“Yeah, probably.” Estelle nodded. “You know, I think you should keep one of these.”
She waved her hand at the remaining boxes.
“Don’t look inside. Pick one, stick it in the closet. That way you have something of theirs, cause you’re going to want it one day.”
Lukas sipped his coffee.
“Then let the rest go,” she finished. “Things are just that, things, and these are especially toxic.”
She was right. Lukas hated to admit it, and he never would to her, but this needed to be just another room in his house.
He handed his mug to her and took one of the boxes, the first one off the top. He didn’t look inside. It didn’t matter what was inside. Clothes, pictures, things the boys had made. It was theirs. He opened the closet and set it on the top shelf.
“You’ll be glad you did this. Someday you’ll thank Hayden for sticking his nose in.”
“Sure.” Lukas took his coffee and trotted downstairs. Just because she was right didn’t mean he had to watch.
He sat at the bar and listened to the thumps and thuds. Dio laid her head on his leg, and Una took the opportunity to run off with Dio’s cow. Lukas smiled and scratched her ears.
“She has no manners, does she?”
“My lady is an angel.” Hayden came in and held out Dio’s toy for her. She took it in her teeth and sat down, protecting her cow from a lurking Una.
“A thieving angel.”
Hayden grinned but didn’t deny it.
“I’ve got everything strapped down. Now you get Tess, bring Dio, and come have lunch. Mom said not to come back without you.”
Sounded like Marie.
“Estelle’s coming too. She invited herself. I think she wants to get to know Tess.”
“Tess is sick.” Lukas laughed. Estelle must be dying to interrogate Tess. It would eat her up to know that Marie knew more about her than she did. “I took her for supplies this morning and put her to bed when we got back.”
Hayden raised an eyebrow.
“Sick, man. Seriously.” Lukas shook his head, drained his coffee, and stood. There was no use fighting the invitation. If he didn’t go, Doc would call and pester him, and Marie made excellent roast beef sandwiches the night after a pot roast.
“Want me to check on her?”
Lukas’s chest tightened. He absolutely did not want Hayden anywhere near her.
“She said it was just a bug. I’ll ask Marie to check on her.”
Hayden chuckled. “I said I was no threat.”
“I know you aren’t.” Lukas punched him in the shoulder as he walked past.
Tess woke up several hours later, and she felt fine but highly embarrassed. She searched for her dirty clothes, but they were nowhere around. Maybe she threw them in the washer? But she didn’t remember leaving her bedroom.
She found a note on top of the washer. Tess, I put your clothes in here so they wouldn’t dry like that. I hope I used the right setting. –L
Holy cow she owed that man. She didn’t get sick very often, and most of the time she took care of herself. She tossed the clothes into the dryer and tried to think of how she could make it up to him. Obviously, she had a nasty bout of morning sickness, so he wouldn’t be getting ill. Of that much she was very grateful. She hoped this wouldn’t become a regular occurrence, or she would find herself explaining things to other people a lot sooner than she planned.
Her phone rang, and she answered it without checking who it was. “Hello.”
“Tess, it’s Marie. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, why?”
“Lukas told me you were sick.”
Tess felt her cheeks redden. “Yeah, I threw up on him. I’m so embarrassed. But I think it’s just morning sickness.”
“You threw up on him?”
“Yeah. Not one of my best moments.”
“What’d he do?”
“Put me to bed, cleaned the mess, and put my clothes in the wash.”
“You’re going to keep him, right? Not many men would do that.”
“Believe me, if I thought we had a chance, I’d definitely keep him around, but I think that chance ended when I threw up on his shoes.”
“Nonsense. Just make him brownies, and all will be forgiven.”
“Brownies?”
“They’re his favorites. If you have chocolate chips, put them in. He loves them frosted too, but not many people do all three.”
Tess scrambled around her cupboard and found not only brownie mix and chocolate chips but a tub of frosting too. Being pregnant meant she bought a lot of junk food.
“On it. Thanks, Marie.”
“No problem.”
Tess spent the rest of the afternoon making the brownies and keeping a close eye on the sky. The clouds were thick. She didn’t think the storm was supposed to come until Monday. Before dinner she put on her coat and trekked across the yard.
She knocked on the door, but Lukas didn’t answer, and Dio didn’t bark. Tess looked around the side of the house to where he normally parked and discovered the snowmobile was gone. Damn. If she left them on the doorstep, they’d freeze. If she brought them home, they’d get eaten. She oscillated back and forth for a few more seconds but didn’t set them on the doorstep. She could be disciplined.
Once home, she cut one piece out of the pan and shoved the rest of the brownies into the cupboard so they wouldn’t be a temptation. Then she threw a couple of old pizza slices into the microwave and browsed through Netflix for a movie or a series to binge watch. Grey’s Anatomy caught her eye.
After the third episode, she dug the pan out of the cupboard and brought it to the couch with her. She was famished.
At some point she must’ve fallen asleep on the couch. The wind was howling when she woke up, and she was freezing.
