Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Chloe

R aindrops bounce off the porch roof as I wait for Holden to close the front door.

He shakes open the umbrella, then holds out his hand. "Here, let me carry one of those for you."

"No can do." I thread the handle of the bag over my arm. "You need one hand free."

"But those are both heavy," he protests, reaching for the picnic basket.

Before he can take it, I swap it to my other hand and link our fingers together. "There we go."

"Oh." He flushes with embarrassment. "Wow, that hint flew right over my head."

"Good thing one of us writes romance books for a living." I use our linked hands to tug him to my side, and his vanilla cake scent curls around me like an embrace.

He chuckles. "I prefer to think of them as character-driven epic fantasies."

"With lots of spicy times." As we look toward the steps leading down to the path, the rain picks up again, coming down hard.

Holden glances at me with concern. "Maybe we should go back inside and wait for the storm to stop."

I lean closer and make a show of sniffing. "You do smell like you might melt if you get wet, sugar."

The pink in his cheeks deepens. "I'm not that fragile. But your laptop may be."

I reach up to tweak one of his golden-brown curls. "Admit it. You just want to peek over my shoulder at my new book ideas."

"I'd love to, but I was actually thinking of snuggling up somewhere warm and enjoying the pastries I baked together." He gives me an apologetic smile. "Sorry I fell asleep so fast last night."

"Never apologize for sleeping. That's where some of my best ideas come from." I lift the basket of delicious-smelling muffins and scones. "Besides, I appreciate your early rising efforts."

He ducks his head. "I have to shine where I can."

Unable to resist how cute he is, I raise onto my toes and press my lips to his.

For a moment, his hazel eyes widen in surprise before he releases my hand to cup the back of my head, deepening the kiss. His tongue curls around mine, tasting of sugar and a hint of raspberry, likely from one of the treats in my basket. It makes me hungry, and I lean against him, eager for more.

A sudden noise, followed by a shout from inside the house, startles us apart.

I turn toward the closed doors, my heart pounding with worry. "What was that?"

Holden grimaces and lifts the umbrella once more. "Sounds like it's better for us to brave the rain."

I tuck the linen bag with my laptop and outfit closer to my body. "Is everything okay? Should we go back to check on Blake?"

"No, it's best to let hot heads cool down. Especially when no one's had coffee yet." He offers me a strained smile before offering his elbow. "Watch your step on the way down."

Focus on the slippery stairs, I cling to Holden's arm as we walk down to the gravel pathway. Water pelts the umbrella and rolls off the sides, and Holden adjusts the angle to make sure none of it hits me while exposing his shoulder in the process.

I move closer to his side, his body warm against the damp chill in the air. "You're getting wet."

"Better me than you, since I have the rain jacket." He shifts the umbrella to the hand closest to me and leans over to take the picnic basket before I realize what he's up to. "The pastries are in Tupperware, so the rain won't hurt them."

"Humph." I puff my cheeks at him. "I see what you're doing, and I appreciate your gallantry."

He gives me a straight-faced stare. "I am absolutely not performing a mental happy dance right now."

"Of course not." I bite my lip. "Was Blake arguing with one of your bondmates? Or Kyle?"

"Probably not Kyle." Holden steers me around a large puddle. "The sun is up, which means it's fishing time."

"Really?" I look up at him in surprise. "Even in this rain?"

"He'd be out in a tsunami if he could." Holden shakes his head in bemusement. "He signed on for this crazy venture with the agreement that, if he's not needed to ferry people or run a tour, he gets to be out with a lure in the water."

"That's quite the dedication to his passion." I touch the shamrock necklace hanging from my neck. "Not everyone is lucky enough to love what they do for a career."

"He also oversees the trails, which requires him to step foot off the boat." Holden chuckles. "But he does that in the afternoon, after he's scratched his itch."

I rest my head on his arm. "Do you ever regret not continuing with computer sciences?"

"Not so far." He draws in a deep breath of the earth-dampened air. "I can't imagine being as happy locked up in an office from nine to five. Most of the jobs right out of university are contract based, too, which means constant worry about what will happen when the project ends."

"Oh, I understand that all too well." My laugh holds a bitter edge, and I clear my throat. "Do you have any other jobs besides cooking and baking?"

He tilts his head, his curls falling forward to reveal one pointed ear. He studies me for a moment, questions written on his face, but he doesn't pursue it. "What did you think of the resort's website?"

My brows come together, unsure about the change in topic. "Um, it's good. The pictures are appealing, and it's easy to navigate."

