“So are they plowing the road now?” Aiyanna asked, making sure they stayed off the subject of Nathan.
Like Sam, Aiyanna knew Scott well enough to know what he must be thinking too. He’d been worried when Aiyanna had mentioned her idea of just being spontaneous for once and doing away with her V-Card already, starting the year fresh without that hanging over her head.
Even in his sweats, simple thermal long-sleeved gray shirt, and his five o’clock shadow, Nathan was one sexy beast. Just as she’d thought when she decided to make it clear to Nathan he was the perfect candidate for the job, Scott had to be wondering if she’d already closed that deal.
Once again, Scott thanked God he was supposed to have been there and knew the exact address and directions to the isolated cabin. He also wrapped his arms around her tightly again, only this time he whispered in her ear.
“Please tell me you didn’t do anything with this guy.”
Aiyanna froze. She was not about to discuss this with him right there in front of everyone. Just when she was about to respond, Nathan spoke for the first time since they’d all arrived.
“I guess if we’re out of here soon I should go pack my shi—” He stopped and cleared his throat as he headed to the bedroom. “My stuff.”
Before he was even out of the room, Sam got Aiyanna’s attention and mouthed the words, “Oh my God!” The second he was out of the room, her friend had her hands at her mouth. “You two slept in the same bedroom?”
“There are three beds in there,” she said as her mom’s brow lifted.
“Girl, he’s fine,” Sam said and thankfully lowered her voice at that last word. “This would only happen to you.”
“But you didn’t—”
Aiyanna shushed Scott before he could finish. “You two better stop. He’s from Southern California too, so this might not be the last I see of him. He’s a very sweet guy. Do not embarrass me.”
She’d leave it at that for now because something told her she needed to get into that room soon. “I better pack my things, too, so we can get out of here in the daytime. I don’t wanna be driving in the snow at night.”
“This is true,” her mom agreed with a nod. “It was scary enough driving in the snow during the day. I don’t know how people out here can live like this. We should go ask how long they think it’ll be until the road is plowed enough to get their cars out.”
Scott nodded, already starting toward the door, but eyed Aiyanna suspiciously. If she weren’t so nervous about what awaited her behind that bedroom door, she might’ve smirked at Scott. As all three of her unexpected guests made their way to the front door, Aiyanna made her way to the bedroom. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself before pushing the door open.
Chapter 12: Mine—and Only Mine
Nathan
Nathan should’ve gone with his gut. God, he was an idiot. How could he even think something like this would ever work? Of course, he’d been absolutely right about her fucking best friend. The guy hadn’t even tried to hide his distaste about hearing Anna had been stuck in this cabin with Nathan. He shed tears for her for fuck’s sake. The sooner Nathan could get out of there and away from watching Scott all over Anna, the better. Who cries for a chick? Acts like he did unless—
The door opened just as Nathan threw another handful of his shit into his suitcase. He glanced at Anna but didn’t say anything.
“They think we can likely be out of here before sundown.”
“Good.”
He didn’t even want to look at her. Couldn’t. This was so fucked. Nathan had considered the fact that he probably wouldn’t like Scott once he met him—that her friendship with the guy she lived with might be tough to deal with—but he’d thought he’d be able to for Anna’s sake. There was no way he was dealing with a dude who clearly had feelings for her that she was either too blind to see or didn’t want to admit.
“Something wrong?”
Nathan continued to throw things in his bag without looking up. “I was wrong.” He tossed his toiletry bag into the bag. “The two of us hanging out once we get back will never work. Me dealing with you and Scott ain’t happening.”
“Do you mean because of what you saw out there?” She took a few steps closer to him. “Because we really are just friends—”
“No fucking way can you seriously expect me to believe that guy doesn’t have feelings for you.”
Nathan stopped and took a deep breath. What he’d tried to hold in out in the front room the moment he saw that guy wrap his arms around her, gaze at her the way he had, then hold her hand, had boiled over when he hugged her again then whispered in her ear. But he needed to calm himself now. No girl, especially one he’d known for such a short time, should affect him like this so soon.
“He worries about me because we’ve been best friends forever, Nathan.”
Nathan scoffed, grabbing another one of his shirts and throwing it into his bag with force. “If you’ve really never seen what took me two seconds to see, either you’re blind or—”
“He’s gay.”
Nathan slowed, glancing at her, but was still too riled to let it sink in—believe it. The visual of Scott embracing Anna with so much emotion was still too raw.
Anna took a few guarded steps toward him. “I’m the first person he told back in the ninth grade. But I’d already begun to wonder. That’s how close we are.”
With a deep breath, Nathan let his head fall back, not sure if he should be happy about such welcome news or feel like an idiot now. “Why hadn’t you mentioned that?”
For the first time since she’d entered the room, Anna smiled softly, almost timidly so, then shrugged. “You made it pretty clear what your thoughts on my friendship with him were. But even clearer was your no-relationship thing. So I figured, in case you were worried about me wanting more with you, you’d worry less if you continued to think what you did about my friendship with him. He really is my most trusted and the best friend I’ve ever had. Don’t tell Sam though.” She lowered her voice when adding that last admission then smirked. “Not that she isn’t a good friend too, and I trust her completely. I just haven’t known her as long. Scott is practically family.”
