Cabin Heat: A New Adult and College Romance (The Billionaire Romance Redemption Series Book 1) (7 page)

“Yes. Definitely the bedroom,” she whispered, feeling the warmth rise to her ever-smiling cheeks again.

What on earth was I thinking?
was the dominant question running around Andrew’s thoughts all morning. The kiss felt good at the time—amazing, actually, the way it stirred up things that he wasn’t sure worked anymore, and had no business getting aroused—but now was a different story. Now it was morning, and it was bad enough that he had a house full of strangers to feed, clothe, and entertain.

Plus, he had to live with having kissed one of those complete strangers. And she kissed him back? What new planet had he teleported to? Because the whole thing felt like wherever he was last night, he was not accompanied by his brain. Still, he had to admit, he got the best sleep he had had in a long time.

“Shit,” he said to himself, coming to terms with having to face her again. What was he supposed to say? He had seen Rob when he first got up, so he wouldn’t have to tend to them for most of that day, at least. But could he avoid her for the entire time?
Avoid her? Avoid them? In my own fucking house? What in hell is wrong with me?

Andrew stood up from the chair in his office. He was not going to be a voluntary prisoner in his own house. And it was time to live with the consequences of kissing an irresistible woman he knew nothing about. Letting out a long sigh, he got up and headed to the living room.

He felt a mixture of relief and newfound apprehension when he looked in and saw Abby eating alone. At least he could apologize and see if they could forget it ever happened. Not that that was possible. That was the kiss of life. One of those once-in-a-lifetime memorable moments, right up there with tandem skydiving, running with the bulls in Pamplona, and bungee jumping in Zimbabwe. Although the kiss was a clear win over the others in adrenalin-pumping intensity and mind-altering elation.

“Good morning, Andrew,” Abby greeted him with a shy but warm smile.

“Good morning. Did you…um…did you sleep well?” he asked.

“I did,” she answered. “We still can’t thank you enough for your help last…I mean yesterday.”

“It’s no problem at all. So, I see you’ve been fed?”

“Yes, thank you. Everyone else is eating in the kitchen. Rob and John made breakfast. There’s probably more if you want to have some.”

“I’m all right. Had my morning coffee and will grab something later,” he explained, settling into a less nervous conversation. It would appear they were both intent on leaving the kiss in the past and out of their discussion.

“Rob mentioned it’s still snowing out there?” she asked.

“Unfortunately, yes,” he answered, and immediately caught himself, but it was already too late to back out of the commentary.

“I’m sure you’d be a lot more comfortable if we hadn’t ended up stuck here with you,” she said politely, possibly reading his mind. “Have you heard any news on how long the storm will last?”

“The radio has been cutting in and out, and reception isn’t much better with cable and satellite TV. At one point, the news mentioned another day or so of snowfall. There have been hundreds of accidents, vehicle pileups, and stalled cars, so the cleanup will be another story. I hate to break it to you, but we could be looking at three to five days before they clear the highways, main roads, and then this back country road.”

He was completely aware of the pregnant pause as the reality of a few days sank in for Abby. She bit down on her luscious lip, sweet enough to make Andrew sense an impending erection.

“Better in here than out there, right?” she said cheerily. Her wide eyes lit up as she nodded toward the windows.

“For sure. By the way,” he added, “does anyone want to use the sat phone? I’m guessing you all need to call your family, or…um…loved ones?”
And I hope you’re actually single, after that kiss.

And with just that question, Andrew found himself in the middle of a flashback.

He was driving. It was the dead of night in the middle of a snowstorm. Both hands gripped the wheel firmly. Emma’s hand lovingly on his leg. They had both worked twenty-four hours straight at the hospital. She had just kissed him on the cheek and laid her head on his shoulder, her non-verbal reassurance that she was completely confident with his driving on the snowy night. Black ice on that bridge. Bright lights from out of nowhere.

Just as quickly as it came, the memory drifted away with his clouded mind and he was now standing a few feet from Abby.

“Everything okay?” she asked as his focus shifted back to her.

