Outside, the wind howled, rattling the windows. Geoff glanced toward the storm. “You should probably rest. It’s been a hell of a day, and shock takes time to process.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost seven.”
I blinked. It had been barely two in the afternoon when I crashed. Had I really been out that long? “I should contact my landlord. Let them know I won’t be there tonight.”
“Your phone’s dead. I plugged it in to charge.” He pointed to the kitchen. “It’s on the counter, but it might take a while.” He stood, stretching, and I tried not to stare at the way his muscles moved under his fur. “You can use my phone if you need to make calls.”
“That would be great, thank you.”
He retrieved his phone from the kitchen and handed it to me. Our fingers brushed, and I was struck again by how warm he was, how careful his touch was.
I called my landlord first, apologizing profusely for the delay. The woman was understanding. Apparently, half the town was stuck in the storm, and she’d already heard about the road closures. My apartment would be waiting for me whenever I could get there.
One crisis averted.
“Do you need to call anyone else?” Geoff asked. “Your family?”
I thought about my mother, who would absolutely lose her mind if she knew her daughter was stranded in a cabin with a Yeti and shook my head. “Nah. I’ll text them once my phone is charged. If I call now, my mom will somehow find a way to helicopter-parent me through a blizzard.”
“Gotcha.”
“She means well. She’s a lot.” I handed his phone back. “Protective. She didn’t want me to move, because she thought I was being impulsive.”
“Were you?” His gaze was intense. “We talked about it a bit, but you never went into detail, and I didn’t want to push.”
“Maybe a little.” I settled back on the couch, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up with me. “But I needed a change. Needed to do something that was mine, you know?”
Geoff nodded. “I know. That’s part of the reason I stay up here. I could live in town, it would probably be easier in a lot of ways. But this place is mine. No expectations, no judgments. Just me and the mountain.”
“And now, me, apparently.”
“And now, you.” He smiled, but there was something uncertain in it. “Is that okay? I know this isn’t how you wanted to meet.”
“Geoff.” I waited until he looked at me. “You saved my life. You’re giving me shelter during a storm. You made me the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. I think I can handle spending a few days in a cozy cabin with my best gaming partner.”
“Best gaming partner?” His smile widened. “What about TankMaster87?”
“He talks too much during raids.”
“Fair point.”
I yawned, my jaw cracking with the force of it. Geoff noticed immediately.
“Guest room’s down the hall, second door on the right. Fresh sheets, plenty of blankets. Bathroom’s stocked if you need anything.” He stood, collecting our mugs. “Get some rest. We can figure out the details tomorrow.”
“What about you?”
He shrugged. “You know me. I’m a night owl. I’ll probably game for a while, maybe prep some food for tomorrow.” He paused. “Unless you want company? I know it’s been a weird day.”
I considered my options. Part of me wanted to stay out here with him, to keep talking, or maybe play a game. But I was more exhausted than anything, and I suspected tomorrow would bring its own challenges.
“I think I need to sleep,” I admitted. “But maybe tomorrow we could play something? If you’re not sick of me yet.”
“Maya.” He said my name like it meant something. “I’ve been waiting three years to meet you. I’m not going to get sick of you in one day.”
My heart did that stupid flutter again. “Okay. Good. That’s good.”
