Page 2 of Trapped (Snowbound with a Stranger #2)

Ally

Eli

The look on Erin’s face was priceless.

There she was, all riled up in an act of ridiculous rebellion, hellbent on leaving after everything I’d done for her, but when she’d thrust open the door to embark on the audacious adventure, nature had other plans.

The drifts blown against the side of the cabin had frozen, creating a wall of ice and obstructing her exit. No one was going anywhere for the time being; not without the right equipment, at least.

“Close the door, little girl.”

As well as being keen to get her back inside, I was also aware of the little warm air the fire had produced vanishing into the freezing ether.

“What?”

She looked shell-shocked, as though she couldn’t understand how Mother Nature had turned on her so cruelly, though after everything that happened in the last day, I was surprised at her naivety.

“You heard me.”

My hands rose to my hips as my patience thinned.

“It looks as if we’re going to be here a while longer, so close the door. You’re letting the cold in.”

Beckoning her forward with one finger, I couldn’t resist smiling. She was so beautiful, yet apparently, completely overawed by her surroundings. It seemed she hadn’t been lying when she’d said she hadn’t spent much time in the wilderness. If she or any of her party had done their homework, they’d have realized snowstorms, although infrequent, were not so rare in those parts.

“I…”

Her gaze darted around the tiny lodge as though a new escape route would suddenly just appear.

“I can’t believe this.”

“Shut. The. Door.”

Punctuating each word, I strode past her and closed it myself, irritated that she hadn’t heeded my instruction.

“We don’t have much wood, remember?”

I signaled to the small stack of firewood against the opposite wall.

“Better that we keep the cold out.”

“Right.”

She backed away.

“I didn’t think.”

It seemed to be becoming a habit.

“So, what’s your plan now?”

Leaning against the door, I folded my arms across my chest. Without my shirt, the icy blast of cold air should have chilled me, but seeing her growing discomfort was warming me from the inside.

Who would have thought the same storm that had caused so much hassle would turn out to be my ally? Without the frozen obstacle beyond the door, I was sure she’d have been off and out in the snow like a wild animal, but we both knew she wouldn’t have lasted long. I’d have had to chase after her and drag her back to the cabin, endangering us both and soaking our only recently dried clothing.

It didn’t seem as though Erin had a tangible plan.

“I don’t know.”

Her gaze fell to her boots.

“Forgotten how to address me already?”

My foot tapped against the wooden floor with impatience. After her repeated lessons, we should have been beyond her insolence.

“I don’t see why I should have to call you sir.”

Her sneering tone was as stinging as it was unexpected.

“Excuse me?”

It hadn’t been that long since I’d last punished her, but at the rate she was going, she wouldn’t be sitting down for days.

“I’m just saying, you don’t own me.”

She slid her bag from her shoulder, the gesture belying her defiant tone. She wanted to sound tough, but she’d already decided to stay.

She has no choice.

“I will have your respect, Erin.”

We’d been through this.

“Or there will be consequences.”

“Fine,”

she snapped, turning away.

“I’ll call you sir, but you can’t make me like it.”

“Good enough.” For now.

I smirked as I pushed away from the door and walked around the bedside unit. It didn’t take much effort to slide it back into place, blocking her exit. Catching sight of the pot she’d been perching on not long before, I was reminded of her apparent need.

“Do you still need to go?”

I motioned to the vessel, enjoying the way her face blanched at the visual reminder.

“Yes.”

Her palm rose to her face as though peeing into a pot was the most heinous act she’d ever been forced to contemplate.

“What was that?”

I cleared my throat intentionally, noticing the way she jumped at the volume.

“Yes, sir.”

She hissed the final word.

“But I’ve tried, and I just can’t!”

“Can’t isn’t a thing.”

It was going to be a long and frustrating stay for her if she couldn’t relent on something so straightforward.

“It’s mind over matter, Erin, and if you need to go, then you need to go.”

She pressed her lips into a line, as though she was holding back the remark floating through her mind.

“This is a nightmare.”

