Chapter 6

Six

CAMMIE

M y body was on fire.

The image he’d conjured up was blazed on my brain. My stomach flipped, and my core clenched, urging me to turn that fantasy into reality.

I couldn't think straight when I smelled Soren’s woodsy scent, so I held my breath until I’d walked into the living room area and over to the fireplace.

The delicious aroma and the almost tangible chemistry between us had assaulted me the moment I’d entered the cabin earlier. A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold had run through my body.

However, Caleb had mentioned Soren a few times, and he sounded like my complete opposite. Caleb had made Soren sound…boring, so I wasn’t expecting the intense attraction that sparked between us. Since a relationship would be a disaster, I’d briefly considered a fling. But something told me that one of the few things we had in common was a lack of interest in one-night stands or meaningless hookups.

It was the main reason I’d been so bound and determined to leave the second I knew he’d be alright alone. Just being around this big, sexy Viking tempted me, but being snowed in and all alone for a few days…I’d need to stay as far away from him as possible, so I didn’t give in to my desire.

“Are you hungry?”

Even though I knew the question was straightforward and not intended to be packed with innuendo, the first words that came to mind were incredibly dirty. The nextones were sexually suggestive, and on they went…every imaginable response that would get me fucked up against a wall. Since that scenario wasn’t unappealing, I had to struggle to say something benign.

“Um…sure. I could eat.”

Misfire.

Soren’s hands clenched and his jaw hardened, then he exhaled evenly before some of his tension dissipated. “The guest room is there.” He pointed at a closed door a few feet away from the primary bedroom. “I’ll make us some dinner while you get settled.”

A second bedroom. Thank heaven for small favors.

I’d forgotten that these cabins were set up for multiple athletes to share during training. The bedrooms were similar in size, and both had their own bathroom.

“Thanks,” I murmured. Since no one was perfect, least of all me, I watched his spectacular ass until he went through the arched entrance to the kitchen.

Fanning myself, I shuffled to the dining room area where I grabbed my medical bag, then made my way into the second bedroom. I dropped the satchel on the floor, then removed all of my outer gear once again. I cringed when I removed my snow pants, and my underwear felt uncomfortable between my legs. With thermals and sweats beneath the snow pants, I’d been extremely warm inside the cabin. However, that wasn’t the reason my panties were soaked.

I went into the bathroom and removed them, deciding to go commando rather than wear wet underwear all evening. It wasn’t like he’d know anyway…

After redressing, I looked in the mirror and sighed at the mess staring back at me. My lips and cheeks were a little chapped from the cold, my hair was a tangled disaster, and my clothes were less than flattering.

I finger combed my thick tresses as best I could, then applied some lotion to my cheeks and a lightly tinted balm to my lips. I couldn’t do anything about the snug thermal top and sweatpants, though.

Frowning in the mirror, I reminded myself that it didn’t matter how I looked. Nothing was going to happen between us, so my appearance wasn’t important.

Still…I couldn’t help but want him to like what he saw…just a little.

With a frustrated groan, I pushed away from the counter and stalked out of the bathroom. Something smelled amazing, and I followed it out of my room and into the kitchen.

If someone had asked me an hour ago whether the sight of a man cooking was sexy, I would have laughed. But now, seeing Soren move comfortably around the kitchen while making us dinner, I would have been so wrong.

He must have heard me come in because he looked up from the stove where he was frying chicken. “I’m almost done.”

“Can I help?” I felt awkward doing nothing while he made us a meal.

“Sure, you can set the table.” He directed me to the plates, silverware, and cups. I arranged them on the dining room table, then went back into the kitchen to ask about drinks.

“I’ll have a beer from the fridge,” he requested while sliding the crispy golden chicken onto a serving dish. “There is soda and water in there, as well as wine, or I can make you some tea if you’re cold.”

It was a sweet offer, but he’d waited on me enough, and I was hungry. “I’m good with water,” I replied with a smile. With drinks in hand, I returned to the table and sat down as he set the dishes of food in the middle.

“Wow,” I breathed as I inhaled the savory smells of our dinner. “I’m impressed.”

Soren smiled crookedly as he popped the top off his beer. “When you live alone, you either learn to cook or live on takeout. Besides that, when everywhere you live is temporary, finding a ‘favorite’ place is pointless.”

