Cabin Fever: A Mountain Man Romance

by Rye Hart

  Shaking the feelings from my body, I tossed my towel off to the side. I pulled out the lingerie I’d purchased from the bag and began placing each piece onto my body. I put on the decorative corset before I rolled on the matching stockings. It was lacy and light, added no support whatsoever, but looked fabulous against my skin. I squealed with delight before I reached for my dress and, soon, I was slipping my feet into my heels and staring at the finished product in the mirror.

  Everything was perfect and I was ready to step out of the bathroom.

  “Liam, you ready?” I asked.

  “Ready and waiting,” he said.

  Reaching for the doorknob, I took a deep breath. This was it. The moment of no return. I had no idea why in the world I was so nervous suddenly and it took me a second to calm my body. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, quelling the shaking in my hands before I opened the door.

  The suit Liam was wearing was perfect.

  He’d chosen the gray suit, paired with the shirt. His shoulders were accentuated and the tapering of his waist was accented by a single button done up on his coat. His long legs looked wonderful in the gray pants and the blue shirt made his beautiful peridot eyes pop. He took my breath away, especially with his hair swooped off to the side like he had it.

  But the way his eyes danced around my body left me rooted in place.

  “My god, Whitney,” he said.

  My eyes fluttered up to his before I registered the shock on his face.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked.

  But all he could do was shake his head.

  “Liam?” I asked.

  His eyes came back up to mine before he slowly walked toward me. He took my hands in his and pulled me away from the bathroom and, suddenly, I felt a bit exposed. He wasn’t saying anything and I was beginning to wonder why. I locked my eyes onto his as he continued to take me in and then he slowly twirled me around in his arms.

  “You look—”

  I took a step back from him as he snickered, his head shaking before a smile lit up his eyes. His beautiful eyes that matched his beautiful suit.

  “You look incredible, Whitney,” he said.

  “You think so?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  The tone of his voice made my knees grow weak.

  “Shall we?” He offered me his arm and I grinned with delight.

  He escorted me to his truck so we could drive around to the back of the lodge where the restaurant was located. We walked in and, immediately, the tone of the entire night changed. The dim lighting of the restaurant and the soft smells of food trailing up our noses put us in a different mindset. I realized just how hungry I was and, immediately, Liam’s body tensed. I knew he was in an unfamiliar setting, so I had the hostess settle us down at a table in the corner away from everyone else.

  The small candle flames dancing in the middle of the table illuminated his face and the shadows that played off its sharp edges somehow made Liam even more handsome than he already was.

  “Welcome to The Lounge,” our server said. “My name is David and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Could I interest either of you in a glass of wine?”

  “I would love one,” I said. “What about you, Liam?”

  “Do you have a bar?” he asked.

  “A full bar, yes sir,” David said.

  “Could I get a whisky on the rocks?” Liam asked.

  “Of course, sir. What kind?”

  “Got any Johnnie Walker?”

  “We have the Blue Label, which is a wonderful blend,” David said.

  “I’ll take one of those and this beautiful lady here will have a bottle of your finest red wine.”

  “Oh, I don’t need a bottle,” I said.

  “A bottle,” Liam said, grinning.

  “I will come back with those drinks and then I will take your orders. Take your time, enjoy yourselves, and welcome to The Lounge.”

  I watched our waiter walk away before I shot Liam a look.

  “An entire bottle?” I asked. “Really?”

  “Trust me, that Blue Label isn’t the only one I’m having,” he said. “If this entire meal is complimentary, why not go all out?”

  He had a point but I still couldn’t help but laugh.

  “That suit looks divine on you,” I said.

  “Have you looked in a mirror recently?” he asked.

  “Actually I have, thank you very much.”

  “I’ve had a great time with you today,” he said.

  “I did, too. It’s been a long time since I’ve just walked around with someone and taken in shops like that.”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve ventured into town like that, so thanks,” he said.

  “Why don’t you ever go into town?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “I just… it feels more natural at the cabin.”

  “I guess I just thought you cooped yourself up because of things that happened to you in the Navy but you really seemed comfortable walking around today. What was different?”

  “Whisky on the rocks for you, sir, and a bottle of wine for the breathtaking lady.”

  Our waiter set our drinks down in front of us before he planted the bottle of wine in the corner. I didn’t recognize the brand or the label which meant it was probably a very expensive bottle.

  “Are the two of you ready to order?” David asked. “Or do you need another minute?”

  “I’m ready if you’re ready,” Liam said.

  “I am. Though, I have a question. We tell you which heading we want, correct? And underneath that heading is all the courses we will be presented with?”

  “Precisely,” David said.

  “Then I would love the Wild West,” I said.

  “I like a woman who enjoys her meat,” Liam said, grinning. “I’ll have the Rolling Countryside.”

  “Two excellent choices,” our waiter said. “I will put those in and bring the first courses when they are ready.”

  “So,” I began. “Tell me something I don’t know about you.”