“Fine,” he answered quickly, as if it would help detract any attention from his vacant stare. He made a point of turning to head out of the room. Having to explain what just happened was more than he was ready to share. “I’ll show your friends how to use the sat phone and get one of them to bring it to you when they’re done. I have a few things to take care of, so I’ll speak to you later on.”

“Thanks, Andrew.”

He heard Abby answer but disappeared around the corner to put some distance between him and the embarrassing moment. When he was out of her line of sight, and out of earshot, he stopped and took a few deep breaths.
Great going, Andy
. He silently chastised himself and his unruly mind for taking him back to the tragedy at such an inopportune time.

“Hey, Andrew,” Rob greeted him as he entered the kitchen. Rob was at the stove preparing another round of breakfast. The remaining four people from the group—he had forgotten a couple of their names—were seated around the breakfast nook, feasting on eggs, French toast, sausages, and coffee.

“Good morning,” he said to them. “I just want to show you the satellite phone and how to use it before I head back to my office to attend to some business.”

“Thanks, man,” John answered. “Yeah, I’d like to get a message to my folks.”

“Me too,” Rob agreed. “None of our phones work yet.”

“Okay, good,” Andrew answered.

He was distinctly aware of the piercing look he got from the crazy woman in the group. He made a point of not looking in her direction.

“It’s fully charged and pretty simple to use,” he said, “but just in case, here are the written instructions. It usually works fine here in the kitchen because there’s a skylight, but if it’s giving any signal issues, you may need to step out on the porch.”

“Thanks, Andrew,” Rob answered. “We’ll give it a go after breakfast. You know, I made lots of food here, more than enough, if you want to join us.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll grab something a little later on,” he graciously refused. “Oh, before I forget, I may need you men to help me bring in some firewood from the shed later. The house is well heated, but the fireplace makes a big difference on days like this.”

“That’ll be no problem at all,” John piped up. “I’m actually pretty good at chopping wood. My dad has a firewood delivery service in the winter when the farm is off season.”

“Good to know, um, sorry…John, right?” Andrew asked.

“Yes, I’m John,” he answered.

“Great. John. Yes, the shed’s got a supply of pre-chopped wood that will last pretty much the whole season. So you’re off the hook for any chopping while you’re here.”

“That’s a relief,” John answered. “Though I’d be more than happy to pull my weight after everything you’ve done for us. I know you’ve probably heard a thousand thanks from Rob already, but you saved our hides out there. We can’t thank you enough for braving the cold and coming out to find us. And for letting us stay here. I mean, we’re a bunch of strange people in your house.”

Andrew knew what it was like to be stranded in the middle of nowhere and not have help come for hours. He had never had the opportunity to help people directly—except for his work at the hospital, but that was his job—and he was never very interested in his family’s numerous charities, but he thought of himself as a reasonably decent person. To help was just the right thing to do. Although, he couldn’t help
her
.

“It’s no problem at all,” Andrew answered. “All right. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast. Rob can show you the study and entertainment room if you’re looking for things to do to keep busy. I’ll see you later on.”

Andrew turned to leave and was relieved to see a consensus of nods and hear the chorus of
thanks
, as opposed to more questions. He breathed out a silent, near-elated breath when the short, flirtatious brunette didn’t make another advance. She must have gotten the message loud and clear last night when he nearly ripped her arms from around his neck. It was regretful that his grip left a mark, but he suspected it was the right amount of force to get any clear message over to that woman. He walked to his office, closed the door, and locked it for good measure. He was grateful for the temporary solitude.

As he sat rifling through papers on his desk, all he could think of was Abby’s smile. It was one of those beautiful smiles that emanated warmth and happiness as a default. Thinking back on it suddenly warmed him up inside. He couldn’t help reliving the moments they stood facing each other at the side of the bed.

What was is that filled him with so much courage that he was compelled enough to kiss her? How could he know she’d accept it and return it in kind? There were no awkward moments, no hesitation, and oh yes, no rational thought, either. All he recalled seeing was that her cheeks were a little pink and her eyes were trained on his. Could she have felt what he was feeling? Was she even single?

