by Kelsey King
In the corner, I notice a bookshelf full with more books stacked on the floor beside it. I'm very curious and make a mental note to check that out later. The dining room is at the back of the house, and the kitchen appears to be to the right of that. As I study my surroundings, I notice two closed doors to the right and to the left is a staircase. I hear him shut the door and he looks me over and sees I have grocery bags.
“Do you have anything that needs to be in the fridge?”
“Um, if you don’t mind. It’s only a few items.”
“Kitchen’s that way,” is all he says while pointing, then he disappears through one of the doors to the left.
Quietly, I move to the kitchen to put my things in the fridge. Everything else, I leave in the bag on the counter. I place my purse on the floor next to the couch, hang my coat on the rack by the door, but can’t bring myself to sit down. Maddox’s hospitality is annoying, but fitting at the same time. I'm quite nervous just being left alone in a strangers house and am not someone who’d make myself at home. I eye the door he went through, and realize he isn’t coming out any time soon.
Trying to pass the time, I walk over to his bookshelf to see what he spends his time reading. Some are on a few trades while others are robust and complicated literature. The broad range and assortment of genres on the shelves fill me with more questions about my host, but I know the answers would not come quickly, if at all.
As I continue to look over the titles, I notice he has a copy of one of my favorite books, which also happens to be a classic, Moby Dick. As I pull it from the shelf, I eye the complete Harry Potter series on the shelf below. I let out a giggle and quickly look back to the door, hoping he didn’t hear me. Confirming I'm still alone, I make my way to the couch and settle in with the book.
Before I can read a few pages into the book, I realize I never called my parents to let them know I was here and okay. I grab my cell out of my purse, quietly praying there’s a signal to call home. I let out a long breath when I see I have full service. I get off the couch and walk toward the kitchen and try to be as quiet as possible. After the third ring, I'm greeted by my mother’s voice.
“Taylor! Finally! Are you okay? Where are you? We expected you home over an hour ago.”
“Hi, Mom. I’m fine. I'm actually at someone’s house. It’s a long story, and I will tell you all about it when I make it home, but the storm has me at a standstill. I’m going to stay here until the snow lets up and I will be able to drive home safely. I just wanted you to know I’m okay and alive.”
“Well, whose house is it? Is it someone we know?”
“I honestly doubt it.” I laugh at the thought of Maddox interacting with my mother. While she's reserved and the nicest person anyone would ever meet, she’d tear him a new one for his rudeness. “His name is Maddox and seems to keep to himself.”
“Oh honey, it sounds like the beginning of a terrible horror movie. Are you sure you will be okay?”
“Mom, it will be fine—no need to overreact. Listen, I have to go, I just wanted to give you a call. I hope you guys are okay and will get through the storm okay.”
“We will be fine, dear. I’m just worried your father will annoy me to no end if we’re snowed in for too long. You may come home to a horror scene yourself!” We both laugh, send our love to each other and then goodbye. I love my parents’ relationship. They’re still very much in love and play pranks on each other as if they were my age. Their love is rare and amazing to watch. I hope one day find I will someone to share that kind of love with.
I make my way back to the couch, put away my phone and return to my seat with the book. I shudder a little due to the chill in the air and look around for a blanket. I finally find one and drape it over my shoulders. It's a heavy quilt that should warm me in minutes. Happy with the new layer, I settle back into the couch with Moby Dick and immerse myself into the story.
After an hour, Maddox finally makes his appearance, startling me slightly. He looks at me and scowls.
“By all means, make yourself at home.”
“You shut yourself in your room for over an hour. What would you prefer I be doing?”
“Make a few calls to get your ass home. Now you’re going to be stuck here until the storm is over.”
He runs his hand through his dark, unruly hair. It must’ve been months since he had his hair cut, but at the same time, it’s fitting for the whole rugged thing he’s going for. I watch his muscles flex with every movement. Quickly, I avert my eyes back to the book in my lap, not wanting to get caught admiring him.
