Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
I wipe a tear from my cheek and go over to the record player, where I switch out the record for an Ella Fitzgerald. Her strong, smooth voice immediately comforts me and makes me feel less alone.
My headache and nausea are ever present, but I make myself stay upright instead of crawling back into bed. I drink a couple cups of water and go to the outhouse to pee, then settle onto the love seat with one of the paperbacks from a single shelf on the wall.
My gaze keeps wandering from the words on the pages to the cabin door. All I want is for Lincoln to walk through that doorway, his massive frame filling it before he scowls at me about something.
I can get through withdrawal from my medication. I’ll find a way to cope with my situation without it, somehow.
But I’d much rather do it with Lincoln than alone.
CHAPTER TEN
Lincoln
I huff out an aggravated sigh when I see the snowdrift blocking the cabin door.
Awesome. I’m freezing and exhausted from walking for what felt like at least twelve hours. Not to mention cranky as shit from not finding a damn thing other than more snow and trees. And now I have to dig my way inside.
There’s a snow shovel leaning against the cabin near the front door, which helps. I scoop and throw enough snow to get the door open, breathing hard when I put the shovel back.
It’s different exercise than I’m used to, but at least I’m staying active. That’ll help me get right back on the ice when I get home.
When I open the door, Trinity turns and looks at me from in front of the fireplace, where she’s using the metal poker to move wood around and stoke the fire.
“Hey.” She smiles. “I was hoping that was you out front and not a bear.”
She’s changed out of the long underwear and is now wearing black leggings and a men’s flannel that’s oversized on her. For a second, I imagine we’re at a five-star lodge for a long weekend of skiing, about to settle onto the love seat with some wine. I’d offer her a foot rub and my hands would roam up her calves, to her thighs and then...
“Did you find anything?” she asks, standing.
“No.” I drop my gloves, hat and scarf, then take off my coat and add it to the pile. “Thanks for keeping the fire going.”
I go over to the fireplace and crouch down, holding my hands out to warm them up. The warmth makes me want to groan with satisfaction. I started fantasizing about this around hour four of walking.
Trinity sits down on the end of the bed. “Sorry about my mood earlier. I have a headache, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
“It’s okay.” I glance at the kitchen area. “Have you eaten anything?”
“I had some peanut butter.”
My stomach growls just from the sound of it. “Hell yes. I could eat an entire jar. I’m dying for some protein.”
“There’s beef jerky in the storage room. Do you want me to get you some?”
I stand. “No, you should rest that ankle. I’ll get it.”
When I reach the storage room, I scan the well-organized shelves. Most of the items have labels. Rice. Oatmeal. Beans. As soon as my eyes land on the plastic containers of beef jerky, I grab one and tear it open, taking some out and biting into it.
This time, I do groan with satisfaction. The savory flavor of the meat is intensified by my hunger. I’m beat; I need food, water and sleep before I can think about our next step.
“Was it pretty rough out there?” Trinity asks.
This cabin is so small that she’s not very far away even though we’re in different rooms. I step back and look through the doorway so she’s in my line of sight.
“Yeah. I didn’t see a damn thing.”
She gets up and limps over to the record player. “Want me to put on some music?”
“Sure.”
I’m so tired I could sleep through a live Metallica concert, so I don’t care what she picks. Still, I find myself surprised when she chooses Nat King Cole.
“What I wouldn’t give for a working faucet on that bathtub,” she cracks.
Her blond hair is loose around her shoulders. The feeling that we could easily be here on a date returns. When Trinity’s smiling at me instead of snarling, she’s actually beautiful. I was deliberately avoiding thinking about it before, because she’s Dalton’s little sister.
Now that we’re alone here, though, I find myself intrigued by what she’s like beneath her sometimes prickly shield.
I bury the thought because I can’t go there. No matter our circumstances, she’s still my teammate’s sister. I’ll protect her and take care of her, but that’s it.
“It looks like there’s a heating element in there,” I say, pouring myself a glass of water. “That has to be what the switch is for. After I get some sleep, I’ll fill it with water, and we’ll see if we can figure out how to heat it up.”