Page 18 of Hold Your Breath
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He’d never been so cold. The wind was brutal, leaving him shaking, his hands and feet numb. The other side of the pine tree would have provided more of a windbreak, but he didn’t want to move out of the concealing shadows. He’d learned to put caution before comfort.
Tucking his head, he buried his mouth in the upturned collar of his coat, allowing the damp heat of his breath to warm his skin. She was torturing him, making him hide in the dark and frigid night just to get a glimpse of her. Resisting the urge to stamp feeling back into his feet, he stayed perfectly still and watched.
Time passed—either hours or minutes. It was hard to keep track of things like that. He straightened as her bedroom window lit, pooling warm light on the snow. As his heart accelerated, he walked toward the cabin, step by cautious step. He hated to leave the cover of the trees, but the lure of seeing her was too great. The clearing stretched between him and Lou, the light surface of the snowdrifts silhouetting him, but the reward outweighed the risk. He focused on that square of light, drawing him closer and closer to the cabin.
Once he saw her framed in the window, he knew the hours of silent vigil had been worth it. She faced away from the window as she pulled her shirt over her head. The warm lamplight brought out the peach and gold in her skin.
She was so beautiful and, at the same time, so careless with his feelings.
Reaching behind her with both hands, she unhooked her bra, allowing it to slide down her arms. At the sight of her bare back, his breath caught so hard he almost choked. Although he kept silent, he couldn’t stop himself from moving forward until he was just a few feet from the window.
He watched, mesmerized, as she stripped down to her panties. That body, that gorgeous, elegant body, washis. She might not realize that yet, but she would. He’d make sure of it.
Risking another step forward, he held back a disappointed sound as she pulled on her shapeless flannel pajamas. Once she was sharing his bed, she wouldn’t wear such ugly things. He’d buy her delicate and expensive lingerie, the kind her luscious body deserved.
She finally turned to face the window. At first, he ducked automatically, before he realized that she couldn’t see him. To her, the window was a wall of darkness, while he saw every detail of her life. A small, smug smile curled his mouth. This moment of power and superiority almost made waiting in the cold worth it.
His victorious thrill lasted until the light blinked out, leaving him exposed. He knew he had hours before she went to bed. Although he was tempted to circle her cabin and watch her through the living room windows, he forced himself to wait. It was too early for that. Once she was sleeping, he could look all he wanted.
So he returned to his hiding spot in the trees, growing colder and angrier with each passing moment. When the bedroom window lit again, just for a few moments, he allowed himself to move toward the cabin. His muscles had grown stiff, and his gait was awkward. Despite his discomfort, he had to catch himself before he ran toward the cabin. What had started out as practicality had grown into an obsession.
As he drew closer, there was no scream of discovery, no shotgun pointed at his face, so he dared to cross the final few steps until he was looking right into her window. He was close enough for his breath to leave condensation on the glass. Silently, he wiped the fogged spot clear with his sleeve.
She was in bed, curled in her usual position on her side. As he watched her sleep, time blinked forward again, until the numbness in his toes turned to a burn he couldn’t ignore. Soon. Soon, he wouldn’t have to haunt frozen forests and abandoned parking lots to see her. She’d be right next to him in his bed. Where she belonged.
This needed to work. Ithadto work. Nothing was right without her.
Chapter 4
“So…?”
It had taken her the entire dive-team training session to finally corner Callum. They’d been forced inside Station One by low temperatures and a biting wind, so they were polishing their first aid skills, checking equipment, and practicing with the rope-filled throw bags that were used to get a line from a rescuer on shore to someone in the water. When Callum moved away from the group to retrieve a stray throw bag, she saw her chance and followed.
“So?” he repeated, sounding distracted as he watched the others. “Chad throws like a fucking five-year-old girl.” He glanced at Lou. “No offense.”
“Why would I be offended? I’m not a five-year-old.” She paused. “Though for the record, Iama girl, and I’m more accurate with the throw bag than half the guys on the team. Anyway, I wanted to talk about our…research project.”
The slightest of grimaces crossed his face.
“Oh, no, no, no,” she said. “None of that.”
“None of what?”
“You’re thinking of backing out.” Lou planted herself in front of him, her fists on her hips. “There will be no backing out of this. I need your help. I realized last night that I have no clue what I’m doing.”
His eyes shifted over her shoulder, as if he were wishing he were away from her and back in the safety of numbers. Lou tipped her body slightly to the right so she could put herself in his line of sight.
“Please?” She bounced a little on the balls of her feet. “C’mon, Cal, you’ve been dive-team leader for how long now? Share your wisdom. Be my sensei. Lead me on the path of criminal enlightenment.”
He exhaled heavily, and she gave another tiny hop of excitement, knowing she had him. “You’re just going to harass me until I do anyway.”
“That’s right!” She beamed at him.
“Fine. Wait until everyone’s left, and we’ll talk.” Glancing at his watch, he bellowed, “Time’s up! See you all in two weeks. It’s CPR recertification, so attendance is mandatory.”
Several groans and mutters met his announcement as the dive-team members began to gather the equipment. Lou started stacking chairs.
