Page 21 of When You Saved Me

His truck was here which meant he had to be home. Two raps of my knuckles on the door and I heard footsteps sounding behind it.

Deep frown lines marred the sides of Deacon’s lips as he took me in.

“Ttthere’s a bbburst pipe in ttthe cabin,” I said, unable to control the chattering of my teeth.

“Come inside.” He ushered me through the front door quickly. Casper and I stood in his entry way while Deacon walked into his living room. He came back with a thick blanket and draped it over my shoulders.

My body relaxed a little as he rubbed my arms up and down, giving life back to my frozen limbs.

“What were you thinking going out in this weather without a coat, Charlie?” he chastised. But through the sternness in his voice, I heard the note of concern shine through.

I stole a deep breath, and my teeth finally stopped clattering together. “I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. The water is still running. I couldn’t get the sink to turn off, so I rushed over here.”

He blinked at me like my answer wasn’t good enough for why I’d put myself in the position of getting hypothermia.

“You should probably go check on it,” I urged, gesturing at the door behind me. “The water is still rushing into the cabin.”

“I don’t care about the fucking cabin, Charlie.” He took a step toward me and grasped a wet lock of my hair in his hand. “The only thing that matters is you not getting sick from being out in the cold, soaking wet.”

There was such a seriousness to his tone, like the idea of me being ill was beyond his ability to handle. My heart clenched at his display of worry.Thiswas the same Deacon who had saved my life. The version of the man who made my heart flutter and had my mind whirling to find some way to get closer to him.

His voice was gentler as he let the strand of my hair fall over the blanket wrapped around my shoulders. “Take Casper and go sit by the fire, I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” My voice was hoarse from the adrenaline of getting to his house as fast as I could.

Casper and I walked into his living room. Still feeling the wet cold from my clothes, I sat right next to the fire as Casper curled up on the ledge of the stone hearth.

Looking over the large leather sofa, I watched Deacon as he slipped on his coat and gathered his keys. When he got to the front door, he paused, his large shoulders tensed. Then he looked over at me and I swore there was a whisper of a smile on his lips before he turned back around and headed out into the night.

My eyelids had started drooping from fatigue by the time Deacon came back. As soon as I heard the door open, his presence jolted me awake. My clothes were still wet, but the warmth of the fire had kept the cold at bay. I gathered the blanket he’d given me around my shoulders again and rose.

He shrugged off his coat and set his keys and a bundle of something on the counter. Water soaked his pants legs from the knee down.

I swallowed. “How bad was it?”

His eyes were bright as he turned to me and said, “I was able to shut off the main line and used my wet vac to get the water off the hardwood. But the damage was pretty severe to the pipe, so I’ll need to get a plumber in there to fix it. Apparently, my handiwork with the new sink didn’t hold out very well.”

My fingers combed through the still damp strands of my hair. “Gosh, Deacon. I’m so sorry. I feel like I’ve made a mess of the place and it’s only been a week and a half.”

Dark brows merged together, and he shook his head. “This wasn’t your fault, Charlie. There was nothing you could have done to prevent the bird’s nest in the chimney or the pipe from bursting.”

He was right. But I was starting to feel like a major imposition to his once peaceful life. He’d said it himself. He moved out here to be alone and here I was in his space once again.

“I know.” I threaded my fingers together and rubbed my thumbs over one another. “I just wish there was more I could do to take the burden off you.” I half-laughed. “I’m sure this wasn’t what you were thinking of when you decided to renovate the cabin and turn it into a rental property.”

His right hand flexed at his side. “No, it wasn’t what I had in mind.”

My stomach sank as I held his fierce gaze. There was so much hidden behind the pine green of those eyes. The questions were buzzing on my tongue, but they couldn’t find their way past my lips.

Suddenly feeling anxious, I unwrapped the blanket from my body and folded it neatly into a square before setting it back on the couch.

“I’ll get out of your hair. Come on, Casper.” I patted the side of my leg, and the sound made his eyes go wide. He did a quick stretch before hopping off the stone ledge and making his way to my side.

Keeping my eyes cast downward, I headed toward the front door. I knew if I looked at Deacon, some part of me would try to find a way to stay. But I’d clearly become an unwelcome burden, and it was time for me to go.

Focusing on my boots by the door, I walked past him. Or, I tried to until his arm reached out and his large hand circled my wrist.

“Where are you going?” he asked gruffly.

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