"Really?" He raises an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. "I designed it."

"Wait, seriously?" I kick myself for not making the logical leap. "Then it's amazing! Honestly, it's super professional."

"Thank you." His smile widens, but then he adds, "We hired a photographer for the photos, though."

"Those were nice, too, and definitely compelling," I admit, recalling the beautiful images that sold me on the resort in the first place. "But it's more important to have an easy-to-navigate site with all the information clearly laid out. Pretty pictures can only do so much if people can't figure out how to book a room."

"Ah, well, that's all me." Holden beams at my praise, and my cheeks warm at being the one who put that expression on his face.

This man keeps sweeping me away, and I find myself drawn to him more and more every day that passes.

A cool breeze blows rain at us from the side, and I shiver when water sinks through the soft material of my onesie. These outfits are meant for snuggling up inside, not weathering a storm.

"Are you cold?" Holden asks, raising his voice to be heard over the steady drum of rain on the umbrella.

"No, I'm okay." I cuddle closer. "Is there anything else you dabble in?"

"Actually, I've been working on souvenirs." He nods toward the bag I carry, and I lift it to study the logo printed on the canvas. "Another of my designs."

"Wow, that's amazing! I can't even draw stick figures." I admire the intricate design. "Have you done any other artwork?"

"A little fanart here and there," he admits with a sheepish grin.

"Hold on." I yank him to a stop on the path and turn to face him. "Have I ever received any of your artwork?"

"Uhm…" Holden flushes, looking adorably flustered. "I might've sent one that you posted on your social media."

Excitement bubbles within me, and I bounce on my toes. "You have to show me which one is your fanart the second we're at my cabin, and then… we can revisit your suggestion about snuggling?"

Slowly, tentatively, Holden lowers his head and presses his lips to mine, soft and sweet, like a question more than a kiss.

I nod, our noses bumping, and his nostrils flare as he pulls me closer, deepening the kiss, and I sink into the warmth of his body.

What is it about the Alphas of Misty Pines that makes me lose reason? Last night, Blake had me rethinking my career choices, and now Holden's pheromones envelop me, stoking the burn of desire that started the first day we met.

Our lips move together with growing passion and urgency, the taste of him making me crave more. With his hands full, he can't hold me the way I want, so I grip the front of his rain jacket and tug him closer.

He stumbles forward, and the umbrella slips in his grasp. Raindrops pelt the tops of our heads, and we flinch, breaking apart.

"Sorry!" Holden brings the umbrella back into position. "Outside in the middle of a storm isn't the best place for this…conversation."

"A very spicy conversation." I shiver, wipe the cold water off my cheeks, then point down the path. "To the box of warmth, kind sir!"

"Onward ho!" Holden takes my arm to start walking again, and his gentle grip sends jolts of electricity through my body, leaving me breathless.

Focus, Chloe. You rule your hormones, not the other way around.

"Tell me how you and Blake met?" I ask, curious about their friendship and how their pack bonds formed.

Holden smiles at the memory. "I tutored him in university, actually. We became friends, and he introduced me to Nathaniel. Then Nathaniel introduced me to?—"

He cuts off as we cross the road that leads toward the dock, and the cabin comes into view.

Or, rather, what remains of it.

"Oh, no…" Dismay fills Holden's voice as we stare at the wreckage before us.

A tree fell during the storm, crushing the front left corner. Splintered wood and shattered glass litter the ground, the shards glinting in the faint sunlight that filters through the gray clouds.

I struggle to process the situation and push away the worry about my possessions being ruined. They mean nothing compared to the destroyed cabin. "Is there anything we can do?"

Holden hesitates, scanning the damage. "I'm not sure."

We approach with caution, stepping over fallen branches.

"If we clear some of the debris, can we still get inside?" I ask, hoping to at least salvage some clothes.

Holden's expression turns uncertain. "It might not be safe. We don't know how stable the structure is now."

His words send an icy chill down my spine, and I wrap my arms around myself, seeking comfort. If I had gone back to the cabin last night as planned, I would have been here when the tree fell.

How long before anyone would have come to check on me? I could have been lying bleeding and injured for hours, if not days.

"Come on." Holden tugs on my arm, urging me back up the path. "Let's return to the Homestead. We can have people with actual construction knowledge come to deal with this. But you can't stay here anymore."

My stomach twists at the words.

If I can't stay in the cabin, does that mean I have to cut my retreat short and leave the island?

I'm not ready to part with Blake and Holden, but Mother Nature may have just taken the decision out of my hands.