. There was no television in sight and the rest of the furniture looked older but well kept. Much to my liking, it wasn’t terribly cold inside, but Samuel still offered to make a fire to make it even cozier. I took my bag up into the loft. And then I stared at the bed. One bed. Not that I was expecting anything different but staring at it was starting to make me feel panicky.We will be sharing that bed later.I looked around and there was no television up here either. This place was really a throwback. I peeked into the small bathroom to see the basics. Everything looked clean and there were fresh towels hangingup.

I heard Samuel downstairs in the kitchen, unpacking the few grocery items we brought with us and I heard the bottles of wine clinking together. We had stopped on our way out of town and picked up some really delicious stuff to cook. Samuel insisted we indulge and even offered to cook all of it, to which I didn’t protest at all. I could hear the crackle of the fire that had really started to build up. These sounds were all the makings of a pleasant weekend if I didn’t ruin it by beingmyself.

Samuel came up and plopped his bag onto the floor and then himself down on the bed, wiggling back and forth then nodding as if giving the bed approval. “It’s pretty cozy, actually,” hesaid.

“Well, that’s good. I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable sleeping next to me,” Iteased.

Samuel got up and sauntered over to me in a way I had only seen a few times. He stopped in front of me and pushed the hair back from my face. I liked it when he got the hair out of myface.

“Delilah, we could be sleeping on the cold wooden floor downstairs covered up with a wool blanket and it would still be the most comfortable I’ve ever been because you’d be there.” He kissed me delicately on the tip of mynose.

I smiled with my eyes closed. ‘Well, sir. Now that you’ve made me blush, what do you plan on doing for the rest of the day?” Iasked.

“Oh, I can think of a few things I’d like to do.” Samuel raised his eyebrow at me and gave me agrin.

I felt warm. Melty. Hot. He was good at teasing me and I hated it. But I also really loved it. I closed my eyes and tried not to say or do anything to provoke him further. I swallowed hard, my mouth slightly open. I could feel him breathing on myskin.

He stepped back. I opened my eyes to see him sort of collecting himself back up. He straightened his back. It was like we were both on drugs, both fighting thehigh.

“I’ll make us some lunch.” He nodded, headingdownstairs.

I stood here, eyes wide.Jesus,fuck.

I joined him in the kitchen at the small bar. I was hungry, but not for this turkey sandwich. I ate it anyway, hoping to distract myself. It was actually pretty good. But it was not as good as the things I wasthinking.

“I thought maybe after we finished eating, we could take a walk?” he said, half-asking.

“In the cold?!” I shrieked. Taking a walk in the cold wintery forest was not my idea ofrelaxation.

“Oh, it’s not that cold. And besides, you can wear one of my big sweaters for extra layering if you want. Plus I have hot chocolate for when we get back,” he said, smiling his dimply smile that I found absolutely irresistible. The man could talk me into anything with thatsmile.

“But did you bring marshmallows?” Iasked.

“What kind of person would I be if I didn’t bring marshmallows for the hot chocolate?” he asked, holding out a bag of mini marshmallows he’d taken from the cupboard. He had me and he knewit.

A few minutes later, and after I had thoroughly bundled myself up into two shirts including his and my coat and scarf, we were out the door and making our way around the cabin to a trail that led off the back. It was cold, and I didn’t like it, but I wasn’t going to complain. At least out loud. He held my hand and guided me down the path. It was that time of year when autumn had just begun but it felt like winter was already settling in. Everything was dead and brown. All the colorful leaves were gone. I didn’t mind it all that much. I felt something very calming in the lack of color. I just didn’t like the cold that came with it, which was ironic considering my favorite way to sleep was with a fan blowing on me. Somehow that feltdifferent.

We rounded trees and even crossed a couple of little man-made bridges along the trail before the wooded area opened up to a creek. I closed my eyes and listened to the water running over the rocks making the most pleasant rippling sound. Samuel squeezed my hand. We made eye contact and watched our steamy breath swirl around in the space between us. He pulled me into him and gave me a gentle kiss. If ever there was a time I was cold, it was notnow.

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