AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn’t care about the board or anything else that she might have dropped in the water. I wanted her out of the water. Everything about the night was black and inky. Ominous.
I set her carefully on the dock. She shivered, wrapping her arms around her bikini-clad body. She wasn’t even wearing a rash guard. Only a tiny black bikini. There was a lot of wet skin on display.
I ripped my sweatshirt off and pulled it over her head like she was a child, covering everything except for those mile-long legs. I forcefully pushed any thoughts of her naked body out of my head. “Let’s get you inside.”
“T-thank y-you.” Her teeth chattered, breaking up her words.
I wrapped an arm around her and tucked her into my side, ignoring how she soaked my T-shirt. I needed to get her warm and stop her shivering.
“Inside,” was all I could bark out. My jaw ached from how tightly I was clenching my teeth.
I enjoyed my solitude, and I had a feeling the woman would blow it apart.
I held open the screen door and ushered her inside.
We moved through the porch to the family room, where I already had a fire burning. She moved swiftly toward it and dropped to her knees in front of the stone fireplace. I winced at the sight of her bare knees on the wood floor and grabbed a soft throw off the back of the coach, throwing it over her shoulders. She pulled it tighter around herself while I grabbed a second for her to sit on.
“Do you want to take a hot shower?”
The lightning illuminated the room and was quickly followed by a sharp crack of thunder that made her startle. “In this?”
“You’re right. Bad idea. I’ll grab some towels.” I didn’t want her to leave the warmth of the fire, and I needed a second to myself. Her flowery scent permeated the air, and I knew there was nothing beneath that blanket but a soaking wet bikini and miles of bare skin.
I grabbed sweatpants and a T-shirt in case she wanted more layers, along with towels from the hall linen closet.
She was in the same spot when I returned, except now she sat cross-legged on the rolled-up blanket. I held out the things I’d gathered for her. “In case you want to dry off and put on more clothes.”
She turned to face me with an expectant look.
Or maybe she wanted an introduction because she was in a stranger’s house. “I’m Easton.”
She smiled as she took the folded towels and clothes and said softly, “Riley.”
Her name triggered a memory from my childhood. Playing with a little girl. A girl named Riley. Instead of asking if she was the same person, I threw a thumb over my shoulder. “The bathroom is down the hall.”
She gracefully rose to stand, the items tucked against her chest, and moved down the hall while I threw another log on the fire. If we lost power, it would be our only source of heat for a while.
I sat on the couch to check the forecast. There was a severe thunderstorm warning along with a tornado watch. The radar showed one storm after the other.
A few minutes later, I heard the bathroom door open and the padding of feet down the hall.
Riley stood at the edge of the couch, her arms crossed over her chest. The sweatshirt and sweatpants hung on her small frame but would keep her warm.
“Better?”
“Much. Thank you.” Her hair was towel-dried but still damp. It looked like she’d unsuccessfully tried to tame the tangles.
“Are you hungry?” I’d had the housekeeper stock the pantry and fridge for my visit.
She licked her lips, drawing my attention to the plumpness. “I am, actually.”
“Have a seat. I’ll get something.” I pulled out crackers, cheese, and the apples I’d purchased from the farmers’ market that morning and arranged everything carefully on a plate. I grabbed two waters and set the items on the square coffee table.
Admiring the spread, Riley said, “This looks great.”
“It’s not much,” I said, sitting across from her.
She smiled, and the fire gave her a soft glow. She placed a piece of cheese between two crackers and took a bite.