The TV was off. She stood, rubbing her arms. It was so cold. She fumbled for the light switch but nothing happened when she flicked it on. Crap. Her power must be out. She flicked the switch for the fireplace but it wouldn’t turn on. She checked the thermostat. Fifty degrees. Too cold. She’d have to call Lukas. Damn it. He was always rescuing her. One of these days, she was going to be able to take care of herself.
Her phone told her that it was two a.m. It rang three times when he finally answered.
“Hello?” His voice was husky with sleep.
“It’s Tess. My fireplace won’t work, and the power is out.”
“Be there in a sec.”
Tess unlocked the door and wrapped herself in a blanket. Seconds later the door opened. His hair was standing out in every direction, which somehow added to his appeal.
“How long has it been out?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up and noticed it was too cold in the house.”
He knelt in front of fireplace and fiddled with a few things. Then he stood.
“It’s broken, and I won’t be able to fix it tonight. You’re going to have to come to my place.”
Tess nodded. She didn’t care what she had to do as long as she didn’t freeze to death, and it’s not like she’d be sleeping with him. He had something like ten bedrooms in that massive house.
“You might want to bring a change of clothes or two with you. This is a huge storm. There’s no telling how long we’ll be stuck.”
She nodded and escaped into her bedroom. Maybe she’d take this opportunity to learn more about him and his past. There were worse ways to spend a blizzard.
She threw a few pairs of leggings, long sweaters into a bag, and a pair of pajamas as well. She packed her toothbrush and some make up.
When she got back into the living room, Lukas was eating the last brownie.
“I thought you were sick,” he said with his mouth full.
“I was. But then when I woke up, I felt a lot better. Marie called and told me you were worried. I asked her what I could do to make it up to you, and she suggested brownies.”
He pointed at the pan. “Then why was this the last one l
eft?”
“Because when I brought it to your house, you were gone. A pan of brownies like that doesn’t just sit around uneaten.”
He nodded. “Okay, but tomorrow, when we are stuck in my house, you are making me more. These are awesome. I should have everything you need. Are you ready?”
“Yeah. I figure if I forget anything, it’s not like it’s too far to come get.”
“True. But it’s also possible your house will be inaccessible if we get the eight to twelve predicted.”
She shrugged. “I’m good.”
He took the bag from her hand and opened the door. He placed his hand around her waist, and Tess was about to protest, but then she saw the scene in front of her.
Snow was blowing in every direction. It looked like there was a foot or two already on the ground.
“Your feet are going to sink. Just keep moving,” Lukas said.
She nodded and moved with him into the snow and sank to her knees, snow sliding down her boots. She hissed with the cold. Only a few yards to go.
Her ears were burning with the cold by the time they got into the house. It was cold in the entryway of Lukas’s house, and she didn’t see Dio anywhere. That was unusual.
“Why is it so cold?” she asked as Lukas pulled off his boots.
“Because the power is out on half the island, and I only have two fire places. The one in my bedroom and the one in the living room. My room is gas, so it’s easy to start, but the one in the living room is wood burning, so it has to be fed every few hours. I’ll start it in the morning. Could you take off your boots so the snow stays down here?”
She did as she was told and contemplated her predicament. His bedroom was the only room with a fireplace. That meant she had to sleep with him. She knew that was a stupid idea. Maybe he had a couch or something. Or maybe he’d be a gentleman and sleep on the floor. She dismissed the thought. After everything he did for her, she couldn’t ask him to sleep on the floor. They were adults—they could handle this.
She followed him. She’d never seen his room before. He took his hat and gloves off.
He opened the door to his room, and she could feel the heat escaping. He motioned for her to go in.
Dio lay on the gigantic bed. She flew off and stuck her nose into Tess’s hand.
“Hey, girl,” Tess said. “I don’t have anything for you. Sorry.” Tess scratched her behind her ears, then took off her coat and set it on a chair. The room reminded her of a medieval king’s room. Dark wood and regal furnishings. Plus the fireplace. Lukas said it was gas, but it looked real.
She turned to talk to Lukas and sucked in a breath. He had taken off his coat and hung it on a hook on the wall. His bare back was to her.
“Where’s your shirt?” she asked, unable to stop the words from coming out of her mouth when he turned around.
“You called me at two in the morning. I just threw on my snow gear and headed on over.”
She eyed his snow pants. “So what’s underneath those?”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “Not much. I’m a briefs guy.”
Tess blushed.
“But,” he continued. “I’ll put on a pair of pjs. You can change in the bathroom if you want. It’s cold in there though. I’m warning you.”
Tess didn’t move. “What exactly are the sleeping arrangements?”
He pointed to the bed. “I’ve got a big bed.”
“What if I’m not comfortable with that?”
He sighed. “I think I can restrain myself. We can figure out other arrangements tomorrow if you’re stuck here. Dio will sleep in between us. Seriously, no worries.”
She could trust him. She just didn’t know if she could trust herself. Finally she nodded and escaped into the bathroom.
Lukas might’ve lied a little bit. Okay, a lot. But he blamed the part of his brain that was asleep for not intervening. The truth was there was nothing wrong with her fireplace, but she looked so adorable and helpless in her house. All he wanted to do was bring her home. So he didn’t tell her that all she had to do was flip a switch. He also conveniently forgot the air mattress at the top of his closet.
