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He then dusted the snow off his jacket, the crisp flakes landing on the cabin floor and quickly melting into non-existence. The muscles of his back moved with grace under his shirt as he shrugged off his coat, leaving it to hang on a hook by the door. As he bent down to untie his boots, I found my eyes drifting over his form. His broad shoulders, his strong arms, the way his shirt pulled taut against his lean torso—everything about him screamed raw masculinity. His movements were fluid and powerful, like a predator in the wild. It was unexpectedly mesmerizing.
I looked away, biting my lip, but my eyes betrayed me, darting back to him again. His physique was undeniably attractive, each muscle toned from years of staunch discipline. A warmth spread through me despite the raging storm outside, an unexpected, tantalizing heat that I was finding hard to ignore.
He took the seat across from me, his gaze never leaving mine as I rummaged through the bag for my glucometer. He watched in silence as I pricked my finger, dabbed a droplet of blood onto the test strip, and waited for the reading.
My blood sugar was lower than I would’ve liked. I glanced at my watch—it was still a bit early for my insulin shot, but given the circumstances, it was better to be safe than sorry. I reached into the bag again, retrieving the insulin pen.
"You just gonna sit there and watch me?" I asked, shooting him a challenging look.
"Does it bother you?" he replied, his voice smooth and steady.
I met his gaze and shrugged. "No, I’m just not used to having an audience while I do this." I pulled up my shirt just enough to reveal my stomach, my fingers nimbly preparing the insulin pen.
Tony's gaze never wavered. His eyes reflected not just professional interest but also something else that sent my heart racing. As I pressed the pen against my skin and felt the familiar pinch, I couldn't shake off the strange mixture of tension and anticipation that filled the room.
Tony's brows quirked up in surprise as he watched me. "That's a unique method. Most of the people that I know with diabetes prefer injecting into their arms or thighs. Stomach shots aren't a favorite."
I shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. "That's just how my doctor taught me when I was a teenager. He said it was the quickest way to get the insulin into my system," I explained. There was an odd silence, and I felt the temperature in the room rise slightly, or maybe it was just my body reacting to the unexpected intimacy of the situation.
His eyes met mine, a teasing grin on his lips, his expression glinting with a spark of humor that caused a flutter in my stomach. "I must admit, it's quite brave of you."
His comment drew a startled laugh from me. His humor—light and unexpectedly comforting—eased the tension that had started to build. The fact that he had noticed my fortitude, veiled it with humor but still acknowledged it, somehow made me feel seen. His words, simple yet impactful, ignited an unfamiliar warmth within me, replacing the dull ache of self-consciousness with a flush of pride.
I shrugged, offering him a smirk. "Well, someone's got to be the tough one around here." The banter between us, light and full of undercurrents that I wasn't entirely prepared to acknowledge yet, had a strange charm to it, creating an atmosphere that was as cozy as it was charged with an unspoken understanding.
“What is it the kids say?” he asked, his words dripping with that impossibly sexy accent. “You must be ‘built different’.”
I laughed. “Something like that, I suppose.”
As if sensing that her job was done, Sadie ambled over to the fireplace, her movements slow and sure. She circled the spot three times before settling down. A pang of worry gnawed at me; I wanted to ask for a blanket for Sadie, but Tony hadn't exactly shown any affection toward her yet.
To my surprise, Tony seemed to read my thoughts, or maybe he was just attuned to the needs of his unexpected guests. He rose from his chair and retrieved a throw from the couch, an unexpected chivalrous act that took me off guard. Nudging Sadie gently with his foot so she’d get up, he spread the blanket on the floor where she'd chosen to rest. Sadie, in her typical fashion, circled the spot three times again before collapsing onto the blanket. Within seconds, the soft rhythm of her snoring filled the room.
For the second time that night, Tony's actions surprised me. I felt an inexplicable draw to this man, a pull that was as strong as it was confusing. The cabin was small, but it wasn't the confined space that was amplifying my awareness of Tony; it was something far more dangerous. It was desire.
I caught Tony smiling as he looked at Sadie sleeping. The grin that danced on his face made my heart flutter in my chest, and in that moment, I finally understood why every female nurse and intern in our department practically swooned at the mere sight of him. Even dressed in those casual joggers and long sleeve tee, he was still a devastatingly sexy man.
The combination of his rugged charm, his unexpected tenderness, and that irresistible accent had my senses spiraling. I was beginning to feel things that I hadn't felt in a long time. There was undeniable electricity between us, a sensation that was both tantalizing and dangerous.
I tore my gaze away from him, reminding myself that he was technically my boss. There was an invisible line drawn there, a boundary that needed to be respected. But as my eyes lingered on the play of firelight across his strong jaw and ridiculously handsome face, the way his biceps flexed as he moved about, I realized there was an urge to cross that line.
I gave myself a mental shake. I couldn't. Ishouldn’t.
While Sadie continued to snooze and the cozy warmth from the fire enveloped the cabin, Tony got up from his chair and headed into the kitchen. He turned his attention to me, cradling a glass of amber liquid in his hand.
"How about a drink?" he asked, his eyes twinkling as he nodded his head toward the glass in his hand. "Hot whiskey.Mi abuelita’srecipe—honey, a bit of ginger, and a few other secret ingredients that she’d kill me if I revealed. Perfect for a cold and snowy night such as this."
The idea was undeniably tempting. The warmth of the whiskey coupled with the enchanting atmosphere of the cabin sounded like the perfect combination. My eyes fell on the glass once again, then shifted back to his inviting face. But a small voice of caution echoed at the back of my mind.
Tony, with his irresistible accent and captivating charm, was still my boss. It was challenging enough already to maintain my boundaries, and alcohol would only lower my inhibitions. There was a line that I couldn’t cross, but with each passing minute, that line was getting blurrier. I was treading dangerous territory.
I smiled and shook my head, injecting as much confidence into my voice as I could muster. "I think I'll pass. I want to be sharp in case I’m able to get back on the road.”
He chuckled. “Your faith in the storm easing up is admirable. But I understand. A bit of tea, then?”
“Sounds perfect.”
He flashed me another sly smile, that impossibly sexy little grin that warmed me more than any whiskey could. I smiled back, allowing the comfortable silence to fall between us, while dangerous thoughts whispered in my mind.
