“Powers out,” I mumbled as I found the flashlights and lit some candles I'd discovered in a cabinet. It made the cabin glow soft and golden, shadows dancing on the walls with every gust of wind.
It was fine. I was fine. Just a storm. Just a power outage. Nothing to worry about.
I curled up on the couch with a book, trying to read by candlelight, trying not to think about the fact that I was alone in a cabin in the mountains during what was quickly becoming a more serious storm than first predicted.
A knock on the door made me jump.
I froze. Cal wouldn't knock, and no one else had any reason to be here, not in this weather, not at this hour.
Another knock. Louder.
I grabbed the flashlight and approached the door slowly. "Who is it?"
"Knox."
My heart slammed against my ribs. I stood there for a long moment, flashlight in hand, trying to decide whether to open the door or pretend I hadn't heard.
"Daisy." His voice was muffled by the wood, barely audible over the rain. "I’m getting soaked out here. Open the damn door.”
Cursing, I stepped forward and opened it slightly.
Knox stood on the porch, soaking wet, rain streaming down his face and plastering his shirt to his chest. He looked like he'd walked through the storm itself to get here.
"What are you doing here?"
"Saw your power go out from the road." He pushed wet hair off his forehead. "Cal's working the accidents on Skyline. He asked me to check on you."
The last thing I wanted was Knox Parker dripping water on my floor while lightning crashed outside. I just wanted to tell him to go to hell and slam the door in his face.
Instead, I stepped back and opened the door wider. “Get inside then." I grumbled as the wind pushed him closer to me as the thunder boomed overhead.
He stepped over the threshold, hand going to my shoulders to steady me as the wind wiped around us in the doorway, shielding me slightly as he walked into the candlelit cabin.
"There's towels in the bathroom," I said as I shut the door behind him.
He nodded and disappeared.
I stood in the living room, heart pounding, wondering what the hell I was doing.
***
He came back a few minutes later, towel around his shoulders, wet shirt replaced by one of Cal's flannels. His hair was still damp, curling slightly at the ends.
I looked away and busied myself with the candles.
"Storm's supposed to last a few more hours," he said. "Power company's saying morning before they can get crews out."
"Great."
"I can leave Daisy. Cal just asked me to check you were okay here, and it is obvious you are."
I turned. He was standing in the doorway to the hall, shoulders tense, watching me like he was waiting for a blow.
"In this?" I gestured toward the window, where rain was sheeting down so hard it looked solid. "Sit down," I said. "I'll make coffee. The stove's gas, so it still works."
He sat as I made coffee. The normalcy of the ritual helped, gave my hands something to do besides tremble.
When I handed him the mug, our fingers brushed. I felt the contact like a spark, sharp and electric, and I pulled back too fast.