He didn’t plan on taking advantage of her, but she would be warmer and safer with him. This was her first blizzard after all.
She came out of the bathroom a few minutes later wearing a tiny t-shirt and pajama shorts. On second thought, maybe he should turn on the charm.
He grinned and pointed to Dio.
“See, she sleeps in the middle. You can have that side.” He handed her a blanket he dug out of the closet. “I didn’t think you’d want to share.”
He thought for a moment about denying he had any other blankets, but that wouldn’t be believable.
“Thank you.” She wouldn’t look at him when she climbed into bed. She patted Dio on the head and rolled over. Lukas did the same and tried not to think about how much that little t-shirt revealed.
Lukas was tense and keyed up now, even though it was close to three a.m. He was wide-awake. It had been a long day, so he should be out like a light. But Tess was in his bed wearing next to nothing. Her breathing pattern told him that she was awake too, and he wanted ask what she was thinking about.
No, that was lame. He should get rid of the dog and kiss Tess, properly this time. No, he said he could control himself. There was that damn indecisiveness when it came to her again.
He rolled on his side so he could watch her. Her breathing eventually became even and deep. It took him a while, but he finally got back there too.
When Lukas woke the next morning, he felt a soft hand on his cheek. He placed his own on top of hers and opened his eyes. It took him a moment, but he realized her hand wasn’t there on purpose. She was fast asleep and sprawled across the entire bed.
When he moved her hand, she rolled on her side so that she was facing him. Her shirt had crawled up, revealing her stomach. He resisted the urge to touch her skin. She was perfect in every possible way—thin, but not overly so. Her stomach pooched out a little bit, and he loved that. She wasn’t the type to obsess over her body.
Stacey was model thin, and if she ever found even a small amount of fat where she didn’t think there should be any, he heard about it for a week.
Tess wouldn’t be that way. It was refreshing.
He could stare at her all day long, but he was afraid of what she’d think if she woke up to him staring.
He slid out of bed and found some warm clothes. He’d take a shower then get the fire going in the living room. It was two-sided and would also heat the kitchen.
The bathroom was freezing, but the hot water heater was gas, so he didn’t stay cold for long. When he came out of the bathroom, he found Tess wrapped in blanket, looking out the window.
She turned to him. “Where’s my house?”
“What do you mean?”
“You should be able to see my house from your window, right?”
He nodded. He watched her lights go off most nights.
“I can’t find it.”
The snow was still coming down, but it wasn’t blowing as hard.
He pointed. “There you can see the roof. It blends in because it’s white.”
Tess squinted. “That means the rest of the house is covered by snow.”
“Yep.”
“When will it melt?”
Lukas shrugged. “A month, maybe two. But it will take about a week to gain access to everyone’s house.”
“But all my stuff. I can’t impose on you that long.”
“We should be able to get you into your house in a few days. But only if it stops snowing now. If it keeps coming down, then who knows. But you aren’t imposing. It’ll be nice to have the company.”
She nodded and looked out of the window. “Does it snow like this often?”
“Maybe once every few years. It’s the lake effect. Sometimes it melts fast, but now it’s too cold for it to go anywhere. You can shower if you want. The water is hot. I’m going to go start the fi
re in the living room.”
“Okay. Thank you for rescuing me last night. I know I wasn’t grateful when I saw the sleeping arrangement, but you were a gentleman.”
He should’ve kept his mouth shut, but he couldn’t help himself. “I know I was, but you couldn’t keep your hands off me.”
Tess flushed pink. “What are you talking about?”
“When I woke up this morning, you were touching me.”
He left it deliberately open to interpretation.
“No way.” She brought her hand to her mouth and seemed to fumble for words for a second. He grinned.
“Yes way.”
Tess looked at him for a second. “I don’t believe you. If it were true, I’d remember.”
“Do you always remember everything you do while you are sleeping?”
A frown appeared on her beautiful face. “Never mind, it’s not important.” She turned away and dug through her overnight bag. He must’ve hit a nerve.
Lukas touched her on the shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m messing with you. I found your hand on my cheek. I actually found it awfully sweet.”
He didn’t wait for her response before he left the room, Dio on his heels.
Tess wished she hadn’t reacted so sensitively. She enjoyed playing with him. But the last time she forgot what she did in her sleep, she wound up pregnant. Marie told her not to be so hard on herself, but that was much easier said than done.
The shower felt nice, and she wondered how long she could stay in there before the water ran cold. Tess washed her hair, and when she stepped out of the shower, she realized she now smelled like Lukas. It was a great, fresh scent. She might have to buy this shampoo.
Tess brushed out her long locks and put on her sweater and leggings. Her stomach poked out a tad. Not enough that anyone but her would notice. In some ways she was thrilled by the change, but without having anyone else to share it with, it was bittersweet.
The bathroom had several cupboards and closets, and she dug around looking for a blow dryer and found one buried behind the towels. This one probably belonged to his ex. That woman sure helped her out a lot lately.
She plugged the hair dryer in and realized her mistake. They had no power. Wet hair was the worst. She put it into a bun and then went in search of Lukas and Dio.
Snowfall and Secrets (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 1) Page 8