Page 46 of One Little Lie
Rylan gasps, and I use the opportunity to explore her sweet mouth. She tastes just as I remembered. She tastes like home, and I growl as a possessive streak zings through me, screaming,She’s mine.
My tongue wars with Rylan’s as I demand submission. The need to control this kiss is so overwhelming I almost climb on top of her. But when her icy hand cups the back of my neck, reality smacks me in the face.
She’s fucking frozen, asshole.You can’t maul her out here in a tropical storm. Pulling back, I scan her body for injuries and notice one ankle is bigger than the other.
“I-I knew you’d find me, Hatty.” Rylan’s teeth chatter in between words.
I stare at her for a moment as I realize her entire body has a blueish tint to it. She’s trembling from head to toe and covered in mud. As the sun set, the temperature dropped close to twenty degrees, and every first aid course I’ve ever taken kicks in.
Wrapping her in my arms, I lift her and start the long walk home.
Chapter 16
Rylan
Hatty cradles my shivering body to his chest and walks us through the rain. I’ve never felt more stupid or more relieved in all my life.I knew he’d find me, though.
We’re both silent as he trudges through the muddy swamp that used to be a dirt road. He slips a couple of times but keeps his balance, and we stay upright. I shouldn’t love the comfort of his arms as much as I do, but I can’t help it. I snuggle in for as long as he’ll let me because I know he’ll shut down soon enough.
He veers to the right, and I know we’re almost back to camp. I clench my teeth to keep them from chattering as he marches us to the side of the lean-to, opens the gate, and turns on the open-air shower.
“Wh-What are you doing?”
“We’re covered in mud, sweetheart. We need to rinse off, then I’ll get you warm.”
Sweetheart. That one word has the power to destroy me, so I attempt to block it out.
He doesn’t set me down as he stands us under the warm spray that mixes with ice cold rainwater. He just turns in place, allowing the water to run all over my body, then leans in, balancing me with one hand while he turns it off, and carries me into the lean-to.
Once inside, he gingerly sets me down on the ground and frowns when he notices me favoring one foot. It morphs into a scowl as he turns away, leaving me standing in the center of our makeshift home dripping water while he straps down the tarp with the buckles and snaps already in place.
Satisfied the tarp is secure, he turns and presses the buttons on two lanterns he must have set up earlier before finally coming back and handing me a towel. I’m not sure why I just stood here instead of helping. I guess I’m in shock, but even as he wraps a towel around my frozen body, something crackles to life between us.
His large palms come to rest on either side of my face. We stare at each other for a long moment before he leans in and rests his forehead against mine.
“What happened, my verity? You scared the shit out of me.” His voice is whisper-soft, but he’s so close, the air he exhales fans across my face, and I shiver as if he touched me intimately.
With chattering teeth, I attempt to speak. “It started to r-rain, and I slipped when the road got muddy. I th-think I sprained my ankle. I couldn’t put much w-weight on it, then the rain got heavier, s-so I hobbled to the trees to wait it out, but it just kept raining harder and harder. My watch lost a signal, I guess. I-I tried to call Colton, but it wouldn’t connect.”
He rears back as if I struck him.
“Colton?” he whispers with a touch of sadness and closes his eyes like he’s trying to block a bad memory.
“I …” My body shivers as wave after wave of icy cold washes through me. “I wasn’t sure you’d care,” I admit, laying all my insecurities at his feet.
His gaze finds mine, pleading for something I don’t understand.
“I’ve always cared, Verity. Always. Possibly too much.”
I shake my head no, but he silences me with a kiss. A gentle kiss that speaks of forgiveness and hope, and my body heats from within. He pulls away far too quickly, and a whimper escapes my lips.
He moves his hands to my upper arms and curses. “Jesus, Rylan. You’re freezing.”
“Really? You just set fire to all the parts that matter.”
His eyes darken, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he turns and opens my bag. I begin to protest but realize there’s no point. He’s going to do whatever he thinks needs to be done at this point. And secretly, I love it.
When he returns, he hands me a pair of lacey pink panties and one of his T-shirts. I lift my gaze to his, and he shrugs.
