Page 5 of Frost and Felines (Saltwater Grove #5)

5

MALLORY

A fter Kieran left, Mallory paced the small room. Her boots sank into the plush burgundy carpet with each step. The snow pelted against the window in thick sheets, a direct reflection of her turbulent thoughts. She paused at the window, pressing her palm against the cold glass.

"This is insane," she muttered to herself. "Absolutely insane."

Her groceries sat untouched on the wooden table, a reminder that she should be home right now, putting everything away in her own kitchen. Instead, she was stuck in this cozy but foreign room, with a proposition that made her head spin.

"Be his wife." She let out a sharp laugh. "Right. Because that worked out so well for me the first time."

The memory of Eli's warm smile flashed through her mind, making her chest ache. The storm outside intensified, and she inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. A crack of thunder punctuated her anxiety.

"Pull yourself together, Mallory," she chided herself, moving to unpack her groceries. "You're not actually doing this."

But as she placed the items in the mini fridge, her mind kept drifting back to Kieran's confident stance, the way his auburn hair had fallen across his forehead when he'd leaned in to make his proposition. The way those blue eyes had sparkled with mischief and determination.

"Their best room for free," she mused, dropping onto the edge of the bed. "And room service."

The practical side of her brain started making calculations. Two weeks in this room would already cost a fortune. A premium room would be completely out of her budget, but free? That would help significantly with this unexpected stay in Saltwater Grove.

She flopped backward onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling. "What would you say about this, Eli?" The question slipped out before she could stop it. "You'd probably laugh yourself silly."

The wind howled loudly outside, rattling the window panes. Mallory sat up, wrapping her arms around herself tighter. Playing pretend wife to a gorgeous inn owner she'd just met? It sounded like something out of one of her romance novels, not real life. Certainly not her life.

"I don't even know how to be a fake wife," she said to her reflection in the mirror above the dresser. Her platinum blonde hair was slightly windswept from the storm, and her blue eyes wide with uncertainty. "And he's so... everything. Confident. Charming. Probably used to dating supermodels or something."

Mallory curled up in the armchair by the window, watching the snow create intricate patterns against the dark glass. The storm outside matched her inner turmoil, each gust of wind echoing her conflicted thoughts about Kieran's proposition.

"He's certainly... different," she murmured, remembering how he'd swooped in to help with her bags, those blue eyes sparking with interest even before his wild suggestion. Not just charming, but genuine in his care for the inn and its people.

She pulled her knees to her chest, her sock-covered toes curling against the chair's fabric. The room suddenly felt suffocating - barely enough space to think, let alone live for weeks. The thought of being confined here made her chest tight.

"What am I even considering?" She pressed her forehead against the cool window. "Pretending to be married to a complete stranger? Have I lost my mind?"

Thunder crackled outside, and Mallory forced herself to take deep breaths. The last thing she wanted was to make the storm worse with her mounting anxiety.

"I'd have to touch him," she realized, her cheeks warming at the thought. "Hold his hand, maybe even..." She shook her head, unable to complete that train of thought.

Her wedding ring from Eli sat heavy on her finger. She twisted it absently, guilt gnawing at her insides. "It's not real," she reminded herself. "Just pretend. Like acting in a play."

The tiny bathroom door caught her eye, reminding her of the cramped quarters she'd be stuck in if she declined. The larger room Kieran had mentioned had a separate living area, a bathroom bigger than this entire room, a private balcony, and a jacuzzi.

"Eli would want me to be practical," she reasoned, then laughed at herself. "Right, because pretending to be married to the inn owner is the practical choice."

But there was definitely something about Kieran - beyond his obvious alpha male presence and striking looks - something that made her want to trust him. The way his entire demeanor had softened when he said the inn was everything to him and talking about making it more welcoming for families.

Lightning illuminated the room, casting dramatic shadows across the walls. Two weeks minimum in this shoebox of a room would drive her crazy. Not to mention drain her savings.

