Page 42 of Cabin Fever Baby
She shrugged. “Yeah. But it looks so beautiful.”
I came up behind her at the window and wrapped my arms around her. “How about we look out there for now and tomorrow we have a little snowman competition?”
She folded her arms over mine in front of her and twisted her head around enough to look me in the eye. “You sure you want to get into another competition with me?”
I laughed and tucked her head under my chin. “Couldn’t stop me.”
TWELVE
4 Days til Christmas
Sleepingwith a man was a very new thing for me. The number of times I’d had sleepovers with the men I’d dated were far and few between. Especially since being on the road with my brother.
Hooking up with Q’s crew was out of the question.
The first year I’d been stupid enough to get involved with a man who had been sent from Ripper Records to assist me. All the time together in the weird little bubble that the crew became on a tour had felt a little like this snowstorm. A moment out of time. A little bit of reality would slip in, and I’d start wondering what I was doing, but then I’d get sucked back into the moment.
Into the parties, and the fun. Into the glitz and the glamour of designers wanting me to wear their clothes because I’d be next to Quentin. They wanted to make sponsored material on Quentin’s social media. Robbie would encourage all of it, because it increased his clout.
He was more worried about how people could elevate his status in Ripper and that meant using me to get to parties andto sign on up-and-coming singers who wanted to be in Q’s orbit. The fame monster grew and multiplied, once it was moving.
Even without Q chasing any of it.
And Robbie—through me—hung onto it and never wanted to let go. Which meant he used slick, sweet words to keep me on the hook. His job was to learn how atourworked, not the parties. Not the darker side of the parties I avoided. Robbie lived for the fun, not the work.
I had to keep reminding myself that just because we were having fun didn’t mean I was going to lose myself again. That I was going to be as stupid as I’d been all those years ago.
I’d barred myself from relationships after Robbie.Hudson was nothing like Robbie—in all the best ways.
He didn’t deserve to even be mentioned in the samebreathas that clout chaser.
“You’re going to make me get up, aren’t you?” A rumbling voice asked behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder. “Is there an alarm clock I wasn’t aware of?” Speaking of alarms, I didn’t even know where my damn phone was.
“Then why isn’t that spectacular ass cuddled back against me?”
“You’re just looking for someone to take care of that morning wood.”
He scooped me back against him. “I mean, fair. I do love being with you. But no... it’s not just to dip my wick, Ocean.” He turned me in his arms. “I hope I don’t make you feel that way.”
I sighed. “No. I’m just not used to trusting being...”Happy? Made me sound like a freaking headcase.
He pushed my hair back away from my face. “I can try to find my way out of here if you want. I’m sure they have to be cleaning the roads.”
“No, I don’t want that.” I buried my face in his chest. “I’m sorry. I hate my brain sometimes. I’m a problem solver, but that also means I sometimeslookfor problems.”
Hudson smoothed a hand down my back. I’d stolen one of his black undershirts to sleep in. “I get that. And my job is very similar. Also, I look for ways to make sure my communication is very clear. And I know that we keep getting distracted with sex. Maybe we try to do everythingexceptsex today.”
I lifted my head and stared into his eyes. “What?”
“I know. I can’t believe I said it, either.” He frowned. “Too late to retract?”
“I mean...kinda.”
“I’m an idiot,” he muttered.
“Though we do have to start rationing our condoms.” I slid out of bed and went to the window behind our—mybed. “Because we aren’t going anywhere.”