Nathan reached out for her as she got even closer and pulled her to him, leaning his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry,” he whispered with a wince. “I guess there’s no denying now I am one of those guys. I was so ready to just walk out of here and never look back.”
“But you’re not anymore?
He shook his head, still feeling stupid. “Not if you’re willing to hang out with me after that little tantrum I almost had.”
She peered at him curiously for a moment without saying anything. Then she finally did. “You’ve used the term hanging out more than once now, when referring to what we’ll be doing when we get back home.” She tilted her head. “What exactly does that mean?”
Nathan smiled. “I’m glad you asked”—he pulled her closer— “because, after that little outburst I didn’t even know I’d have in me this soon, I think maybe we should get this straight if I’m gonna be doing this.” He leaned in and kissed her—deeply. “And this,” he said after pulling away then kissing her again, only this time running his hands down her back, over her ass and squeezing it. “And all this.”
Nathan lifted her suddenly, making her yelp then giggle as she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He sucked her neck, making her squirm, then kissed her longer and deeper, nervous about the rest of his answer until he finally came up for air.
“I know you don’t like it, but you gotta know. If we’re still doing all this when we get back, there’s no way I won’t be considering you mine—and only mine.”
He waited for a second, a bit anxious for a reaction to that, and to his surprise, she smiled timidly. It wasn’t an agreement yet, but it was a start. Swallowing hard, he went on. “That means if there’s anything else I should know about any other friends back home you share such a tigh
t bond with, maybe you should tell me now.”
Anna shook her head as they heard the door out front open and voices in the front room again. Nathan let her down, but he was determined to get this straight before they left the cabin.
“Scott, Sam, my sister, and her boyfriend are the only people in my circle of close friends. Jace”—she rolled her eyes— “had recently started joining our gatherings, but obviously he’s out now.”
“Good.” Nathan squeezed her hand. “’Cause he’s one I’d definitely refuse to deal with.” But he had to laugh at the thought. “So is this like the circle of trust De Niro talks about in Meet the Fockers?”
She laughed then nodded. “Something like that. I just mean, no, there are no other friends you’ll have to deal with. Those three out there and my sister are pretty much my life.” She smiled, squeezing his hand now. “And I guess the way you’re making it sound, you will be too now.”
“Hey.” He smiled big, feeling the enormous relief that this hadn’t turned out the way he was sure it was going to when he stormed into the bedroom. “I made the circle of trust.” That made her laugh again, and he pulled her closer to him again. “I really am sorry about snapping the way I did. It just caught me so completely off guard.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She touched the side of his face, tilting her head. “If I’d known they were all gonna show up here like this, I would’ve told you—warned you what he’s like. I know what it looked like. He’s just been through a lot in the last couple of years. He lost his brother and dad in a car accident two years ago. His mom’s been dead since before I met him. Then a few months ago his boyfriend shattered his heart when he cheated on him. It wasn’t like with me and Jace either. They’d been together over two years and were living together for almost as long. He has a sister, but she’s a physician in the military and is always gone. Sam, my sister, and I are all he has. But he and I have a bond even Sam can’t touch. It’s as tight as the one I have with my sister.”
Nathan clenched his jaw. Even knowing all this—knowing the guy was certifiably gay and not interested in anything romantic with Anna—he still wasn’t sure about her being this close to him. A bond even Sam couldn’t touch? Nathan supposed he could look at it like the bond he had with his sisters.
“You need help with anything?” her mom asked from the other side of the door.
Anna let her mom know she had it and that she’d be out in a minute. She grabbed a change of clothes, kissed Nathan again, then smiled big. “I never thought I’d be saying these words, given how I’ve always felt about those kind of guys, especially one I’ve known less than a full week. But I’m excited about being all yours.” She pecked him again before running into the bathroom to change.
Nathan stood there a bit dazed. “What just happened?” he whispered as he made his way back to his suitcase.
What happened was he’d nearly had a meltdown over a girl he barely knew. Someone he’d already asked if she wanted to hang out with him when they got back home after spending less than a week with her. Then he’d made it clear—hell, he’d staked his claim on her. She’d be his now. That meant he was committed to being hers only too. What started off as a trip to get a little crazy and start off his year with a bang had ended with him now being exclusive with a girl he knew less than a week.
Shaking his head, he smiled and finished throwing his things in his bag in a much better mood than he’d started. Considering the alternative, the shitty way he’d begun to think this trip would be ending, he’d take the alarm he was now feeling from what he’d just gotten himself into. Nathan would’ve never gotten so worked up over seeing Scott all over her if he really wasn’t feeling so much more for her than he should be this quickly. Leaving this place with his insides feeling all nervously excited was a hell of a lot better than leaving here feeling the way he had earlier.
So he’d asked her to be his girl. He hadn’t asked her to marry him. From what little he did know about Anna so far, she was perfect. How could this be a bad thing?