Laughing softly at her catastrophizing tone, I tried to help her see reason.

“There are worse things, little girl. Like what James and Miles went through for starters.”

I regretted mentioning their names immediately, her frown amplifying my remorse. The last thing I needed was her melting down about Chelle again. Her friend had made her choice. It was on me to ensure Erin didn’t do anything so stupid.

“You’re right.”

She staggered toward the bed as though she’d been shot.

“I’m being an idiot.”

“Not an idiot,”

I clarified.

“I’m just asking for a little perspective. We’re stuck here for now, so let’s make the best of it.”

I was sure I’d told her something similar before, but the large, green eyes that met mine made me wonder whether that moment was the first time she’d truly heard me.

“This has all been a lot…”

She gulped, her chest rising and falling faster than before.

“The storm?”

I probed.

“Or what’s happening between us?”

“Both,”

she squeaked.

“I didn’t expect either, sir.”

My lips tugged as she finally yielded of her own free will.

“I’ll take care of you, but you have to learn to obey.”

“Obey?”

She tutted, crossing her arms beneath her fabulous breasts.

“I’m a grown woman, remember?”

Oh, I remember...

Every detail of her wonderful body was etched into my memory for all time.

“A grown woman who paid me to help her.”

I arched an eyebrow, reveling in the way she shivered at the gesture.

“Because she didn’t know how to cope out here on her own.”

“Paying you for a service doesn’t mean I surrender to your every whim, sir.”

“I’m sure you didn’t mean for that to sound as hot as it does.”

I chuckled.

“Stop it.”

Her tone was wry.

“I’m thankful for your help, Eli, and yes, the sex was great, but I’m not okay with being spanked.”

She fidgeted from one foot to the other.

“Or being ordered around by you all the time.”

“You enjoyed it.”

I shook my head at her complaint, recalling all too easily how much her body had ultimately betrayed her need when I’d disciplined her. She might not have liked the idea of being aroused by my authority, but after hours trapped in the cabin with her, I knew better.

“That’s not the point.”

She brought her boot down hard on the floor in protest.

“It’s difficult enough being stuck here without cowering to you as well.”

My lips twisted. Cowering.

I liked the way she put that.

“I’m your master until we get out of this.”

I wandered toward her.

“And I don’t just mean the cabin, little girl. Until you’re safe and sound, I’m in charge.”

I didn’t like to think of a time when she’d be safe somewhere without me, but I supposed that time was lurking just around the corner. We probably had one day—two at best—before the wood ran out and the weather cleared enough to get her back to base, at which point, I’d have no sway over her whatsoever.

A stabbing pain ached in my chest at the debilitating thought.

“I’ll play along.”

The anger in her eyes had faded when she met my gaze again.

“But don’t forget respect works two ways, sir. You might be stronger and more knowledgeable than me, but I’m not hapless or helpless. I’m capable and I can get out of here.”

“I know.”

I recalled the way she’d handled herself around Chelle’s useless boyfriend before he’d plummeted to his fate. Erin was far from incompetent.

“I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.”

“I don’t know what’s going on between us.”

A small smile tugged at her lips as, sighing, she perched on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t know how long the snow will last or whether we’ll freeze to death before we find out.”

Reflexively, my gaze flitted to the remaining logs, anxiety rising in waves at her inference. She had a good point. Whatever happened with the thaw, we had an immediate problem with running out of heat, and with feet of frozen snow piled up outside, there was no access to any fresh, dry supplies.

“All I know is that this has been the most intense twenty-four hours of my life.”

Her brow furrowed.

“I watched two people die, and I miss my friend.”

Yeah. It hasn’t been my greatest day as a guide.

“And now this thing between you and me.”

Her teeth tugged at her lower lip.

“So, it’s not all bad then?”

I couldn’t resist my cocky tone.

“Maybe not.”

Her grin was mischievous.

“But you throwing commands around won’t make the snow melt or help me to know if Chelle made it.”.

