Page 59 of Defying Ella
Jared had stepped out of the shower to find me frantically scrubbing the floors and going ever so slightly crazy.
I hated dirt. So what? Everyone has their quirks.
“You were cute freaking out, at least.” He smirked before kissing my head. “No barbs flew that day.”
“Only ‘cause you joined me in cleaning up,” I grumbled against his chest.
His shoulders shook. “I had some sensible ideas.”
He flipped the tap on before I could decide how to respond to that claim. He held my hands under the freezing cold water and then squeezed a generous lump of hand soap into my palms.
For some reason, I just stood there while he picked up a nailbrush and started scrubbing the caked mixture from my hands and nails.
I found the whole thing soothing. No one had ever stepped in like that. My mother and sister pretty much learned early on that it was better for all of us if they got out of my way and let me clean when the wrong mood hit.
Yet, I felt no frustration, no urgency to clean my hands.
With Jared’s fingers massaging the soap into my skin, my body almost sagged with contented delight.
How can something so basic be soothing?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Jared whistled happily to himself while he hovered over the stove, watching his latest pantry concoction bubble in the pot. He hadn’t failed me yet on the food front, but supplies were starting to run low. So I kept my lips tightly sealed on the questionable smell wafting from the kitchen, focusing instead on the book I’d chosen to reread since my phone’s battery saver mode could only work so many miracles.
“Do you want to come taste this?” Jared asked.
Thankfully, he stood with his back to me and couldn’t see my instinctive wince of disgust.
“I’m sure your taste buds will do.”
“C’mon, I need an honest opinion.” Jared chuckled.
Sighing, I dropped my book and gave in. I couldn’t have done any better, so while I could admit it stunk, the chances of the words leaving my lips were slim.
He held out a spoon with a green, greasy-looking liquid. Jared patiently waited for me to take it, but my lips pulled back in horror as he passed it beneath my nose.Oh, I need a medal if I get through without spitting it out.
“What is it meant to be?”
“Leek soup, but I don’t have any potatoes. I’m trying to find a way to add the creamy texture without them.” He pursed his lips. “It also doesn’t help that I don’t have a blender and I can only chop them so finely.”
My gaze fell to the lumpy, liquidy texture, and I swallowed hard. There was no way out, I had to try it.
A strange whirring sound filled the lodge before I could force my mouth open. The sun had long set and we were surrounded by the soft flicker of candles. Nothing should have been able to make that sound.
We frowned at each other, my confusion mirrored on Jared’s face. He dropped the spoon back into the pot and I did a happy dance in my mind.
Then the lights flashed on.
Neither of us moved for a moment.
Shock and elation rippled through me. Jared grabbed me, lifted me off my feet and spun me around the kitchen island. He caught my lips in a sloppy, celebratory kiss that curled my toes and ended far too quickly.
“Do you think this means they’re close to getting us out?” he asked when he set me back on my feet.
He went searching for his phone before I could reply, but it seemed likely. He shook the pillows on the pullout with limited success.
“One of these days, you’ll put your phone in an obvious place.” I shook my head at him, amused despite the repetition of his search.
