His breath fans over my face, and his intense aura pins me. He isn't even touching me, and I can feel the power within him, the brooding power of his leopard. His fists rest against the handrail behind me, trapping me in and leaving no room to hide.
Regardless, I stand up to him. Tilting my chin upward to face him, I square my shoulders just as he has and match his energy. He leans down toward me and angles his head, the intensity leaking out of him seeping into my skin and awakening a new sensation within me. We're mere inches from each other, and I have to hold back the smirk threatening to take over.
"I'd rather sleep outside in the bitter cold than spend the rest of my time here in this hell of a place with the most arrogant leopard I've ever met." I practically spit in his face. He laughs at me, sounding amused.
"I'm arrogant? Says the brat." He taps underneath my chin with his fingers, and my cheeks redden. Whether it's with anger or from the physical contact, I'm not sure.
"Brat? Who the hell are you calling a brat?"
"You're spoiled out of your mind, snowflake." He chuckles and straightens his spine, dropping his hands from beside me and taking in my flustered look.
"Would you stop calling me that? I'm not fragile." I scoff and stomp back to the couch, needing to remove myself from his intoxicating presence.
Striding back over to me, he crouches and towers over my figure, making me feel small against his hulking frame. His fingers come up to touch my face, a soft smile playing at his lips. I ignore the tingles dancing across my skin as he leaves a wake of warmth behind his touch.
"I'm afraid if I were to touch you too roughly, you'd shatter." He chuckles, more to himself. "You're as soft and delicate as the snow outside. Soft yet cold."
Soft yet cold. Describing yourself much?
My heart flutters, and I remain transfixed by him. Soaking in the warmth he has to offer, I sink into the icy gaze. It takes everything within me to not slap him across the face then trap those soft pink lips of his in a kiss. His chest expands with every breath, showing off the power behind the sculpted muscles, and his broad shoulders obstruct my view of the room. His entire presence sucks in the air around us, leaving me to breathe him and only him in. His entire being calls to me, and it causes my thighs to tremble with need.
God, he stirs everything within me. The part that wants to hurt the living shit out of him and the part that wants to drag him in bed and take him in every way possible.
"Stay here. I'll bring down some blankets for you." He gets up from his position, turning toward the stairs, but hesitates and looks at me over his shoulder. "And I'll see what I can do about a room."
My head snaps up at that. Unbelievable.
When he's gone, I can finally breathe. His cologne is cleared from the air after a while, allowing me to get a grip of myself. My mind feels like it's been tossed into a blender. My emotions are conflicted, but my body is screaming for a single thing. Him.
I chew on my lip as I wait for Lennox to come down, too afraid to move and pack up my stuff again. Could he really mean it? Handing over the spare room I'd been pushing him for? Did the power outage change his mind? Huh, well, I guess the shifter might just have a heart… a frozen-over heart.
My gaze snaps up to the figure descending the stairs. Lennox holds a huge pile of blankets in his arms, and I notice a pair of keys jangling on his pants hoop. Biting my lip, I shamelessly stare at him. His jeans hang low on his hips, and the keys swishing around with the movement of his steps only adds to the trance.
"Follow me. I'll show you to the room. It may not be as great as the penthouses you've probably slept in back where you're from, so keep your expectations low." His face is set in stone, a bored expression plastered on. It's hard to read the aura around him, and I can't tell whether he's masking or just that bored with me. "It's up to you whether you'll take the offer or not. I don't really care."
My lips part to say something back and retort, but they then close, utterly speechless after that. Shaking the feeling off, I follow him down the hall silently, the soft pitter-patter of my feet being the only sound between us. When we finally make it to the locked room, my throat feels thick as I swallow nervously. He sticks the key into the lock above the handle and pushes the door open, revealing a rustic bedroom bathed in bright white light. He walks in without a word, leaving me to invite myself in.
As soon as I walk into the spare room, I can see why he never offered it. Right in the dead center of the wall beside the bed is a giant window with the thinnest pale curtains I have ever seen. I can only imagine the type of draft that wafts through and sweeps the entire room. Walking toward the window, I skim my fingers along the woodwork and feel for a draft. Just as expected, the strong gusts of wind pushing against the sill freeze my fingers.
Looking over at the bed, the quilt and cotton pillows look soft and welcoming. I glance toward the door and hesitate to make another move to leave. Sleeping on the couch had been the most uncomfortable experience, but the living room was devoid of any windows allowing a draft in. The only thing I had to worry about was the door, but Lennox had insulated it properly.
I guess it wouldn't hurt to try sleeping here. He did leave the decision up to me whether I'd take the room or not. It would be rather rude to decline a room after begging for one. I won't let a minor inconvenience get in the way of this.
"This is great. Thank you, Lennox." I speak softly, turning my gaze toward the window to peer into the storm outside.
"I'll be upstairs." He swivels around and shuts the door behind him, not leaving me enough room to speak another word.
Sighing, I walk over to the blankets he left behind on the edge of the bed. They're thick and made of wool, perfect for these cold nights. I arrange them on top of each other, leaving the thinnest one to wrap around my body before I climb into bed.
The evening soon falls over the cottage, the sun had set already and the chilly air settling into the house. The room is dark, and I can barely make out the dusty dresser in the corner. Shadows dance with the snow, and the wind sings a forbidden song outside. I can see my breath as I breathe, and my nose begins to feel cold. Curse this weather if I catch a cold tonight. I close my eyes and mentally thank the leopard upstairs for finally giving me a bedroom. Although, I do miss the fireplace in the living room.
When I close my eyes, I can see him near me. His delicate breath fanning over my pink cheeks and warming them, his arms wrapping me in an embrace, and his heartbeat just beneath my ear lulling me to sleep. It's comforting, and I find myself longing for it. His icy blue eyes are etched into my dreams; they dissolve into a sea of bliss with crashing waves and a heating sun.