Page 54 of Curvy Cabin Fever

A chill sweeps through me at the thought of him speaking to Aria that way, but I’m not that naïve. I know how men can be, giving the rest of us a bad name. I force myself to listen as she tells me more, but I’m not prepared for his last trick.

“I walked in on him bending her over our sofa,” Aria murmurs, blinking rapidly to hold back more tears. “It was a blessing in disguise, I guess, but the pain…” Her lower lip wobbles.

I reach for her, but she shakes her head.

“No, I need to be stronger.”

I can’t help but admire this girl, honestly.

I ease back and listen to her soft, wounded voice.

“I’d had a hard day. It was raining, and I’d rang him countless times for a lift as he had the car that we shared that day.”

This just keeps getting better.

“But he didn’t answer, obviously.”

Obviously.

“He didn’t even hear me coming in, and when he saw me…” Aria sucks in a breath and laughs, but it’s a laugh that lacksany joy or happiness. “He just carried on. Gripping her hips and enjoying her body. The one I didn’t have.”

She dips her head as an inferno rages in my mine, my rage clawing at every cell, dying to be released on this useless sack of come.

“It sounds like you had a lucky escape.” My voice is barbed, and I can’t help but glare out the window. “How long were you with him?”

“Too long.”

“Did you lose your virginity to him?” I ask, bile rising in my throat when she confirms she did with an “Uh-huh.”

“I’m sorry,” she blurts suddenly, clearing her throat. “You don’t need to be burdened with all of my shit.”

I snap my eyes back to her, my wounded little bird. My heart fucking hurts for her, so I tell her as much. “I can feel your pain,” I say, lifting her small hand to my chest. “In here. I’m fuckingdevastatedyou were hurt so bad, baby.”

Tears fill her eyes again, but I wipe them away with my thumbs, shaking my head.

“But you know what I am?”

Aria blinks, and I exhale heavily.

“I’m here to heal you, baby. To heal all of your pain. To chase away every nightmare and kiss every scar.”

I kiss her softly, and she sobs, but I don’t stop kissing her. I will inhale her sobs, her cries, her tears, her pain.

Because she ismine.

19

RHETT

It’s quiet in the cabin now, too quiet. Even the fire has settled into a low crackle, the occasional snap of wood giving way to a stillness that weighs heavily on my shoulders.

Right now, it’s just me and him.

Morgan.

I try to focus on anything else—the snow falling past the window, my thumb tracing the edge of my coffee mug—but it’shispresence that pulls me back under. The weight of him standing there, too near for someone who’s supposed to be leaving me the hell alone.

But Morgan doesn’t leave me alone.