Page 30 of Roughing It

Chapter9

Maddox

Morning comes with a crack of thunder so loud it shakes the window. “Shit!” I gasp and nearly fall out of the bed, but the duvet saves me. It takes me a few seconds to untangle myself from the covers, but just as I do, a small, furry thing hops on top of me and rushes at my face. There are tiny claws and tiny teeth that sting when she digs them into my flesh.

I scratch Nudge under her chin as she gnaws on my fingers, and then I push myself all the way up. She tumbles into my lap, and I keep her away from my vulnerable dick, which is only protected by my thin boxers. I might not have used it in a while, but I’d like to someday.

Especially, I admit to myself, after talking to Eden.

Walking her to the lobby had been a test of my restraint, and when I got back to my apartment, I couldn’t get her out of my head. She’s not the first guest to catch my eye, but it’s been a long while since it’s happened. I’m usually too busy putting out fires—with demanding guests or maintenance issues—to even notice most people staying in the lodge.

The power had gone out sometime around midnight, and I was up another hour after that just thinking about the way she’d felt in my arms. It had been so warm and so good. And so—

I feel a sharp bite to my fingers, Nudge letting me know I’ve been in my thoughts too long and I need to get up to feed her. Throwing on some sweats, I make my way to the living room and quickly open a can of food for Nudge, who begins to eat with that same hysterical grunting noise. She’s already getting a little fatter after a single day, and my heart aches a bit at how she must have been on the verge of starving.

I refresh her water, then scoop the litter box before heading into the kitchen to make coffee, but as I flick the lights, I remember the power’s out. It means roughing it camp-style, which is not my favorite, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to survive without caffeine. Luckily, there’s every chance René has some ready with breakfast down in the kitchen since he’s about as addicted as I am.

Moving into the living room, I step up to the window and sigh quietly as I stare across the property. It’s sitting at damn near zero visibility through the sheets of rain and low clouds creating a dense fog over everything.

None of this is new, but it is frustrating. I got the radio alert at 2:00 a.m., letting me know the roads were officially washed out, and with the way the rain is pouring down, there’s no chance in hell anyone is getting out today. Or tomorrow. Luckily, we have only the two guests, except one of them is that asshole who not only fucked with my horses but was also shitty enough that Eden had hidden in the damn stables to get away from him.

I still want to punch him in the face, but last night, it had been between going to find that asshole and staying with her, and Eden was the obvious winner.

Even now, I blink and see her dark hair and her nervous smile. I breathe in and catch a faint whiff of her subtle perfume. I can still feel the warmth of her in my arms and see the heat in her eyes when she met my gaze.

I was surprised at how right it felt. And how hard it had been to let her go.

Giving Nudge a final scratch, I quickly get dressed and make my way to the main lodge. Even with the umbrella and how fast I manage to run, I’m still damn near soaked as I slip in through the side door. There are a couple of towels on a hook for emergencies, and I dry off as best I can. It’s cold, but that doesn’t bother me much, and I make sure I’m not dripping as I head into the lobby.

Coming around the corner, I can hear the sound of a raised voice—feminine, which likely means it’s Eden. She doesn’t sound happy, but she doesn’t sound angry either. It’s… something else. Fear, maybe?

Stepping out of the hallway, I can see Eden across the room, standing in front of the lounge doors. She’s pacing, and she’s got one hand in her hair, which is now falling from a messy bun. She’s wearing sweats and slippers, and she’s got dark circles under her wide and panicked eyes.

I feel a touch on my arm and glance down to see Phoenix worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

“What happened?” I murmur. We both step back into the shadow of the desk corner where Eden won’t be able to see us.

Phoenix lets out a heavy breath. “Sheets Guy left last night.”

I blink at him. “Okay?” He said it like it was a bad thing, but I struggle to find the tragedy in that statement.

Phoenix shrugs. “He was her ride. He abandoned her here.”

What the fuck? But wait… “There’s still a car out front.”

“That belongs to that couple,” Phoenix says, shaking his head. “The guy took the keys with him when he got into the ambulance.”

I let out a slow breath. This is hardly an unsolvable problem. We can give it a day or two, and if the city doesn’t get a truck out here to repair the asphalt—which does happen—I can get a quad and drive Eden into town. It’s not the first time we’ve done this for a guest, and it won’t be the last.

For a split second, I think about how that ride will be—Eden behind me holding tight, the engine vibrating beneath us. I breathe through it and turn away to adjust my dick, then stride across the room and wait until she sees me.

Her pacing stops abruptly, and her chin is trembling, though she’s not crying. Licking her lips, she blows out a puff of air. “You’re still here.”

My lips quirk. “Sure am.”

“Did they call you to come talk me down?”

I laugh and shake my head. “No, darlin’.” The endearment just slips out, and her cheeks get a little pink, but she actually seems to relax a fraction. “I was coming down for coffee and heard you were upset.”

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