Page 57 of Unmarked Magic

Caution pulled through my veins like an underlying current, fighting with both excitement and dread. Could I really sleep beside her and keep my hands to myself? Debatable. Especially after tonight.

This scenario couldn’t get any worse.

She stirred up feelings I had never let myself feel before. Had never thought existed. No one else had even come close to making me feel what she did.

Home.

The word ran through my mind on repeat. Like she was my safe place. Except for when she stared at me like that. Like she wanted to rip my fucking throat out.

She frowned, focused on the mattress. “Seriously? What is that, a sack?”

I walked over to the mattress, giving it a swipe. “Got a better option?”

Red grimaced. “Gods, there are probably creatures living in that thing.”

“If you’re lucky, it will only be mice,” I joked to lighten her frosty demeanor. It failed miserably.

“Only mice?” The sheer terror in her voice made me chuckle.

“Yeah, better than rats.”

Disgust twisted her face into a scowl. “That’s it, I’m leaving.” She turned on her heel, storming to the door and pulling it open. A bone-chilling gust swept through the cabin and she shut it again, pulling her coat tightly around her neck.

I let her have her moment. Could have said any number of smart remarks but decided my balls health was more important. Instead, I grabbed one of the hides on the rail, covering the mattress with it.

When she whipped around to face me, her movements stilled, as if accepting her fate: a night on a very small mattress with me.

I pulled in a deep breath, running my hand over the nape of my neck. “Look. It’s for one night. If you never speak to me again, I get it. But if we don’t use our body heat to keep warm...”

Something flickered in her eyes, her fingers thrumming her arm. “There’s no firewood?”

I shook my head. “There is no fire.”

She searched the room on the off chance I was lying.

Again, I held back a smart comment. Red had always been stubborn as fuck.

Her shoulders dropped in defeat as she focused on the mattress again, like a screenplay of the night ahead was playing over in her mind. The look in her eyes deepened, darkened.

The scent of wild berries overwhelmed me.

Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. “Fine.” She held my gaze, a moment of silence sitting between us.

Fuck. This was really happening.

Trying to distract myself from my thoughts, I took hold of the second animal hide, draping it over my arm.

“You first.” I motioned for her to lie down, and she hesitantly obliged.

Scanning the cabin, her brows drew together. “There’s no pillow.”

“Ah, here.” I shuffled out of my jacket, rolling it up and resting it at the top of the mattress. “Better?”

She stared at it briefly. “I guess. Thanks.” Propping herself up on an arm, she glanced over her shoulder at me before laying down, her back to my front.

Settling in behind, I made sure not to touch her as best I could. The last thing I knew she wanted was me right now. I only wished I could have told her everything. That the only reason I left every time we got too close was to keep her safe. That was all that mattered to me.

The mattress wasn’t small; it was fucking tiny, and she was right there. I pulled up the hide to ensure it covered her completely, and my body brushed against hers. She froze.