AllFreeNovel
Share Us
In the kitchen, I pour a can of cat food into Dinah’s bowl. She eats it noisily and I leave her to it, heading into the living room. The fire from earlier has burned down, and I rekindle it before collapsing onto the couch and lifting the blankets up to my chin. Something is blooming in my chest—warm and excited—and I grin to myself as I think back to the way my name sounded on Nash’s lips.
I know it’s dumb, acting like a teenager with a crush. After all, all Nash said was that I didn’t bother him. It’s not exactly a marriage proposal.
And don’t forget your New Year’s resolution, I remind myself. No men.
But still, I can’t help the fluttering in my belly as I remember the way he looked at me. Something tells me that under Nash’s gruff exterior, there’s a kind heart hidden away. And resolution or no resolution, I wish I could see more of it.
4
Nash
Sleep never comes easily to me, but tonight, it’s fucking impossible. I’ve been tossing and turning for hours. My skin feels like it’s too tight, and my whole body feels hot and prickly. I can’t get comfortable, especially since my cock has been rock-hard and throbbing for the past two hours. Ever since I set eyes on Ava this afternoon, it’s like my body has been rebelling against me, trying to punish me for not being close to her—for not touching her, kissing her, claiming her.
Fuck, I want to. More than anything.
I can’t stop thinking about the way she looked when I found her out in the woods, all wide-eyed and embarrassed, cheeks blushing, lips parted…I wanted to take her then and there. The animal urge hit me like an avalanche, but I had to push it down. And then when she tried to talk to me on the way back to the cabin, I acted like an asshole again. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think—all I could focus on was the way her side brushed against mine as we walked, making my brain go haywire.
When she said goodnight, I could see I’d upset her. I hate myself for that. I could have happily listened to her talk for hours, and I wanted to ask all about her life in Denver, but it was like my brain froze. The words just wouldn’t come out. But I couldn’t leave her like that, thinking she’d bothered me or annoyed me. I couldn’t fucking stand it. So I told her she wasn’t bothering me. It was all I could manage to say. But it’s not enough. If only I could explain to her that she takes my breath away every time I look at her…that she makes my heart pound until I can hear it in my ears…that I wish I could get out of this big empty house and spend the night with her instead.
Fuck, I’m definitely losing my mind.
I don’t even know this girl. She’s just a beautiful stranger staying in my vacation cabin. I’ve barely said two words to her since she’s been here. But every time I look at her, I can feel…something. Something I’ve never felt before. Something that makes my head spin, my heart pound, and my cock harden like rock.
With a groan of frustration, I finally give in to the aching temptation. I grab my cock, fisting it in my hand, stroking it up and down with a guttural moan. My mind drifts to Ava—her thick curves, her jeans stretching around the plumpness of her ass, her pouty lips just begging to be kissed. I let myself imagine the hand pumping my cock is Ava’s—her hand, her mouth, her pussy. It’s wrong. She’s so much younger than me. So sweet and innocent. I shouldn’t be fucking my hand as I picture those curves laid out naked in front of me. But I can’t help the way my body reacts to her…even just the thought of her. A jolt of pleasure rockets through me as my release spurts onto my bare stomach. But I’m not satisfied. Not without Ava.
Once the haziness has vanished and I’m all cleaned up, I finally fall into a restless sleep, my dreams full of Ava’s sweet smile.
* * *
When I roll out of bed the next day, I feel like I haven’t slept at all. The morning passes in a restless blur, and I spend most of my time staring out the window at the smoke from Ava’s chimney as it floats up through the trees. It’s not until lunchtime that reality wakes me up properly. Snow is falling outside hard and fast, and the wind is picking up, whistling through the trees, making them creak and moan. I watch the view from outside as I start to cook lunch when suddenly, everything in the house splutters to a stop—the whir of the refrigerator, the hum of the stove, the lights overhead.
“Shit,” I mutter, heading for the fuse box. But the switches are all set to ‘on’.
Double shit.
Looks like it’s a power cut. The growing storm outside probably has something to do with it—power cuts happen up here sometimes in winter. I have a backup generator that’s all set and ready to go in situations like this. But the vacation cabin has nothing. Ava will be sitting alone in the cabin right now without power, and for all I know, it could last hours. Even days.
I promised myself I’d stay away from Ava. She doesn’t need a grumpy asshole like me ruining her stay. But before I can talk myself out of it, I head for the front door and swing it open.
I freeze.
Standing on my doorstep, her hand raised like she was about to knock, is Ava. Even bundled up in a thick coat and scarf, she looks breathtaking. Her hair is loose today, cascading down her shoulders, and the tip of her nose is adorably red from the cold.
“Oh!” she squeaks when she sees me. “Hi.”
I clear my throat, trying to recover from the shock of seeing her. “Hi.”
“Sorry to come over like this,” she says sheepishly, biting her lip in a way that makes me stifle a groan. “I would have called but my phone is dead and I can’t charge it because the power went off. I looked around for the fuse box but couldn’t find it anywhere.”
I beckon her inside out of the swirling storm, shutting the door behind us.
“It’s a power cut,” I say as I lead her down the hallway. “I was just coming over to tell you.”
“Oh, shoot.” Ava frowns. “Do you have any idea when the power will be back?”
“It usually takes a few hours at least. Might not be until tomorrow.” I swallow, avoiding her gaze. “You can stay here if you want. I have a backup generator.”
“Oh.” She sounds surprised by my offer. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”