"I'll need rules," she decided, already mentally drafting a list. "Clear boundaries. No... unnecessary touching. No pet names. Nothing that could blur the lines."

The storm outside intensified, and Mallory knew she'd made her decision, for better or worse.

Before long, Mallory lay in the unfamiliar bed, the sheets cool against her skin. The storm outside had settled into a steady rhythm, matching her calmer thoughts. She'd made her decision, yet sleep eluded her as her mind wandered through the implications.

"It's just business," she whispered to the darkness. "A mutually beneficial arrangement."

The moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting silver shadows across the room. Kieran's confident smile flashed through her memory - the way he'd leaned against her dresser, all casual authority and charm. She'd never met anyone quite like him before. Even Eli, as wonderful as he'd been, had been gentler and more subdued.

Rolling onto her side, she traced patterns on the pillowcase. "What would you think of this scheme, love?" The familiar ache in her chest wasn't as sharp as usual when she thought of Eli. "You'd probably say I'm overthinking it."

The wind whistled through a gap in the window frame, making her smile. It almost sounded like Eli's laugh - the one he'd use when she was being particularly stubborn about something.

"I know, I know," she murmured. "You always said I needed to get out more."

Her wedding ring caught the moonlight, and she twisted it thoughtfully. The guilt she'd expected to feel didn't come. Instead, she felt something almost like... anticipation?

"It's not real," she reminded herself firmly. "Just pretend. And those people at the Lux Grove hotel sound awful enough to deserve a little deception."

Lightning flickered outside, but for once it wasn't from her turbulent emotions. The storm was natural now, which meant her magic was settled. She was making the right choice.

"Besides," she reasoned, "Eli would hate the thought of me being stuck in this tiny room for weeks when there's a better option available." She pictured his face, the way he'd always encouraged her to take chances. "You would want me to live, wouldn't you? Not just exist?"

The answer came with surprising clarity. Of course he would. He would want her to grab onto any chance at happiness - even if it was just the temporary comfort of a larger room and the company of an intriguing stranger.

Mallory sat up, suddenly energized despite the late hour. She grabbed her notebook from the nightstand and started writing her list of boundaries. By the time she was done, the storm had calmed completely, and she felt at peace with her decision.

"Well, Kieran Striker," she whispered, finally settling back against her pillows. "Let's see what kind of husband you make."

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow across Mallory's face. She blinked awake, surprised to find her heart beating with an unfamiliar rhythm - excitement. The storm from last night had cleared, leaving behind a pristine blanket of snow and, oddly enough, a smile on her face.

"What are you doing?" she asked her reflection as she pulled out her emergency clothes. Her fingers traced over the soft cashmere of her favorite cream sweater. She had shoved it into her emergency duffel bag, along with her best-fitting jeans on autopilot yesterday.

The bathroom mirror revealed a woman she barely recognized - cheeks flushed and eyes bright. She reached for her makeup bag, another emergency essential she rarely used anymore.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered, but still found herself applying mascara. "He's not even that..." The image of Kieran's confident stance flashed through her mind, the way he'd filled the doorway of her room last night, all broad shoulders and easy authority. "Okay, maybe he is that impressive."

She brushed her platinum blonde hair until it shone, falling in soft waves past her shoulders. The cream sweater hugged her curves in ways her usual oversized clothes didn't, and the jeans actually fit properly instead of hanging loose.

"You're dressing up for a business arrangement," she reminded herself sternly. But her reflection betrayed her, showing a woman who looked more alive than she had in years. "This is just practical. A better room. Free food. Nothing more."

Her stomach fluttered as she remembered the way Kieran's blue eyes had sparkled when he'd made his proposition. How his presence had seemed to fill the entire room with an energy she couldn't quite name.

"Stop it," she chided herself, dabbing on a touch of lip gloss. "He's probably like this with everyone. Mr. Charming Inn Owner, remember?"

But she couldn't deny the spring in her step as she opened her door, or the way her pulse quickened at the thought of seeing him again. It felt like... possibility.