  “What would you like to know?” Liam asked.

  “Anything and everything.”

  He looked at me for quite some time before his eyes began to sparkle.

  “I enjoy your body,” he said.

  “That’s pretty obvious,” I said as I sat back in my chair.

  “Is it now?” he asked.

  “It is. Come on. I want to get to know you.”

  I felt his foot scoot closer to mine underneath the table. The warmth of his body trickled up my leg, prickling the smooth skin underneath my stockings. He was teasing me. Trying to rile me up while we were in a public place.

  And he was succeeding given the way my neck was heating up.

  “Your first course,” David said, interrupting the moment.

  “Wow, that was quick,” Liam said.

  Dinner was delicious. My meaty courses were cooked perfectly and Liam’s seafood smelled divine. We talked about his childhood and his favorite outdoor adventures. We talked about my childhood before the homelessness set in. We told each other jokes and laughed over memories with our best friends and, by the time dessert was sitting in front of us, he was three drinks in and I was almost done with the bottle of wine.

  “Crème brûlée for the gorgeous lady and a dulce de leche for the gentleman.”

  “Thank you so much, David,” I said.

  “My pleasure,” David said. “Whenever the two of you are done, just leave your dinner tickets on the table and the meal will be taken care of.”

  “I’ll make sure to do that,” Liam said.

  “The two of you sit as long as you like and enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  I hummed over my dessert as it melted in my mouth. The hardened sugar on the top of my brûlée had been heated to perfection and the silky substance underneath melted on the tip of my tongue. I could tell Liam was enjoying his cake since he finished it in three massive bites and, by the time our pl
ates were bussed away from us, we were both settling into a comfortable silence.

  “Can I ask you a question about your time in the Navy if I stay away from your nightmares?” I asked.

  His playful gaze slowly turned to stone and I swallowed hard while he turned the question around in his head.

  “Whitney, I just…”

  He turned his gaze out toward the restaurant and I was readying myself to go after him if he got up and left.

  “The Navy really messed me up,” he said darkly. “It put me through things I never thought I would ever experience as a medic.”

  I wanted to ask him what happened. I wanted to continue prying at this crack in his facade. But I stayed silent, hoping he could continue this train of thought.

  But instead, he slowly got up from his chair.

  Downing the rest of my wine, I stood as he tossed the dinner tickets onto the table. He began his walk out toward the lobby and I was hot on his heels. I didn’t want the evening to end like this. I was readying myself to apologize for broaching such a sensitive topic. It had been the perfect day and I had the perfect plans to end it sitting right underneath my dress.

  He didn’t walk as if he was angry but his strides were long and it was hard to keep up.

  “Liam? Wait.”

  He walked all the way through the lobby and out onto a side porch before he finally stopped. My heels clacked with my movements as I rushed behind him, slowly stepping up to his side before the cold of the night draped over my naked shoulders.

  “Here,” he said as he slid off his jacket.

  He draped it around my body like the gentleman he was. Then he did something I didn’t expect.

  He slipped his arm around my waist and held me close to his body.

  CHAPTER 25

  LIAM

  I stood there while the frigid air swirled around us. I could feel Whitney already shaking, so I pulled her body closer toward mine. We stood on the porch, surrounded by snow and ice as the both of us stayed silent. I wanted to talk to her so badly about it. I wanted to open up about everything and tell her. She was slowly captivating every single part of me. My body. My mind. My heart. This woman was full of surprises and she took everything that was thrown at her in her stride. She never once backed down from any situation that would even remotely scare anyone else and she always seemed to have a smile to offer.

  “A couple of deployments were rough,” I said. “One in particular.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

  I fell silent at her question and I could hear her sigh against my skin.

  “For whatever happened, I’m so sorry, Liam.”

  “It is what it is,” I said.

  “For what it’s worth, I think you’re very brave. And strong. And incredibly resilient. For someone who willingly keeps themselves cooped up and deals with nightmares like you do sometimes, you seem to be handling being around people pretty well.”

  I honestly wasn’t sure what to say to that. On the one hand, she was right. I was doing a little better being in a crowd of people than I thought I would. But on the other hand, I was in that crowd with her. I hadn’t suffered one single nightmare since the first night we’d shared, losing ourselves within one another. It was like her light and her innocence cleansed a small part of me, so I knew part of the reason was her. I didn’t know if I could tell her that because I really wasn’t sure how she’d react but I knew the moment this was all over, things would go back to the way they were.

  The problem was, it would be harder to cope with now.

  When everything happened, the nightmares were almost instant. I got home and immediately had troubles adjusting. I wasn’t sleeping well. All I was really doing was cat-napping. Crowds of people made me sweat. Training guns and booms off in the distance pulled me from the few deep sleeps I did manage. I’d yell myself awake and drench my sheets in sweat. I struggled to get back into a routine that didn’t involve me having to pull over on the side of the road and take deep breaths. Every time someone honked their horn at me, it would throw me into a frenzy.

