Page 10 of Frost and Felines

5

MALLORY

After Kieran left, Mallory paced the small room. Her boots sank into the plush burgundy carpet with each step. The snow pelted against the window in thick sheets, a direct reflection of her turbulent thoughts. She paused at the window, pressing her palm against the cold glass.

"This is insane," she muttered to herself. "Absolutely insane."

Her groceries sat untouched on the wooden table, a reminder that she should be home right now, putting everything away in her own kitchen. Instead, she was stuck in this cozy but foreign room, with a proposition that made her head spin.

"Be his wife." She let out a sharp laugh. "Right. Because that worked out so well for me the first time."

The memory of Eli's warm smile flashed through her mind, making her chest ache. The storm outside intensified, and she inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. A crack of thunder punctuated her anxiety.

"Pull yourself together, Mallory," she chided herself, moving to unpack her groceries. "You're not actually doing this."

But as she placed the items in the mini fridge, her mind kept drifting back to Kieran's confident stance, the way his auburnhair had fallen across his forehead when he'd leaned in to make his proposition. The way those blue eyes had sparkled with mischief and determination.

"Their best room for free," she mused, dropping onto the edge of the bed. "And room service."

The practical side of her brain started making calculations. Two weeks in this room would already cost a fortune. A premium room would be completely out of her budget, but free? That would help significantly with this unexpected stay in Saltwater Grove.

She flopped backward onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling. "What would you say about this, Eli?" The question slipped out before she could stop it. "You'd probably laugh yourself silly."

The wind howled loudly outside, rattling the window panes. Mallory sat up, wrapping her arms around herself tighter. Playing pretend wife to a gorgeous inn owner she'd just met? It sounded like something out of one of her romance novels, not real life. Certainly not her life.

"I don't even know how to be a fake wife," she said to her reflection in the mirror above the dresser. Her platinum blonde hair was slightly windswept from the storm, and her blue eyes wide with uncertainty. "And he's so... everything. Confident. Charming. Probably used to dating supermodels or something."

Mallory curled up in the armchair by the window, watching the snow create intricate patterns against the dark glass. The storm outside matched her inner turmoil, each gust of wind echoing her conflicted thoughts about Kieran's proposition.

"He's certainly... different," she murmured, remembering how he'd swooped in to help with her bags, those blue eyes sparking with interest even before his wild suggestion. Not just charming, but genuine in his care for the inn and its people.

She pulled her knees to her chest, her sock-covered toes curling against the chair's fabric. The room suddenly felt suffocating - barely enough space to think, let alone live for weeks. The thought of being confined here made her chest tight.

"What am I even considering?" She pressed her forehead against the cool window. "Pretending to be married to a complete stranger? Have I lost my mind?"

Thunder crackled outside, and Mallory forced herself to take deep breaths. The last thing she wanted was to make the storm worse with her mounting anxiety.

"I'd have to touch him," she realized, her cheeks warming at the thought. "Hold his hand, maybe even..." She shook her head, unable to complete that train of thought.

Her wedding ring from Eli sat heavy on her finger. She twisted it absently, guilt gnawing at her insides. "It's not real," she reminded herself. "Just pretend. Like acting in a play."

The tiny bathroom door caught her eye, reminding her of the cramped quarters she'd be stuck in if she declined. The larger room Kieran had mentioned had a separate living area, a bathroom bigger than this entire room, a private balcony, and a jacuzzi.

"Eli would want me to be practical," she reasoned, then laughed at herself. "Right, because pretending to be married to the inn owner is the practical choice."

But there was definitely something about Kieran - beyond his obvious alpha male presence and striking looks - something that made her want to trust him. The way his entire demeanor had softened when he said the inn was everything to him and talking about making it more welcoming for families.

Lightning illuminated the room, casting dramatic shadows across the walls. Two weeks minimum in this shoebox of a room would drive her crazy. Not to mention drain her savings.

"I'll need rules," she decided, already mentally drafting a list. "Clear boundaries. No... unnecessary touching. No pet names. Nothing that could blur the lines."

The storm outside intensified, and Mallory knew she'd made her decision, for better or worse.

Before long, Mallory lay in the unfamiliar bed, the sheets cool against her skin. The storm outside had settled into a steady rhythm, matching her calmer thoughts. She'd made her decision, yet sleep eluded her as her mind wandered through the implications.

"It's just business," she whispered to the darkness. "A mutually beneficial arrangement."

The moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting silver shadows across the room. Kieran's confident smile flashed through her memory - the way he'd leaned against her dresser, all casual authority and charm. She'd never met anyone quite like him before. Even Eli, as wonderful as he'd been, had been gentler and more subdued.

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