He couldn’t imagine recreating those few magical moments in his entire lifetime. And he was certain it wouldn’t happen again, especially given his last conversation with her. Maybe it was his imagination, but to him, there was a formal distance. A cold politeness that he guessed meant Abby had come to her senses about what a mistake she made last night.

And he hadn’t even stopped to think about the scar on his arm. She had to have seen it last night because he hadn’t been wearing a shirt. Andrew ran his hand along his right forearm, tracing the pink scar from his wrist to his elbow pit, almost touching the base of his biceps. His surgeons had offered to do cosmetic surgery back then, but he had refused. And now, it served a purpose. It reminded him that he probably didn’t deserve to find love.

Her hands on his chest. So warm. So welcoming. The way she shivered as she stared into his eyes. The way her face softened. Maybe he was imagining her enjoyment of it all? It was doubtful; she pulled him down to the bed and he distinctly recalled feeling her hands wrapped tightly around his waist, and her body writhing under him as he invaded her sensuous mouth with his tongue. How far would they have gone if he hadn’t stopped his advance in its tracks?

Whatever it was, he needed to clear it from his mind. He had spent a good part of the morning with a raging erection every time he remembered their encounter. And although it was pleasurable, gratifying, and in some ways, heavenly, the last thing he needed was more memories to add to his arsenal of flashbacks.

“Five days?” Barb exclaimed to ABBY.

Barb had just learned about the expected delays to clear local roads after the severe snowstorm.

“Yep,” Abby answered again as Barb repeated the question.

“But…won’t those people who do the plowing come out sooner? I mean, we couldn’t be the only ones stuck in this mess.”

“That’s the point, Barb,” Trina spoke up. “We’re not the only ones needing help. Just think of all of Highway eighty, and the roads to and from Truckee and Lake Tahoe. It’s a lot of ground to cover to get to us.”

“God, this really sucks.”

“Think about it this way, Barb,” Trina said. “We could have been out in the snow for that long. Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but this place is boring. Nothing works. It’ll be a long five days is all I’m saying.”

“Yes. And it would be the same if we were stuck anywhere else in this storm,” Trina answered with mild annoyance. “You think it would be any better in Truckee?”

“
Ahh
, whatever. I’m going to check out the games room,” Barb said, leaving the rest of the group sitting around the living room.

“I’ll be in the library.” Ruth followed, but stopped and turned back at the door. “Abby, do you want me to find you something to read?”

“Sure, thanks Ruth,” she answered.

“Any preferences?”

“Well, I’m not too sure what there is to choose from.”

“I’ll surprise you, then,” Ruth said with a wink and left.

Trina and John were cuddling on the sofa.

“We’re going back upstairs now,” Trina stood up and announced.

John followed her lead.

“See you later,” Abby answered.

“Not to worry, Rob,” Trina called from the door. “John and I will do food duty for dinner.”

“Good call.” Rob turned to Abby. “Well, it’s just you and me, kid. Want to help fold laundry?”

“Sure,” Abby said eagerly. “I’m already tired of being waited on. At least I’ll be useful for something. Bring it on.”

“Sweet,” Rob said, moving off from where he stood at the fireplace. “I’ve got to check the dryer. Be right back.”

Abby was glad for whatever time alone she could get. She was used to being around people, but admittedly, the solitude would allow her to think. She couldn’t think about Andrew without smiling or wondering. He’d been so kind and hospitable, considering her party of students was complete strangers. No one could blame him for keeping some distance. After all, one could never be too trusting these days.

She knew her dad and probably most people living outside Sparks would do the same thing that Andrew had done for them, and had, for many motorists over the years. They lived so close to Highway eighty, people would show up looking for directions, walk to their door with empty gas cans or empty coolant bottles, and the odd few would show up on foot when trucks broke down completely. And her dad had never turned anyone away.