“Hmm,” I murmured. Intentionally or not, he’d just reminded me he’d be leaving when his job at the resort was completed. Another reason something between us would never work. I loved to travel, but only for short periods, then I came home—my favorite place to be. And I was excited about the new facility and my increased responsibilities. I would have to give up everything to take a chance on Soren.

“Do you think you’ll ever stay somewhere permanently?” I hadn’t meant to ask the question. I told myself it was purely out of curiosity and not something more.

“Maybe when I’m old and am forced to retire,” he answered with a chuckle.

“Don’t you miss your family?”

Stop asking questions, Cammie.

“I go home to see my family frequently, and between jobs, I usually take a longer break to be with them.” He canted his head to the side and tossed out a query of his own. “Raven mentioned you are more of a ‘free spirit.’ Do you have a plan for your future?”

There was no judgment in his voice or expression, but I still got the sense he didn’t approve of my impulsive nature.

“I preferred not to map out my life when I was young, but when I started college, I knew that, at the very least, I needed a direction. Since then, I’ve always had a plan, goals to achieve, but how I get there is where I let fate guide me. Life should always have a little mystery.”

“Fate.” Soren shook his head and took a drink from his bottle. “I dislike ambiguity.”

I expected him to say more, to expound on the statement, but he didn’t, so I probed for more. “In life or in people?”

He mulled over my question for a few moments before answering. “I don’t mind some unpredictability, I suppose. What I don’t like is a lack of control.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” I pressed.

Soren met my gaze and my breath got caught in my chest when I saw the burn of desire in his eyes. They’d gone from the color of coffee to the nearly black shade of espresso. “It’s the same answer, Cammie. I don’t dislike someone for their wild, spontaneous nature. But it frustrates me to no end that I can’t control the situation and barely have control over myself.”

“Have you ever lost control?” I whispered.

Soren’s stare was intense, and tension thickened the surrounding air.

“No.”

I wasn’t sure why that made me sad, but my heart fell into my stomach.

Suddenly, he was on his feet, and before I could blink, he had closed the distance between us. He bent over and turned my chair so our faces were inches apart. Then he placed one hand on the table beside me and threaded the other one through the hair at the back of my head. A sharp tug on my scalp forced my head to drop back, and he loomed over me, his eyes roving over my face until they landed on my lips.

“I’ve never even been tempted,” he growled right before he sealed his mouth over mine.

Something exploded between us, and an electric current raced over my skin, leaving my nerves tingling. His warm lips rubbed against mine, heating my core and making my thighs quiver. If I’d been wearing panties, they would have disintegrated. Without them, there would probably be a wet spot in the fabric between my legs, but at that very moment, I didn’t care.

Another sharp tug on my hair and a nip on my bottom lip caused my mouth to open, and Soren licked my lips before gliding his tongue between them. He angled his head and took the kiss even deeper, exploring my mouth and tasting every inch. A groan rumbled in his chest, and the sound reverberated inside me, making my sex throb.

The hand in my hair clenched, pulling a little more painfully, and I moaned softly. Then I pressed my face up to his, seeking more, growing desperate for his touch, for the relief I knew he could give me.

Soren hesitated, and for a moment, I thought he might let his inhibitions go and lose himself in our passion. But then his muscles bunched with tension, and he retreated, his eyes locked on mine as he breathed heavily.

“Until now,” he rasped a second before releasing me and stalking off to disappear into his room.

A dense haze surrounded me, and I remained still for what seemed like a very long time. As the fog thinned, my mind cleared, leaving shock.

What the hell was that?

It was tempting to go bang on his door and demand that he explain himself or beg him to kiss me again. But what good would it do? I should’ve been grateful that he had enough sense to stop before we did something we’d both regret.

When the effects of the kiss fully faded, I realized we’d barely touched our food. I wasn’t the least bit hungry anymore, and I was willing to bet he wasn’t either. I cleared the table and put away the leftovers, then rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher.

It was early in the evening, but it had been one hell of a day, and I was exhausted. Trudging to my bedroom, I flipped off the lights along the way.

When I walked into my room, I shut the door but didn’t bother with the light. Soren hadn’t had a chance to give me some clothes to sleep in, so I stripped off all my clothes and fell into bed.