  My commanding officer forced me to take time off, which only made it worse.

  Two months of sitting around and doing nothing but drinking and thinking about it didn’t help. It got to a point where I didn’t feel normal if I didn’t wake up with a drink. I’d wake up and drink beer like it was coffee. Then I’d have to drink a beer before I went to bed. It became a comfort for me. Not the drunkenness, but the euphoria that took over once the buzz set in. It cleared my mind and stopped its racing. My limbs got looser and my joints didn’t ache as much. Far away sounds didn’t seem to startle me as much when I was listening through a haze of alcohol and it made things easier.

  It was the hardest habit I had to break once those two months of mandatory vacation were up.

  Whitney was quickly growing to be that same type of addiction. She felt natural and necessary. Waking up with her and going to sleep with her was quickly becoming a routine I enjoyed. My mind slowed down when I was with her and my nightmares stayed at bay whenever she was around. Her touch brought me to life and made me feel like the man I had been before that disgusting fucking deployment. She grounded me in a way I hadn’t felt since before the first time I’d seen a soldier die in my arms.

  And I wasn’t sure if I was willing to let that go just yet.

  “That means a lot, coming from you,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “Do you struggle with your nightmares often?” she asked.

  “I used to,” I said. “It seems to be getting a little better, though.”

  “What do you think is making them better?”

  I looked down at her so I could take in the way her eyes were studying me. She was looking for something. Maybe a confession. It was as if she were readying herself for the truth. Preparing herself to weather whatever it was I had to tell her. Her eyes looked so solemn and her jaw was set with determination.

  She was unlike any person I’d ever come across and I found myself lost in the sea of her eyes.

  A brisk wind kicked up and, instinctively, I stepped in front of her. I wrapped my arms around her and shielded her from the cold as it beat down on my back. She curled into me, her hands grasping the fabric of my shirt as I cloaked her back with my arms.

  She melted into me like butter on a flame and I placed a small kiss on the top of her head while the wind slowly died down.

  “I’ve never met anyone like you before,” I said.

  I watched Whitney crane her neck back before her eyes danced around my face.

  “You are the most confusing, intoxicating, unique woman I’ve ever met,” I said.

  “You’re unlike any person I’ve ever met, either, Liam,” she said.

  “I’m not sure I want this time to end.”

  Raising my finger, I brushed a small strand of hair away from her face. I cupped her cheek with my hand and she nuzzled into my palm. Was it possible she felt the same way? I’d only known this woman for four or five days. Was it possible for me to feel this strongly for someone who was still practically a stranger?

  She turned her face into the palm of my hand and kissed it. I smiled down at her before she closed her eyes, relishing how my thumb traced bare areas of her skin. The wind started to kick up again, blowing around powdery snow and shaking the form of this beautiful woman in my arms.

  So, I guided us back into the lobby and out of the cold.

  Whitney took my hand and led us over to the roaring fireplace. We sat down on a couch right next to it before she slid my jacket off her shoulders. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I watched every single movement she made.

  I was big and stout. Muscular and broad. I lumbered along when I walked and I was always knocking up against something when I moved. But the grace her body possessed had me mesmerized. She was like a figure skater, twirling around effortlessly on the ice with every movement she took. She spread my jacket across her legs before she leaned into me and I automa
tically wrapped my arm around her bare shoulders and pulled her close.

  “What did you think of dinner?” she asked.

  “I think the food was really good and the company was even better.”

  “Oh, come on,” she said. “What did you really think of it?”

  “Fine. You want the truth? I’ll give it to you.”

  I watched her eyes flutter up to mine before I looked down at her sweet little face.

  “The food was better than anything I’ve ever eaten and the company was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

  She giggled and shook her head before she laid her body against my chest.

  “You talk more than the first time I met you,” she said.

  “You’re worth talking to,” I said.

  “And you’re such a charmer. I bet you were a ladies’ man in the military.”

  “I held my own all right, I guess. Didn’t really have a lot of time to get to know anyone with all the certifications I had to get before I could become a General Medical Officer.”

  “How much training did you have to go through?” she asked.

  “I had to get a four-year medical education while I was an ensign and agree to serve at least seven years in the Navy as a medical officer once I received that education. I had to maintain military standards of hygiene and physical fitness throughout the four years and, when I graduated, I was promoted to the rank of a lieutenant.”

  “Wow,” she said. “Did you have to do any sort of internship?”

  “Yep. After graduation and receiving that rank, all medical students reported to the Naval Hospital as active duty medical interns. That lasted a year, which was one of the seven I had to serve to have my education covered. Then I was fit to be deployed as a General Medical Officer.”

  “How does that translate out here?” she asked. “I mean, could you open your own practice or something in this non-military world?”

  “We call it the civilian world,” I said.

  “Okay, the civilian world,” she said. “Could you just… open your own practice?”

  “There’d be a few things I’d have to get in order but it wouldn’t take me more than a year and a half to do so.”

  “Have you ever thought about it?” she asked.