Still, they had never had to host anyone overnight. Abby appreciated Andrew’s gesture of opening up his home to them, in particular as he seemed to live such a solitary existence.
How could anyone live alone through the winter down at Lake Tahoe with no neighbors for miles in each direction?
She quickly realized she had no right engaging in such post hoc inquiries when she had asked no questions last night. Not before, during or after their kiss.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Rob’s question startled her. She hadn’t noticed his return. He took a seat in the sofa beside her chair and placed the hamper on the side table so she could reach.

“Nothing major. Just thinking how lucky we are.”

“No doubt.”

“Did you get hold of your mom?” Abbywas ready to change the subject. She pulled out the t-shirts and sweaters one by one, folding each neatly and putting them in one of two piles. There was no way to know which belonged to whom, so she also separated the girls’ pieces from the boys’, and set her own items to the side.

“Yes, I did for a minute or so,” he confirmed, pulling out the jeans and tights when he noticed her working on the tops. “I told her to let your dad know too, just in case we lost the signal again.”

“Oh that’s great. Thanks, Rob. What did she say the weather was like there?”

“Almost as bad as we have here. And Truckee got a massive dumping of snow, just like here. They had to close down a long stretch of Highway eighty too.”

“I guess we could have been hit going that route too. We should tell Ruth. She felt so badly bringing us this way.”

“She knows. She was there when I got through to Mom. She feels a lot better now.”

“Good,” Abby said with relief. “Should we get the towels from the bathrooms to wash? We should probably do our best not to give Andrew any extra work.”

“I’m way ahead of you,” Rob answered proudly. “There’s a load in the dryer. See? All those years as a summer sports camp counselor have come in handy.”

“I guess they have,” she giggled. For years during high school, the two had worked at Camp SportsQuest Reno-Tahoe.

“Except thankfully this time, there aren’t sweaty socks or grimy clothes to handle.” He laughed and stood up. “These are pretty much done. I’ll go check on the towels.”

As Rob was leaving, Ruth re-entered the living room with a small pile of magazines and books. Abby noticed him give Ruth a nod and a warm smile. Maybe he was finally coming around to her.

“So I raided his library but I’m afraid it’s packed to the rafters with mostly medical journals and business magazines.”

“That’s no problem,” Abby answered. “I’m a nurse, remember? I can handle it. So what did you end up bringing?”

“I found this small stack of sci-fi novels.” Ruth showed her. “It beats complete boredom, right?”

“Whatever you brought is fine. Thanks, Ruth.”

Thinking the timing may be ideal for Rob and Ruth to spend a little time getting to know each other, Abby made a suggestion.

“Hey, Ruth. I think I’ll head back to my room to relax while I read. There’s all this folded laundry here to distribute. Want to do the honors? And when Rob comes back with the towels, maybe you can help him?”

“Um, sure. If he doesn’t mind, I don’t either.”

“He won’t.”

“Who won’t?” Rob asked as he walked back in with a second hamper filled with towels.

“You won’t mind if Ruth takes over from me, will you?”

“Um, I guess not,” Rob said. “What are you up to?”

“I think I’ll need a little nap with this novel,” Abby answered, raising her copy of Asimov’s
The Foundation Trilogy
for Rob to see.

“I hear you.” He chuckled and set down the hamper. “How about I help you to your room first. Ruth, want to take this finished hamper upstairs and I’ll meet you back here in five?”

“Sure,” she answered warmly.

Rob helped Abby up. She placed her clothes over her left forearm, held the novel in the same hand, and rested her right arm on his shoulder to limp to her room. She settled into bed when Rob left, and just as she expected,
The Kiss
made its way back to her thoughts. She let out a sigh and opened the book to read. Within minutes, she found herself slowly drawn into the story. It was quite a surprise that she found a science fiction story this engaging. She had only ever read romance novels, if she wasn’t studying her nursing manuals and journals. Perhaps it was this story, and not necessarily all of science fiction. She instantly related to the character named Gaal, and how he felt out of place in Trantor. It reminded her of how she felt when she first moved to San Francisco; feeling small and insignificant in such a large city.

