Page 37 of Hunt Me
My mind flashes back to how my heart raced as I took off away from him, running, giggling like a fucking lunatic. For some fucked reason I wasn’t scared like I should have been. Maybe that’s down to my numbed reactions to danger. Most instances can be put down to that.
When Ruaridh was chasing me, I wasn’t numb at all. Everything felt on fire, anticipation thrummed through my veins as I’d internally squealed like a loved-up school girl.
Again what the fuck am I doing and who am I? Crushing on a man in the apocalypse, I tut, of all things it had to be a man and not just any basic ass bitch man either it had to be a Skull.
The girls are going to kill me.
We’d collectively sworn off men after the last betrayal. Eloise is still pretty caught up on it. He broke her heart after all. So Isla and I went ahead and broke his neck in return. It had took us a couple of days to track the pathetic piece of shit down but in the end it had been worth it. Of course, Eloise doesn’t know that, though. She hasn’t spoken about him since we left to track him, so we decided to leave it until she’s ready to talk about it.
‘You like to be in your head, don’t you?’Ruaridh’s voice pulls me back to the present.
I blink my eyes back into focus and find him standing closer than before, his body slightly hunched as if he’s trying to get a better look at me.
If I’d thought better of him and didn’t know how disgustingly ruthless his people are, I’d take his look for concern. He’s probably got something in his eye and doesn’t want to wipe it out. Toxic masculinity Skull stuff, that’s it.
I hum.
‘Come on then, the waters ready. I was going to tell you, but I assume all your snooping means you already know.’He grins, his straight white teeth glinting back at me.
Who knew teeth could make a girl feel all types of things.
I’m definitely fucked up in the head.
The bloody apocalypse is turning me crazy.
I half-hum, half-moan in response. I’ll put the latter down to the thought of hot water and not the man in front of me.
Luckily, Ruaridh just laughs and walks to the shower curtains across from what must be the boiler he’d burnt himself on.
I don’t know what I’d expected, but it hadn’t crossed my mind that I would be showering right next to him.
Fuck.
I can’t shower next to this guy. I’m not shy about my body; that ship sailed long ago between the girls and me. You don’t live with seven women in a tiny shelter for an entire winter and still keep your modesty.
But this guy? This man-made-of-muscle getting naked next to me has my thighs clenching all over again.
Ruaridh must feel my inner turmoil as he glances back at me, chuckling again. I swear all this guy does is laugh at me.
‘There are separate cubicles,’he says and then rips the curtain back to reveal separate showers all divided by blue plastic sheets.
I pull my lower lip between my teeth, taking it all in. There are five different cubicles, all in a row. The curtains, or plastic dividers shall I say, are tall enough that his six foot something will not be able to see me over the top, but this still seems like a flimsy barrier between our naked bodies.
That thought should be sending terror through me. But what is actually running through me could not be any different. The wetness between my legs, the hot flush I feel at my cheeks that I’m surprised he’s not drawn attention to yet definitely do not scream terror or worry.
I mentally chastise myself for my lack of control.
I don’t need a man.
I don’t need a man, is the mantra I repeat over and over again in my head.
Instead of backing down, I pull my shoulders back, standing as straight as I can. I make my way to the far left cubicle and reply a curt‘great,’on my way.
Ruaridh clears his throat, and I catch the distinct movement of his head bobbing once in a nod. He reaches out, handing me a towel from a rack and a small cardboard box that, peering at the open flap, to my delight, contains a bar of soap.
My shoulders drop in a satisfied sigh as my head bows back to the sky in thanks. Thanking who? I don’t fucking know but whoever it is I would do anything they wanted for this luxury.
I look back at Ruaridh remembering I’m supposed to be acting hard and shit but when I catch a glimpse of his expression it is… strange. His lips are ever so slightly popped open, and the intensity in his gaze has me scuttling straight to the cubicle for shelter.