“Listen, I’m not too happy with this situation either, but I do appreciate you not sending me out in this mess. There’s no way I could’ve made it out of that.” I gesture out the window in front of me and glance back at him to see if he’s still upset. He’s still looking at me, but his expression changes just slightly.
“Are you cold?” he asks with a touch of annoyance.
“Aren’t you? It’s freezing in here. I hope you don’t mind me using your quilt. I didn’t want to disturb you to ask.”
“It’s fine. I’ll start a fire to warm up the house. How about you check out the spare room and see if you want more heat in there as well. This fireplace does well to heat the main area, but it tends to leave the rooms a bit rigid.”
“Oh, okay. Um, which room would be the spare?”
Without a word, he points to the door on the right of the hall, closest to the front of the house. He puts on his jacket and boots and starts out the front door.
“Where are you going?” I can’t help but voice my curiosity. The storm is still growing, and it has to be freezing out there. He didn’t even bother with gloves or a hat.
“The wood pile is outside. I need to bring it all in.”
“Oh, well do you need help?”
He laughs at me as if I made a joke. I stare at him in confusion. Is it that funny that I would offer to help?
“I’ve got it handled, princess. Check out your room and let me know if it’s up to your standards.”
With that, he’s out the door, slamming it behind him. I stare at the closed door. Who does he think he is to keep calling me Princess? I’m sure he’s doing it to be irritating.
Finally, I open the door to the spare bedroom and flip on the switch. I'm pleasantly surprised that it's a large, beautifully decorated room with a four post bed. Long white sheers hang all around the bed, creating walls of silk. There’s a beautiful wardrobe on the opposite wall where I'm standing and a large stone fireplace to my left, directly across from the bed.
As I make my way further into the room, I see a small bathroom that has a gorgeous and inviting porcelains bathtub. I think this will do quite well their than the room being quite chilly. I decide to ask Maddox if he will make a fire in the room after all. It's getting late, and a warm bath before bed is the perfect ending to a very stressful day.
I make my way into the living room to grab my belongings and borrowed book, then am startled by the door swinging open and slamming against the wall. Maddox stomps in with a wheelbarrow full of wood. I quietly watch as he makes his way to a rack by the fireplace and unloads it all. Within minutes, he's done, and without saying a word, Maddox walks past me with the wheelbarrow and heads back out the front door. He leaves the door open, so I wait a few moments to see if he’s coming back before shutting the door. When I decide to go against his born-in-a-barn habits and walk towards the door, I'm almost run over with the wheelbarrow that’s full with more wood. I jump out of the way as fast as I can, thankful my toes are still intact.
“What are you doing? Stay out of the way.”
“Sorry. I was going to shut the door.”
“Don’t you think if I wanted the door shut, I would’ve done it?” His back to me as he finishes stacking the extra wood on the floor. When he’s finished, he comes back to the front door and slams it behind him. I can’t help but let out a frustrated growl. How can he be so rude all the time?
I'm still standing in the same spot when he returns. He takes off his boots and tosses them aside without care and puts his coat on the rack. Finally, he makes eye contact with me. “Did you decide if you want a fire in your room?”
“Yes, please.”
As he gathers the wood, I make my way to the room and sit at the end of the bed and wait for him to complete his task. Again, he refuses to make eye contact as he comes into the room and gets the fire started. When he’s finished, he dusts his hands off as a show of a job well done. He finally looks at me and stands there a few moments. Feeling awkward, I study the floor and wait for him to leave. I hear him clear his throat before finally speaking to me.
“So, you’re all set then?”
“Umm, not that I want to bother you any more than I already have, but do you happen to have an old T-shirt or anything that I could maybe sleep in? I have nothing else to wear and would rather not sleep in my work clothes.”
Maddox raises an eyebrow as he assesses my question. “I’m sure I have one.” He leaves and returns quickly. He tosses the shirt on the bed and starts to make his way out of the bedroom. Before he can leave, I have one more question to ask and pray it will not send him over the edge.
