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"Thank you," she replied, just above a whisper. "You know, I can't believe you get service all the way out here."
"Well, it's hit or miss, really. You just got lucky," I confessed, stepping toward the window to push aside the curtain, revealing the snow falling with increasing intensity.
Jude sidled up beside me, her proximity once again igniting a strange fluttering in my stomach. I took an inconspicuous sniff, my senses filling with her warm scent—something soft and sweet that reminded me of home.
Suddenly, a loud growl punctuated the silence, and it took me a moment to realize it was her stomach. She blushed and pressed a hand against her belly, but it only added to her charm. It didn't detract from the aura of casual, effortless allure she exuded. Instead, it felt real, human, and it endeared her to me more than I'd have liked to admit.
"I take it you're hungry," I teased, pulling my eyes from the snowy spectacle outside to glance at her. The blush creeping up her cheeks was absolutely adorable.
"Just a little," she responded.
"How about I make us something to eat then? Unless you're scared my cooking will send you running back into the blizzard."
She gave me a skeptical look, trying to suppress a smile, but failing miserably. "Are you saying you can cook, Dr. Montivais?"
"Better than most," I boasted, puffing out my chest slightly, watching as her eyes twinkled with skepticism.
"Well, then," she replied, a mischievous grin on her lips. "Let’s see what you’ve got."
The banter, lighthearted and full of underlying tension, made the small cabin feel alive, vibrant. Despite the snowstorm raging outside, the atmosphere inside was becoming warmer with every passing second. Somehow, Jude's presence had transformed my solitary refuge into something exciting, and I found myself anticipating what would happen next. It was clear to both of us that something was brewing, but for now, we'd leave it simmering, dancing on the edge of the unknown.
Chapter 6
Jude
Tony was close, too close, and the smell of mountain air and pine that clung to him had my senses on the brink of combustion. His aftershave, subtly spicy and undeniably masculine, intermingled with the warm scent of whiskey, creating an intoxicating blend. If it wasn't for the grumble of my stomach, I would have found myself lost in the enchanting scents he exuded.
But my body had betrayed me. At the most inopportune moment, my stomach growled, loud enough for both of us to hear. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I blushed, embarrassment coursing through me. But Tony merely grinned, that playful smile of his making another appearance as he winked at me.
"It is nearly past dinnertime," he assured me, his voice low and soothing.
I forced a chuckle, trying to recover my shattered composure. I looked out the window again, allowing the serene view of the falling snow to calm my frazzled nerves. The steady rhythm of the snowflakes fluttering against the windowpane provided a comforting melody, harmonizing with the fire that was snapping and popping in the hearth.
Tony moved away, the absence of his warmth and scent making me feel suddenly cold. I chanced a glance at him, catching him rummaging through the refrigerator. When he straightened up, he held two prime cuts of steak in his hand.
"I was planning to cook steak on the iron skillet tonight," he informed me "You do eat meat, right?"
His question pulled me out of my thoughts. I stared at him for a moment, caught off guard by the domesticity of the scene. The overhead light cast a soft glow on his features, accentuating the sharp planes of his face and the deep chestnut of his hair. He looked nothing like the intense surgeon I was used to back at the hospital. In the cabin he seemed more relaxed, more open, more himself.
"Yes," I replied. "I do eat meat."
"Good." He nodded, looking pleased. He moved to the sink to wash his hands, his movements confident and relaxed.
I watched him, admiring the lines of his muscular form. The man certainly knew how to fill out a shirt. I couldn’t help but imagine what he'd look like out of it, hastily dismissing the thought as soon as it formed.
Still shaking off my inappropriate thoughts, I turned my attention back to the picturesque view outside. The snowflakes continued their graceful descent, cloaking the world around us in a blanket of white. I found my mood mirroring the serenity of the scene outside, my heart rate returning to normal, the blush fading from my cheeks.
As the sounds and smells of sizzling meat filled the cabin, my stomach growled again, louder. I chuckled, my earlier embarrassment long forgotten. Turning around, I saw Tony grinning at me from the stove. He looked sexy cooking, and more than a little amused.
"Sounds like I’d better hurry up," he teased, his eyes sparkling with laughter.
"Yes," I admitted, returning his grin. "You’d better."
Dinner in a remote cabin with a man I'd hardly spoken to before now, amidst a raging blizzard was not how I'd pictured my night. But as I watched Tony maneuvering around the kitchen with surprising ease, the warmth of the cabin wrapping around me like a comforting blanket, the idea became more enticing. Perhaps my birthday wouldn’t turn out to be a complete shitshow after all.
"I must say, I'm surprised," I confessed, leaning against the counter. "You don't strike me as the type of man that cooks."
Tony shot me a quick glance, his brows furrowing in a mock hurt expression. "And why is that?" he asked, the corners of his mouth curling in amusement.
