AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But I would shake it. Damn right I would.
“Could have happened to anyone. We just happened to be that anyone who witnessed that tree come down.”
“Right. Good.”
I clutched his fleece pants and jumper to my chest, standing mutely by the fire.
Tom swallowed hard. “I’ll check on the animals while you—” He waved to the bucket and then to me. “Right. I’ll leave you to it.”
Coming down off the adrenaline spike of the tree coming down had left me a simpleton.
Arms up, wet jumper off, other clothes off. Your mission is to get clean and eat soup.
I finished my bath quickly, leaving the bucket half-full for Tom to wash, holding the sports towel and face cloth, wondering where I could hang them to dry.
His clothes were soft and warm, and hell, had the faint smell of him. I was cocooned in Tom.
I dared to look at the bed again. The only solution was to be cocooned in his sleeping bag, together.
Which wouldn’t fit two people.
We’d have to unzip it, use as a quilt. Lie together. Like a couple.
There was a knock on the door and I jumped. “Come in. I’m dressed.”
Tom entered, bringing an icy blast with him into the hut, and then slammed the door.
He paused at the sight of me in his clothes.
“Pants were a little big. I rolled them up. But they’re warm. Thank you.”
He nodded but said nothing. I continued to fill the void. “There’s still warm water. Half a bucket. I haven’t filled the billy yet to boil more water. And I should hang up my clothes.”
Tom wordlessly crossed the room and then pulled a cord out from a metal disc – a retractable hotel washing lines – and attached it to a post, allowing clothes to dry above the prep bench.
“Dad installed it years ago. It’s handy.”
As I hung the towel and face cloth, I then noticed he was carrying something covered under his coat. “My sleeping bag?”
Tom shrugged, sleet falling from his coat to the floor. “I, um, went back to the tree to see if I could get anything else from your pack.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a rolled up bundle. “Here, there were these too.”
Woollen socks.
“Oh my god, thank you. And my sleeping bag? Tom, you are wonderful.”
We both froze, surprised. I broke the silence. “Really, I appreciate this very much. As do my feet, and my body.”
His eyes flared wide.
And I just made it worse.Lordy.
“I will leave you to your bucket.”
I grabbed my coat, slipped on my boots and dashed out. After a trip to the long drop outhouse, taking time to put on my newly found socks, I also checked on the horses and then the sheep. Everything was in order.
The need for a fire and soup had me knocking on the door but Tom said to come in and I didn’t waste any time.
Closing the door behind me, I turned to find Tom bare to his waist. His back rippled with muscle, toned and defined from farm life.