~*~
Aiyanna
As expected, despite the fact that Nathan had easily won everyone over almost immediately, Scott still had concerns. As soon as they got a moment alone, he was all over it. The morning after they’d gotten back from Colorado he waited until Sam had left for work before cornering Aiyanna in the kitchen.
“Alright, Nathan seems nice enough,” he said, leaning against the counter as Aiyanna poured herself coffee. “And I actually agree with Sam for once on this one. He is hot. But please tell me you didn’t do anything impulsive. You just met the guy. You’re extremely vulnerable right now. I can see how you could get caught up with this guy so quickly. But”—he lifted his hand up as Aiyanna brought her cup to her mouth— “I’m not saying this to be judgmental or make you feel bad. The guy’s gotta have girls lining up. I’m just worried about you getting your heart broken again.”
“First of all”—Aiyanna stopped to take a quick sip of her coffee— “Jace didn’t break my heart.”
Scott gave her that “are you kidding me?” look she knew he would. She had, after all, cried when she told him and Sam about it.
“Okay, I’ll admit it was a blow to my ego.” Aiyanna took the toast from the toaster and began spreading butter on it, feeling Scott’s eyes glued to her. “I felt humiliated, not to mention stupid, for believing that his horny ass would be okay waiting on me to be ready to go there. And you know I cry when I’m angry.”
“I know, babe,” he said, looking a little more sympathetic. “But you went out with him for over three months—”
“Exactly.” She walked her toast and coffee over to the kitchen table. “In the entire three months, not once did I ever feel for him what I do for Nathan already.”
Scott’s expression was suddenly full of concern again. “So you did sleep with him?”
She pressed her lips together because, as right as it still felt, she knew how bad it sounded. “I did,” she said, trying to sound as unregretful about that as she really felt. “And I’ve never been so sure about a decision in my life. Even if things don’t work out between us, I’m glad I did it.”
Scott sat down across from her but didn’t say a word. His expression was more than concerned now. He seemed almost upset.
“It’s hard to explain, but I feel like this enormous weight has been lifted off me, Scott. And I’m prepared for the possibility of things not working out. I promise.” That seemed to ease his expression a bit. “I’m the one who actually initiated a no-strings-attached hookup.”
Aiyanna laughed at Scott’s confused expression. She explained about New Year’s Eve and how she’d been all for it, how things had almost stopped when she was forced to confess to Nathan that she was a virgin. Then she told him about everything else they’d done and talked about the days following: what they’d discussed the day her mom and Sam had arrived and how she’d actually agreed to being his.
For the first time that entire conversation, Scott smirked, crinkling his nose. “He asked you to be his girlfriend? I didn’t know people did that anymore.”
Feeling like she had her best friend’s approval finally, Aiyanna laughed again. “I know, right? But it didn’t even feel contrived or silly. It felt so right—so normal—I was perfectly comfortable with saying yes. All the conversations we had, felt like that from the very first night he got there. Except for when he first flaunted his flawlessly chiseled and tatted near-naked body, I can’t remember another time I felt uncomfortable around him.”
“He flaunted his near-naked body?” Scott’s brows furrowed. “How’d he find an excuse to do that? It was freezing up there.”
Aiyanna explained about seeing him in only a towel. Then they both laughed when she told him about the ridiculous visuals she’d begun to have. “And that’s probably the only reason I was uncomfortable. I was afraid he might notice my spacing out and I’d be mortified. In fact, he did notice on a different occasion, only he was fully dressed that time.?
?? She shook her head as she picked up her mug and walked it over to the sink. “I can’t believe how easy it was to fall into a trance when staring at him.” She groaned as she set the mug in the sink. “God, those lips, that body, but mostly the way he looked at me . . . No one’s ever looked at me that way. I swear I miss him already.”
Scott was now standing next to the counter, peering at her questionably. “Alright, I have to admit I don’t think I’ve ever seen your face light up the way it does when you speak of this guy you barely know.”
“That’s the thing, Scott. I don’t feel like I barely know him. I know we were stranded together for only a week, but it was day and night. We had nothing to do but talk and get to know each other.”
“And have wild snow-melting sex.”
“Well, that too, but that didn’t even start to happen until we’d been there a couple of days, and even then we still talked nonstop, even when we were lying in bed at night. He told me all about his family and work and even about the last girl he ever considered something serious with.”
Aiyanna glanced down at her watch and pushed herself away from the counter. “Shoot. I didn’t realize what time it was.” She started out of the kitchen with Scott in tow. “Remind me to tell you about that. That last girl he ever considered getting serious with is now engaged to his brother.”
“What?”
Aiyanna giggled as she rushed into her bedroom. “Yeah, I know. It’s not as bad as it sounds, but it’s still juicy. I’ll tell you about it when I have more time.”
“I’m not gonna lie, Anna.” Scott leaned against her doorway as she rushed around her bedroom, gathering her things. “I’m glad you’re so excited about this, and clearly you got it bad for this guy I still say you barely know. I just hope you don’t end up getting your heart broken for real this time. Promise me you’ll take things slow. Don’t get too ahead of yourself.”