Page 20 of Stuck With Mr. Frosty

I shouldn’t have been out there in that storm. As soon as it started snowing, I should’ve turned around and gone back tothe cabins. Instead, I kept going, thinking that I could make it, turning myself around.

And now I’m in a tiny cabin with a man I barely know. I want to get to know him, though.

Maybe the long walk back to the resort is going to make him see that I’m not the person he thinks I am.

As I swing my legs to the side and try to stand, my ankle gives out. I fall back to the bed and grit my teeth. The pain is horrible, but it doesn’t feel like anything more than a severe twist.

I let out a breath and get to my feet again, this time able to hold myself up. It’s a slow limp to the door, but I manage, pulling it open and giving Honey enough room to dart out before I follow her.

“You’re up.” Aiden glances my way before crossing the room and looping his arm around my waist. “Come on. Let’s get you settled. It’s not like we’re going to be going anywhere anyway.”

“We’re not?” I try to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.

His fingers drift along my ribs through the thin material of my shirt. Tingles run through my body. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that the way his fingertips brushed along the underside of my breast was intentional. I’d think that it’s a subtle touch designed to drive me crazy, not the touch of a man who’s just helping me to the couch.

I ease down onto the couch. “Thank you. Now, why aren’t we going anywhere?”

Aiden goes to the window and yanks open the curtains, showing off the wall of white outside. “Storm got worse. I used theemergency radio to tell Carter that we’re fine so he doesn’t try to send out a search party.”

I nod and grab the throw pillows, stuffing them under my foot to keep it propped up. “How long do you think we’re going to be here?”

Though I want to get to know him, I want the ability to put distance between us. I don’t want to spend the rest of the day too close to him. Getting carried into that bedroom and finding out that we’d have to share was horrible. And then he put me into bed, let Honey get in with me, and turned around to walk out.

Somehow, that was worse than if he had climbed in bed with me.

I don’t think I would’ve been too interested in keeping my hands to myself, but it might’ve made for an interesting time.

“Shouldn’t be more than a day. Maybe two. Give the snow some time to settle.” Aiden comes over and sits on the coffee table, pulling my foot into his lap. “How is it this morning?”

“Still hurts.”

He laughs, his big hands massaging my foot and ankle, the callouses on his hands rough against my skin. A shiver rolls down my spine. He keeps prodding at my ankle, moving it this way and that. “Yeah, I didn’t think it was going to feel great. You really had it wedged in there. You’re going to have to tell me how you managed to do that.”

“One wrong step, I guess.” My cheeks feel like they’re on fire. “It’s not like I went out with the intention to get caught between the rocks and then bust up my ankle. Sometimes these things just happen.”

“Oh, they do.” He gently puts my foot back down on the pillows. “I meant what I said last night. I’m sorry for how horrible I was at the party. There’s no excuse.”

I press my lips together into a thin line, studying him. “Why’d you change up like that? I thought we were getting along? You were having a good time, and then all of a sudden, you were accusing me of being vapid.”

“Yeah, well, I’m an idiot.”

“Huh.” I glare at his back as he stands and walks over to the kitchenette, rummaging through some of the food in the cabinets before going to his bag. “Does telling people that you think you’re an idiot usually get you out of explaining yourself?”

He stiffens, his tense muscles visible under the tight-fitting thermal shirt he wears. “Yeah. Usually.”

“Cool, well, just so you know, that’s not going to work with me. So, I guess you should tell me why that happened.”

Aiden clears his throat, pulling out a few breakfast MREs from his bag. “Didn’t think much about it. I have a hard time dealing with people. Got in my own head about some other stuff. You just happened to be the unlucky person in my path.”

“I was the only person in your path.”

He prepares the French toast MREs, setting them to the side to finish heating up. When he turns and faces me, leaning back against the counter, his muscled arms crossing over his chest, I clench my thighs together. I try to ignore the feeling building low in my body, but it’s hard to ignore.

Aiden looks at me, his gaze seeming to burn straight through me. “Well, yeah, there’s that. Look, I don’t know what’s going onwith either of us, and I’m not good at this friendship thing, but you seem like it’s something you want, and I’ve been told that it could be good for me to have some more friends, so…”

The corner of my mouth twitches. “That might be the most you’ve ever said to me.”

He rolls his eyes and gets up, but he can’t quite hide the smile on his face fast enough. “Honey, you want some kibble?”

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