Page 44 of Just a Taste
My mood is, admittedly, dour as I return to my room where Noelle is still cocooned in the warmth of the bed. The temptation to dive back under the sheets with her hits me like a brick as soon as I step into the room. But, as I approach, she glances up and her features twist into a frown.
‘No luck?’
Should I be impressed at how easily she can read me?
I shake my head and drop down onto the edge of the bed. ‘No idea what’s wrong with it. It’s definitelyon, but it’s not sending any heat our way.’
I brace myself for a joke or some light taunting, but it doesn’t come. Instead, Noelle bites her lip and I can almost see the cogs turning behind her eyes as she tries to come up with a solution.
‘I could check the loft,’ I say with a half-hearted shrug. ‘I may have a portable heater or two up there.’
‘What’s the likelihood of that?’ she asks.
‘Not high,’ I admit. It’s not like I’ve ever had an issue with the central heating before. ‘But if I do have one, that’s where it’ll be.’
Noelle slumps against the headboard. ‘It’ll also bereallycold up there. And if you open it up and that gets into the rest of the house…’ She trails off and I nod. She’s right. The loft will be an icebox right now, and we can’t risk letting out the little warmth we do currently have by rummaging around up there.
Damn it.
‘What about leaving?’ I suggest.
Noelle laughs. ‘That’s what I’ve beentryingto do, in case you hadn’t noticed.’
I shake my head. ‘Your car might be a piece of junk—’
‘Hey!’ Noelle squawks and tosses a pillow in my direction. ‘She isnota piece of junk!’
I nod towards the window where the storm continues to rage on. ‘Right now, she might as well be. But presumably my car is fine. We could try our luck at a hotel? I know there’s one about a twenty-minute drive from here.’
Noelle bites her bottom lip, clearly considering the offer. After a beat or two, she shakes her head. ‘What if they’re closed or full? It is Christmas, after all.’
‘It’s December 23rd,’ I mutter.
Noelle stubbornly ignores me. ‘It’s too dangerous out there to risk it only to get turned back. Eve will never forgive me if I freeze to death on the side of the road.’ She fumbles around for her phone, taps something onto it, and then turns the screen so I can see it. ‘See? We’re still in a Red Alert and they’re recommending we stay put.’
I exhale a deep breath. ‘Back to the drawing board it is.’
I don’t like this. I don’t like not feeling in control of something that should be easily controllable.
‘Oh!’ Noelle suddenly sits upright and claps her hands together. ‘We should be in the kitchen!’
‘The kitchen?’
She nods enthusiastically, eyes brightening with each passing second. ‘Your oven… You’ve got an Aga which is always on. We can hang out in the kitchen during the day to keep warm, and at night…’ She trails off and suddenly looks bashful.
‘We cancuddle?’ It’s a genuine question but I think she misinterprets the tone of voice for something else entirely because she visibly bristles.
‘I get that it’s notideal,’ she says stiffly. ‘But it’s better than freezing in our rooms.’
I quickly hold up my hands in surrender, not wanting to give her the wrong impression. The idea of spending another night with her in my arms is anythingbutsomething I’m not looking forward to. ‘No, no, it’s a great idea. It’s not like I’ve got anything better. The Aga it is.’
Relief washes over her features, and she offers me a small smile that, thankfully, reaches her eyes. ‘Great.’
We both get up from the bed, the chill in the room palpable as our feet touch the floor again. I notice she’s wearing a pair of my socks now, and I can’t quite account for the warmth in my chest. Noelle wraps the duvet tighter aroundherself, and I grab an extra blanket from the wardrobe before we make our way to the kitchen.
The moment we step into the kitchen, I can see Noelle visibly relax. This is her domain, after all. She lets out a contented sigh as she goes over to inspect the Aga. I watch as she expertly adjusts the dials and knobs – ones I haven’t so much as glanced at since the day I hired her – getting the temperature just right. It’s fascinating to see her in her element, taking charge with such ease.
I could watch her all day.
