Page 116 of Naughty & Nice

“Come here, Elle,” I demand, holding my hand out for her after pulling my sweats back up.

She instantly snuggles into my side and I hold her tightly.

“You’re amazing,” I tell her honestly.

“You too,” she says, smiling up at me with wide eyes.

She’s not drunk, not even close, but I can see the evidence of the vodka we finished off earlier. It’s certainly lowering all our inhibitions, that’s for sure.

“That was some way to celebrate getting the logs in and not flooding the place, huh?” Wilder teases as he gets up and throws another two logs onto the fire.

Since we managed to close the door, it’s gotten significantly hotter in here. Although to be fair, there was a point where I wasn’t sure if it was possible to get colder.

“What are we doing for dinner?” he asks as he pulls a clean set of clothes from his bag.

“Whatever we can find that doesn’t need cooking,” Noelle says.

A thought hits me, and it’s out of my mouth before I can catch it.

“We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Are we?” Wilder asks. “I’m not sure we stand a chance of moving your car yet.”

“Shit,” Noelle hisses.

“I’m down for extending this vacation if you two are,” I offer.

“We probably don’t have a choice unless a miracle happens overnight,” Wilder points out.

We all fall silent, and I can’t help wondering if they’re hoping for a little more time together before we have to return to reality, like I am.

29

WILDER

Ibarely get any sleep, and I’m awake long before Noelle and Hendrix the next morning.

After our special celebration for getting the logs in, we cleaned up, raided the kitchen for any kind of food that didn’t need cooking, and started an epic board game battle.

It was like we were kids again after finding something worthwhile at the thrift store to keep us entertained for an afternoon.

Noelle and Hendrix sat at one side of the table, being all cute and couple-y, and I sat on the other, watching them and feeling all kinds of anxious.

I wasn’t able to put my finger on why, and I’m still struggling this morning.

Once again, the cabin is freezing. My entire body erupted in goosebumps the second I threw the covers back, because yes, I slipped into bed with them again last night. I told them it was because of the cold, and yeah, it was, but also… there was more to it than that.

I didn’t want to be out on the couch on my own. I didn’t want to be lonely, wondering what they were doing without me. I wanted to be close to my people.

I start the fire, which thankfully is a little easier now the logs are warmer, and then move to the windows. It’s pointless; it’s still dark, and I can’t see if we’re still snowed in or if that miracle I mentioned last night happened or not.

I hope it hasn’t.

I’m not ready to go back to Trinity yet.

I should be. I should be pumped for the New Year’s party the team is hosting in a few days. I should be excited to get training, to finish the season off as we started, strong and fucking proud to be Titans. But I’m struggling to find any kind of enthusiasm for any of it.

My head is firmly here, and it doesn’t want to leave.

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