“You might be faster than me, but I’m bigger,” Mick slurs at me as Lana and I drag him down the hall to his bed.
“Trust me, I know,” I tell him, hitching him up as he stumbles. “Much bigger.”
“I thought you said you’d have one drink,” Lana chastises him.
“I don’t drink, Lana. It’s been a while,” Mick slurs again.
We make it to the Heatwave room and dump him onto the bed watching him fall like a giant tree getting chopped down.
Lana and I both stare at him.
“Should we just leave him like that?”
She shakes her head, “Help me at least get his head near the pillow.”
She climbs onto the bed and drags him by the arms while I push him by the feet.
He mumbles something into the pillow.
“What?”
He tosses himself around until he’s on his back. “Don’t hurt her.”
Lana scrunches her face. “Don’t hurt who?”
“I’m talking to him.” He points to me. “Don’t hurt my sister. She’s one of the good ones, and I don’t want to have to kill you too.”
He then drops his arm over his face and starts to snore. Lana slides off the bed and heads for the door.
“Kill me too?” I whisper after her.
When we’re back in the hall, she turns to me. “It’s a long story, and I need to shower.”
The thought of her with no clothes on already has me way too excited for my own good.
“Tell you what,” I say, taking her by the hips and tugging her to me. “Why don’t you go shower… and meet me out by the fire. I’ll have something waiting for you.”
“If it’s you gift wrapped under the tree, I think I’ll pass,” she says.
“Damn it. Okay, I’ll come up with something.”
She smiles and places a hand on my chest, pushing me away. “Better be good.”
“Oh, you’re going to fucking melt, Ice Queen.”
With one final once-over she disappears into the room and I make my way into the kitchen to make the best damn hot cocoa anyone has ever tasted.
At least, I’ll try. Luckily the owners have baking goods in stock, and Mick bought milk.
“Don’t hurt her,” I scoff, mixing in vanilla and cinnamon to give it that signature “Sincaid” flavor.
I wouldn’t hurt, Lana. I just want to show her that being stuck in a cabin with me just might be the best thing to happen to her.
At least, it definitely is the best thing to happen to me. The woman is a masterpiece. A literal dream and after just one taste, I can’t stop thinking of her.
The cocoa now hot, I turn the stove off and pour two mugs. Lana and I didn’t get drunk like her brother, but just tipsy enough to forget our feud… for now at least. But hopefully, for good. Because I would love nothing more than to show her what being taken care of can really feel like.
Fuck that guy in the photos. If he did what I think he did, he doesn’t deserve to ever breathe the same air as her if I have anything to do with it.