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A few more minutes pass and she’s pulling at the peeling red paint on the old timber shed. The structure is shit, but standing beside it, Hannah’s bright red hair swirling majestically in the wind makes it appear ten times more beautiful.
She’s too damn perfect.
“It was the second building I erected,” I say out loud, the sudden sound of my voice causing Hannah to jolt on the spot. Her cheeks flush as I slide off the chopping block. “I actually used it as my main shelter while I sourced material to build the cabin.”
Hannah hums, diverting her eyes.
My boots sludge across the muddy garden beds, slopping and sticking to the ground. I watch her tick the sheet as I approach. The breeze blows across the yard, bringing her sweet smell closer. My nose tingles, a stiff reminder of what I had in my arms hours ago, warm and tight.
“What else is on the list?” I ask, desperate to hear that voice again.
She doesn’t look at me, instead, runs a finger down the clipboard. “All that’s left on the exterior is the fences and foundation beneath the main structure. I finished up inside while you were out here.”
“The foundation is closer. I’ll show you the access door for under the cabin.” I wave a hand over my shoulder. “You’ll be able to see from there.”
She nods. I catch the green of her eyes for the briefest second, but it’s enough to jump start my heart again.
Here we go. Attempt number two. Win her over.
She can’t leave.
A freezing cold breeze blasts the second we’re around the side of the cabin. It’s exposed to all the elements rolling down the rocky cliff-face and there’s no wind block here. The timber on this side of the cabin has aged the quickest due to the harshness of being exposed to the weather.
Hannah scratches at the paper and I fight the urge to drop to my knees and beg her to stay.
“Down in here,” I unlatch the small access door and pluck the flashlight I’ve set up on a hook on the inside. “You’ll have to use a torch to see underneath. There’s been a few leaks over the years, but it should all be solid. I’ve never been able to go all the way under. I’m the dumbass who didn’t make the door large enough for these wide shoulders.”
Hannah looks at me, the poor attempt at amusing her falling flat.
I’ve never been very good at making jokes. Good to see nothing has changed about that either.
A blank face takes in my broad shoulders, and for a moment I wonder whether she might laugh. Her eyes flick across my body, it’s for longer than a second this time and my body damn well knows it.
My chest races. My skin boils hot.
I love you. Tell her. I love you.
She bends down and clicks the flashlight. I stand back, scrub a hand over my face.
“Looks fine,” Hannah says, standing straight and brushing down her top. “Except for the light filtering through that hole you made yesterday. But you said you’ll fix the floorboards, so…”
She strikes a tick on the paper and clicks the pen. “I’m all done.”
My eyes go wide. “So… So what?”
She shrugs, staring at the ground. “I’ll file the report and you’ll hear from us.”
My stomach twists. I hate the way her voice has changed. She’s got that twang in her tone, the one she used when she introduced herself as ‘Hannah from Mell Estate and Planning’.It’s her work voice, her professional mannerism.
It’s not the voice she used when she moaned my name. It’s not the same as the way she screamed with pleasure and told me I was hers forever.
I fight the demons in my mind. The same ones I had when I was in high school when I would sit in my room, the screams of my parents blasting through the walls, telling me I was a useless piece of shit. I was a failure. Everything I did was wrong. I was never wanted, but they were stuck with me, and boy did they let me know that.
Is that how Hannah felt last night? Was she stuck with me?
Why would she say those amazing things though? Was it all just to keep the peace and make it through the night?
Fuck.
