Page 34 of For You I'd Mend
“What’s ruined?” Aiden asked.
“The tree took out the front of Poppy’s studio,” Rowan said. “All her current projects and supplies were inside.”
“Are there any downed lines out there?” Aiden asked.
Fuck. I didn’t even think of that when Poppy disappeared into the branches. This could have been so much worse. “The lights went out right after the tree fell,” I said, forcing down the wave of nausea that crashed over me.
“I couldn’t see any lights anywhere in the area,” Cal added.
“All right,” Aiden said, clapping his hands together like he was on a job site and about to dole out tasks. “We need tarps and rope. Shower curtains work too, even trash bags if that’s all we’ve got. I’m assuming you don’t have a chainsaw, Rose?”
“Just an ax and a hedge trimmer,” she said.
“That’ll do,” Aiden said. “I’m going outside to check for downed lines before we do anything. Anyone joining me needsboots and proper winter gear, no exceptions. Bonus points for eye protection.”
Chris shot off again. Rose walked to the couch and brushed Poppy’s short hair aside with gentle fingers. “Don’t worry, baby. We’ll save everything we can.”
I started to shift Poppy off my lap. “I should—”
“Stay here and help me,” Rowan said in a tone that left no room for discussion. “I want to move her closer to the fire once Cal finishes bandaging her foot, and it’d be easier if you lifted her.”
I nodded and listened as Poppy continued to cry, wishing there was something I could do other than act as her personal heater. By the time Cal and Rowan finished with Poppy’s feet, everyone else was outside. After he checked her hands, Cal joined them.
“Give me a second,” Rowan said. “I want to grab something to put on the floor.” She took the lantern and ran up the stairs, leaving Poppy and me completely alone.
I gripped Poppy tighter in the gentle glow from the fire. She turned slightly and laid her head on my shoulder, her breast brushing against my chest. My cock stirred to life, begging me to touch her, but I sat like a boulder, silent and unmoving. Poppy wrapped her arms around my neck and snuggled against me, and I fought like hell to get my body under control.
“Sorry that took so long,” Rowan said when she returned several minutes later. “I had to stop in the bathroom and hurl.”
“You OK?” I asked.
“I faint at blood,” Poppy said. “Rowan pukes.”
“Hey, at least I held it in until I’d taken care of you,” Rowan said. “I think that earns me double sister points.”
Poppy started laughing. The sound, coupled with the movement of her skin against mine, sent jolts of pleasure down my stomach, invigorating the erection I’d tried so hard to calm.
“You’re going to make me wear pink at your wedding, aren’t you?” she said.
“Obviously,” Rowan said, rolling out a sheet of memory foam. “Grabbed this from your bed. I figured you should sleep down here since it’ll be the warmest place in the house.”
“Any chance you brought me sweats too?” Poppy said.
“Slipped my mind,” Rowan said, with a hint of laughter in her voice. “Sorry. Just hold onto the blankets when Theo moves you.”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m sure Theo has seen plenty of tits in his line of work, and mine are nothing to brag about. But I’d love to get out of these wet bottoms.”
“He’s probably seen plenty of bottoms too, haven’t you, Theo?” Rowan said, with a smirk.
“I’ve seen plenty of everything, but no one as fine as Poppy.”
They both sucked in a breath. MaybeIwas hypothermic. I certainly wasn’t thinking straight, saying shit like that. In one sentence I’d confessed my attraction to Poppy, something I’d never flat-out admitted to anyone. “Um, why don’t I bring you over to the fire, Poppy, then you can have the blankets to yourself and just ditch the bottoms.”
I felt her nod against my neck, so I stood and carried her across the room. She held the blankets close as I lowered her onto the foam “I’m going to help outside,” I said, standing and reaching for my wet shirt.
“Please stay,” Poppy said so softly my chest ached.
“OK,kardoula mou.”