I hoped my rising disdain didn’t show on my face. The last thing we needed was to fall out again in another spectacular display of opposing views, but her obsession with her friend’s decision to leave wasn’t going to get us out of there.

“We’ll be okay.”

I had no idea if that was true as the vow left my lips, but I sensed it was what she needed to hear. I didn’t know where our dynamic could lead, but I hadn’t contrived the chemistry. The tug between us was real, and I knew she felt it too. Perhaps it would be enough to pull us out of our snowbound dilemma.

I had to admit, though, if there had been enough wood, I’d have happily kept her there as my willing captive. My swelling cock would have kept her occupied.

“We’ll get through this if we stick together.”

“Stick together?”

She sniggered.

“Is that what we’re doing, sir? I thought we were intermittently fucking while you held me hostage.”

“Held you hostage?”

I sat down beside her.

“I don’t remember demanding a ransom.”

She laughed, the noise hollow.

“There’s no one to demand one from. Besides Chelle, I don’t exactly have the widest social circle.”

“You have me.”

I turned to face her.

“To get you out of here and for whatever else you need afterward.”

“Whatever I need?”

Her tone was sardonic, goading me into the idea of spanking the sarcasm out of her.

“That’s right, little girl. Don’t doubt it.”

The notion of pulling her over me for punishment was tempting, but not until I’d gone some way toward consoling her. I’d seen enough of the hysterical version of Erin to know we’d do better without her. I much preferred the calmer, more loving facet of the woman.

She shook her head.

“But I don’t even know you.”

A blush crawled along her neck as she glanced away.

“Just because we’ve…”

“Fucked?”

I interrupted.

“Yeah.”

Her awkward smirk was delightful.

“It doesn’t mean I can trust you. We’re not engaged or anything.”

“You’re hilarious.”

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, I pulled her close and was pleased she didn’t try to fight me off.

“I’m just saying, you’re not alone.”

“Thanks.”

Her brow rose.

“It’s just, all I really know about you is that you’re a tour guide who used to be a park ranger. You could be anyone!”

“Like a serial killer, you mean?”

My laughter was dark, mirroring the grains of truth in my question.

I wasn’t a serial killer, but only because of a technicality of definition. My acts had been state-sanctioned, but technically, I’d killed more people than most serial killers.

“No!”

She struck my chest playfully.

“Nothing like that. I’m just saying, you like to get your own way. How do I know I’m safe?”

I chuckled at her accurate analysis. She’d known me for such a short time, yet, instinctively, she seemed to understand me.

“I do like getting my own way, but I won’t harm you, little girl.”

How could she even think otherwise?

I’d been a bad man, paid to do bad things, but I’d never maltreated a woman.

I never would.

Erin knew nothing about the things I’d done, though. No doubt she’d have thought twice about being so close to me if she had.

“You spanked me!”

Her tone oozed with indignation.

“Because you deserved it.”

My laughter deepened.

“And you responded, Erin, almost as though you’d been waiting for someone to give you those boundaries your whole life.”

“That’s rubbish,”

she muttered, shrugging away from my embrace.

“You hurt me, and you had no right.”

“I spanked you.”

My dick throbbed at the delicious recollection. Taming her had been one of the greatest highs of my life.

“But I never harmed you, Erin. I would never harm you.”

“What’s the difference?”

She scowled.

“There’s a world of difference, believe me.”

“If you say so.”

Her jaw tensed.

“It sounds like convenient semantics to me.”

“It’s not.”

I balled my free hand at my side, trying not to think about the people I’d really hurt.

Sometimes, I had seen their faces in faded photographs clipped onto the corner of paper files. Sometimes, I’d only been given their name—an anonymous identity which meant nothing—but sitting there, I realized my view had been slanted. Every one of those people had been someone. They were all someone’s father or brother—someone’s child.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, but you can.”

“Yeah, well…”

She glanced my way.

“I guess I don’t have much choice, do I?”

“Not really.”

I stifled my amusement.

“You’re stuck with me, Erin. For the time being, at least.”