Page 91 of Stay this Christmas
“There’s just one problem,” she said after a minute.
I figured she’d rethought the whole hammock thing, after all. We were awfully close in here. My back would hate me in the morning, but I’d sleep in that monstrosity for her.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“I have to pee.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
harper
Perfect gentleman that he was,Sam escorted me to the outhouse with a flashlight and thoroughly checked for snakes before I dared use it. The tiny building had soft lighting inside so I didn’t have to do everything in total darkness, but I was grateful for the once-over before I made myself completely vulnerable out there.
“Is that a shower?” I asked.
He turned the flashlight on the side of the outhouse and, sure enough, a shower head and fixture gleamed at us. Seemed awfully exposed, with no screens or shelters in sight.
“What are people supposed to do in the winter?” I asked.
“Get frost bite.”
We each took a turn in the rustic bathroom before scrambling back to the tiny house. Sam grabbed the cooler he’d brought out of the car and set it inside the so-called kitchen before he started up a fire in the wood stove. For now, we’d switched the lights back on, but after seeing the view waiting for us, I was itching to turn them off again.
And spend the night in our lone bed.
I’d be fine as long as I remembered the rules I’d made for myself back in the outhouse.
Only touch when necessary.
Keep the kissing at a minimum.
Absolutely no Twister.
“What’s in the cooler?”
“Eggs, bacon, and milk. There’s no continental breakfast out here, so I thought I should bring our own.”
“That’s really sweet of you.”
He winked at me over his shoulder. “I do like to keep us alive.”
“I’m going to change into pajamas.”
He swiveled his head around to face the fire he had going and gave a little nod, his Adam’s apple working as he swallowed. “Sounds good.”
His voice sounded strained, but I would just ignore it. I’d need to if I wanted myWe’re all adults herecrap to work.
Crawling into the nook, I pulled the tapestries shut at the foot of the bed. I liked a plush bed, but I didn’t like maneuvering around on one on my knees while I stripped down. Pulling off my jeans and changing into lounge pants on my back? Mortifying. But the wiggle room on either side of the bed was barely enough to stand in, I couldn’t comfortably change there. Finally switching into my red plaid pajamas on top of the bed, I tugged the curtain open.
The swish of the curtain revealed Sam facing the wall of windows as he pulled off his shirt just a few feet away.
I was a medical professional. I’d seen naked backs a hundred times before. But no other naked back had ever made my stomach dip and heat until I got dizzy from just looking at it.
Artists could have done charcoal rubbings on the ridges of his muscles. He could have been a model for any one of my anatomy and physiology books. Trapezius and deltoids, rhomboids and latissimus, all beautifully defined. God bless his years of rock climbing.
He spun around, revealing a light dusting of chest hair, impressive pecs, and six-pack abs. Wasn’t sure which view left me more flustered. Probably should check them both again just to be sure.
His lips quirked up into a smirk.
