Page 4 of Scarred Mountain Man
"Really?"
"Yes."
He doesn't look particularly happy, probably because he thought he’d got rid of me. I'm too thankful to give a damn.
"Why is it so cold in here?" he asks.
"Well, I left a while back, I didn't think to fire up the fireplace."
He scrunches his eyebrows.
"Pack up your bags. You're staying at my place."
"What? No!"
"Do you want to sleep here and freeze to death?"
Well, that's an exaggeration. It doesn't even snow on Pepys Island from what I read in preparation for my trip. But it does feel like I'm going to freeze if I sleep here.
I nod reluctantly.
Chapter 4 - Miranda
"The bathroom is on the other side of that door." He points with his flashlight.
"I'll prepare something for you to eat while you take your shower."
He points in the direction of the tiny kitchen. "Gas stove."
His house is warmer than the cabin I rented, my skin shivers in delight at the sudden warmth.
He doesn't give me much chance to look around the place, just enough time to think how clean everything looks. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to find out more. But that'll have to wait.
He grabs a few candles from a drawer and hands me the flashlight. He's all business, and a part of me wants him to look at me.
I don't take long to take a shower but it's enough to make me sleepy and sore. Everything that happened didn't let me completely register my exhaustion until now.
"I made you a cheese and mushroom toast. It's not much, but I figured you didn't want to wait too long."
"Thank you," I say, my mouth watering at the sight of Oliver spreading a dollop of butter on the warm bread. He carefully cuts it in two and slides the plate over to me.
"You didn't have to."
"Of course I had to."
He doesn't say a word while I'm eating the toast. There are a few candles lighting the kitchen but besides that, we're in the dark. I can sense him watching me. It must be weird for him too. But I like the idea of his intense eyes watching me.
The rain outside is still pouring, it feels nice to finally be sheltered, listening to the rain without coming in contact with it.
"That was really good," I say after I finish.
"Good. You should rest. The bedroom is over there. I put some fresh sheets on the bed."
I'm too tired to say anything else, so I just nod and head to the bedroom. It smells slightly musky with plenty of pine, I recognize the same scent his shirt had.
I lie down wondering if his skin smells the same, but a second later I'm drifting away.
***