“One more question before you go.” He turns around and stares at me, remaining silent. I decide to continue, realizing he isn’t going to say anything. “Would it be okay if I took a bath?”
“Why are you asking my permission?”
“Because it’s not my house and because I'm not sure if it's even a working tub.”
“Yes, it works. That’s what it’s there for. Listen, I’ve had a long day and want to go to bed. The fire should last through the night. There are extra blankets in the drawers if needed. Whatever you do, don’t wake me.”
With that, he leaves and shuts the door behind him. I sit for a moment in silence and think about all the events of the day. Never in my life did I think I’d ever be in a situation like this with such a man like Maddox.
I clutch the shirt he gave me to my chest and make my way to the bathroom for a much-needed soak in some warm water. Hopefully, it will be what I need to wash away the stress of the day and to help me sleep.
Without thinking, I hold the fabric to my nose and breathe in the scent. To my surprise, it's an inviting aroma. It's a mix of laundry detergent, cologne, and something more rustic, more natural. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
With the new scent on my mind, I turn on the water. Once the tub is half-full, I submerge myself and close my eyes allowing the warmth to wash over me.
Chapter Four
Maddox
I'm not sure why Taylor bothers me so much, but I do not want her here. The last thing I need is a woman watching my every move and questioning why I do things. I hope the storm won’t last as long as the news stated.
As I leave her alone in the room, I make my way to the fireplace in the living room and add more wood to it. While I'm exhausted, I find that I can't sleep. Taylor has me in knots, and I don't like it. Not one bit.
To lessen the stress, I decide to pour myself a drink. The choice for the night is whiskey, and not a small glass either. I make my way to the kitchen, turning off all the lights on my way. After I pour a tall one, I settle into my favorite leather chair in the living rooms. The only light comes from the fire. I stare into the flames, sipping my drink, trying to get Taylor off my mind, but it seems nearly impossible.
Her small frame is built well, and she's not just skin and bone. She’s perfectly proportionate with long dark hair that’s threaded with lighter strands. Her eyes capture me and make me a prisoner, every time I look at her. So I try to avoid all eye contact if I can help it. Her bright blue eyes have deep layers of dark blue.
I have to stop thinking about her.
I take a large swig of whiskey, finishing the glass. Deciding it isn’t enough, I stomp into the kitchen to grab the bottle out of the cabinet and refill my glass.
Screw it. Who needs a glass?
I return to my chair with the bottle. She'll make this storm unbearable, I know it.
Swig after swig, I drink until the whiskey is gone, staring at the fire. I don’t even notice the bottle slip from my hand as I doze off in the chair.
* * *
“Maddox! Maddox! Come and find me!" A giggle follows the challenge, and I smile with the excitement and fun of the chase. I sneak through the yard, breathing in the amazing aroma of the fall. The dead leaves on the ground make it hard to be quiet. When I think I'm in the right place, I quickly spin around a tree to catch her by surprise. She isn't there. I hear her giggle again. "Not there, love. I'm here. Come and find me!" I continue on the search, determined to find her. As I make my way towards the garage, I hear her giggle once again. Hide and seek was her favorite, no matter how juvenile the game seemed. And the truth was, I loved playing with her. There was no care in the world, and no one mattered besides the two of us. "Over here, Maddox!" I hear her whisper. I make my way around the garage to the back, knowing I will find her there. Just as I round the corner, I yell “Gotcha,” only to be presented with the back of the garage and dead leaves on the ground. Why can’t I find her? Suddenly, I start to panic. I no longer hear her giggles, and I know something is wrong. "Wendy! Wendy, this isn't funny anymore. Where are you?" I'm met only with the wind rustling the leaves on the ground and in the trees. "WENDY!"
I'm startled awake by a hand shaking my arm. “Maddox, wake up.”
Confused and upset from my dream, I bat the hand away and shoot to my feet. I look over and realize it's Taylor who woke me. “I told you not to wake me. What are you doing?”