As interesting as the novel was, within less than an hour, Abby was drowsy, and soon after that, she slept.

* * *

“Hi there, sleepyhead,” Abby heard Ruth call out, leaning against her bedroom door frame.

Luckily, she hadn’t fallen into a deep sleep.

“Hey,” Abby answered, still in a mild haze from the nap. “What’s up?”

“We’re going out to check out Andrew’s hot tub in the guesthouse. Want to come with?”

“Hot tub? Probably not. Wait a minute. Isn’t it still snowing out? How did you guys swing that?”

“Well, yes, it’s still snowing, but we’re a bit bored. Rob was talking to Andrew and he offered. The place has a steam room, massive hot tub, and a sauna. You should come.”

“Sounds great, but with this ankle, I think I’ll have to pass,” she answered. “Not sure I can even make it down those porch steps. What time is it?”

“After six,” Ruth answered.

“Wow, I was sleeping that long, huh?”

“Yep. I tried to wake you but you were really deep in sleep. You missed dinner too, but we left you a plate. Trina and John made pasta. Want me to bring it in here?”

“No, I think I’ll come out to the living room.” Abby sat up and stretched out her arms while she yawned. “Better if I don’t hide out in here all day.”

Ruth helped her get to the living room.

“So what are you all wearing for your hot tub adventure?” Abby asked.

“Underwear, I guess.” Ruth’s eyebrows were raised high on her forehead.

“You stay warm out there!”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to sit with you?”

Abby sat in what was becoming her usual chair, closest to the fireplace.

“Positive,” she answered.

“And dinner?”

“I’m not too hungry yet. You go have a good time.”

Abby watched as Ruth threw on her winter coat and boots to head out to the front door. The snow was still falling, but the wind seemed to have died down.
Only a hot tub can get people to charge through the driving snow for enjoyment
, she thought. She smiled and turned back toward the warm fireplace. Soaking up some of its warmth, she opened her book to continue reading.

“Doing okay?”

She heard Andrew’s voice coming from the doorway. “Oh, hi Andrew.” She noticed her breath hitch when she looked at him. “I thought you were out there with my friends.”

“Nah,” he answered, still fixed at the door. “I’m not a group activity kind of guy.”

“I can relate,” Abby agreed.

“So how are you making out with Asimov?”

“Good so far,” she nodded, hoping he would stay awhile. “I’m on chapter three. I never thought I could get into science fiction, but it’s pretty intriguing. Do you read a lot of science fiction?”

“When I’m not poring over paperwork or journals, yes.”

“Okay, then, what does Seldon mean in this chapter when he talks about the psychohistory formula sample?”

“Oh that. It’ supposed to be a mathematical formula that can predict the future. Except it can only offer more accuracy in predictions on a macro level, where the sample size is large.”

“So it can tell the future of an entire city but not one resident?” She smiled when she noticed him take a seat in the chair opposite hers.

“Something like that,” he answered, smiling back. “But I can’t tell you more, unless you like spoilers.”

“Not normally,” she laughed. She noticed Andrew pause for a moment before speaking again.

“So how’s your ankle coming along?”

“Still a little stiff.” She reached down to her leg instinctively.

“Need a change of that ice pack?” He stood up to leave.

“Sure. Thanks.”

“Wait, have you eaten?” he looked back, and Abby did her best to keep her composure.

“Um…not since earlier,” she said softly. “I think they left me some dinner in the kitchen.”

“Okay, I’ll grab that too.”

“I have to admit,” she said with some hesitation. “I feel so helpless, having people do everything for me.”

“It’s no problem,” he answered from the doorway. “You know, every health care practitioner I’ve ever known has become that much more effective in caring for patients after an injury or illness. Wouldn’t you do the same for your friends outside?”

“Of course.” She looked up at him and got his point loud and clear.

“I’ll be right back.”

Abby couldn’t help appreciating his tight, muscular ass under his jeans as he left the room.
You held on to those puppies last night,
she heard from her naughty side.