Page 9 of Whiteout

"What? No, Kris, I can't impose on you like that." I feel like a burden, barging into a complete stranger's life.

"Hey." Kris lifts my chin with his finger, forcing me to meet his eyes. "It's a genuine offer because I want you to be safe with me. My cabin is bigger; I have an entire guest suite you can use. Or if you'd be more comfortable, I can stayhere on the couch until I get that door fixed. Whatever you want, no pressure."

His concern for me softens my resistance. The idea of being here alone in this cabin makes my skin crawl, but the thought of staying with Kris makes me nervous. I barely know him, but the alternative is going home early, defeated. I bite my lip, unsure of what to do.

"Ivy, it's not an imposition. Please, let me help." Kris's thumb gently strokes my jaw, his touch sending a rush of unexpected desire through me. "I just want to make sure you're safe."

I hadn't expected such kindness, and the fact that he seems sincere makes my decision even harder. I just can't shake the feeling that something is off.

"Okay," I hear myself whispering. "I mean, if it's really no trouble. I'd feel safer with you until the lock is fixed."

The corner of Kris's mouth turns up into a smile, and he steps closer, invading my personal space in a way that makes my heart hammer in my chest. "It's no trouble at all."

For a moment, I think he might kiss me. I hold my breath, not sure if I should lean in or step back. But then Kris straightens,his hand dropping from my face.

"Good. Let's get your things, and we can head back up to my place. We don't want to be out on these roads any longer than we have to." He takes a step back, giving me space, and starts to gather my things, neatly folding my clothes and placing them back into my suitcase.

As I watch Kris move around the cabin, I feel like I've known him forever, yet we've only just met. It's strange, but there's something about him that draws me in, and I find myself wanting to know everything about him.

"Hey, Ivy?" Kris calls out, interrupting my thoughts. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just grateful that our paths crossed."

As we pack my things into the back of Kris's truck, I can't shake the feeling that maybe I'm making a mistake.

Chapter 7

Kris

That was almost too easy. All it took was a little nudge- a broken lock here, some scattered clothes there. And now look, she's already decided to move in. The blizzard played its part well, sweeping in at just the right moment. Now she's here, in our cabin, where she was always meant to be.

The missing necklace though… that's a problem. One I'll need to address soon. The necklace wasn't there when I trashed the place early this morning before Cherry woke up.

For now, I've put her in the guest room. I don't want to scare her off. It's better if she thinks she has a choice whether to stay here with me or not. I want her to feel that she is in control of her situation, and to be comfortable here in her new home.

She's been rummaging through her things for a while now. I've been watching herfrom the couch, just a casual observer, as she frantically digs through her bag. I know exactly what she's looking for before she even speaks.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

She's so cute when she's frustrated.

"Kris, you haven't seen a little white box with pills inside, have you?"

I pretend to give her question some thought. "No, I haven't seen anything like that. Are you missing something?"No need to worry, you won't be needing those anytime soon.

"I can't find my birth control. I know I packed it; it must have fallen out while we were walking through the blizzard last night."

"There's a small pharmacy in town. Maybe you could pick some up there."

See, I'm not a total dick, I can be helpful. But… It's only because I know that's not an option. I've already taken care of that too this morning. The owner owed me a favor. Those pills won't be in stock anytime soon for her.

"Don't worry, Ivy. I'm sure it's no big deal. I can take you into town tomorrow, and we can check."

She waves off my offer, downplaying her concerns. "It's fine, really. I've been on birth controlfor years; it's more of a habit than a need at this point."

Ah, Cherry. If only you knew.

"Only if you're sure. It's no problem to take you into town. I have to go anyway to pick up the materials to fix the door to your cabin."

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