“I-I’m sorry. You were yelling in your sleep. I thought it’d be best to wake you.”
I close my eyes and squeeze the bridge on my nose to fight off a headache that’s making its presence known. Damn whiskey.
After a few moments, I expect to be alone, but when I open my eyes, Taylor is still there with a look of concern on her face. I quickly take in her appearance and wish she had let me be. Her hair is on top of her head in a loose bun with tendrils falling here and there. My shirt on her small frame makes her look even smaller, but at the same time sexy. The curve of her chest is noticeable, along with her erect nipples straining against the fabric. Her legs are bare from the knees down and only making me wonder what I’d find if I were to lift the hem of the T-shirt.
Breaking my thoughts, she spoke once more. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, princess. Go back to bed.”
I watch as she shakes her head in annoyance and stalks back to her room. Her ass is perfectly noticeable with every step she takes away from me. Dammit Maddox, get your shit together! It’s not gonna happen. You’re just worked up from the dream. When Taylor shuts the door behind her, I look toward the hallway for a few moments. A part of me wants to storm into that room and hold her, tell how sorry I am for being a dick, while another part of me wants to go to bed and forget all these thoughts that are racing through my mind.
Treating people this way is a mechanism I use to protect myself. But I can tell she’s not buying it. That she wants to break me down. And she just might.
Chapter Five
Taylor
I thought it’d be helpful to wake Maddox when he was screaming in his sleep. He sounded so stressed; I felt it best to help. Never did I think he’d react the way he did. Then again, there hasn't been a moment yet where he has given me anything but rudeness.
I head back to bed, hoping I can fall to sleep quickly. I'm a little worked up from his outburst, but I'm also still fatigued. I lay in bed on an angle so I can watch the remaining flames dance in the fireplace. It isn't too long before I fall asleep once more with visions of Maddox asleep, vulnerable, and almost scared.
I wake the next morning to the smell of bacon, and me shaking from the cold. I wrap myself in the quilt, hoping it will warm me enough to get out of bed. Minutes later, I decide a hot shower will warm me up, so I gath
er my clothes and run to the bathroom, still wrapped in the quilt. As soon as the water is warm enough, I quickly drop the blanket and tear off my clothes to feel the warmth of the water as soon as possible.
At first, it stings with me being so cold, but then it warms my core. I let the water cascade over me for about fifteen minutes before I decide to get out. I'm not too happy with putting on dirty clothes, but don’t know what else to do. I can’t traipse around the house in his shirts all day. That wouldn't be proper or comfortable. However, if we get snowed in for too long, I will have to figure something out. There’s no way I'm going to be able to wash my clothes every day.
I give myself a once-over in the mirror after I'm dressed. I fix my hair, but leave it in a messy bun on top of my head. Still, a little chilly, I wrap the quilt around my shoulders once again before leaving the bathroom. On the way to the door, I grab Moby Dick and go to the living room and try to prepare myself for whatever mood Maddox will be in. Probably a bad one. It’s his signature these days.
When I round the corner towards the kitchen, I'm surprised to find Maddox not only cooking, but also humming, which shocks me. I creep a little closer make sure I'm not imagining it, and sure enough, the mean, gigantic tree of a man is humming a beautiful, sweet melody. I'm not sure what to make of this, but I also don't want to disturb his great mood.
I decide to leave him to his business and quietly make my way to the couch to sit and read. The fire is blazing in the living room, and I hope it will help me warm up, so I sit in the chair closest to the heat. When I don't find any relief, I move the chair even closer until I'm enveloped with the warmth. I also sit, so my feet are sticking out of the blanket and resting on the hearth.
There’s something about warming by the fire in a snowstorm with a man in the kitchen filling the house with wonderful aromas. I have been living in the college dorms for so long; I haven't felt at home since I left my parents' home. This moment was the first in years where I've felt safe and comfortable, which was very odd since I'm in a strangers house with the grouchiest human being I have ever met. Regardless, I want to soak in the feeling as long as possible.