CAINE'S P.O.V
I woke up to the sound of teeth chattering.
Nadine was curled up at my side. I wasn't sure how that happened considering we had both fallen asleep on opposite sides of the bed but I couldn't bring myself to care. It wasn't as if lying next to her was uncomfortable.
She smelled good, like some fancy body wash that I couldn't put my finger on and her hair was so soft as it tickled the underside of my chin. It would have been a thousand times better if she wasn't fucking shaking.
"Quit it," I snapped. I didn't realize she was awake until she glared up at me.
"Fuck off," she spat. "I'm freezing."
"It's noon. There is no reason why-"
"I'm not used to being out in the cold like you, okay? My body isn't used to it. I'll be fine. If it bothers you so much I can just leave."
She started to leave and honestly, I should have just let her. It would have been easier for us both if she wasn't here. She would have probably caught a cold and I would have been able to just move on without her but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to do that. I reached out to grab her, pulling her back against me.
"Shut up and stay still," I told her, my hand reaching out to wrap around her. "Your skin is ice cold."
"No shit, Sherlock."
It was funny how she could manage to be snippy while she was one second away from pneumonia. I held her as close as possible but it wasn't working, she was still freezing, her teeth chattering harder with every passing second and I sighed.
"This isn't working, come with me."
I didn't wait for her to respond before I pulled her into my arms. To her credit, she didn't protest, merely wrapped her legs around me and buried her face into my shoulders.
"Where are you taking me?"
"The basement, it's warmer down there and there is a fireplace. If it comes down to it, I'll set a fire."
She pulled back to look at me, her brows furrowed in confusion. "I thought you said we couldn't set fires."
"We can't."
I didn't elaborate past that and she didn't ask any more questions either.
I made my way down to the basement. I didn't have a lot of pleasant memories down here. Most of them were associated with being locked up after being stubborn or mouthing off and being starved for days.
I hadn't been here in years and yet, I could still feel the memories clawing through my mind, I could feel the old feelings resurfacing like they never left.
It was just as warm as I initially thought and I pulled out the matrass and blanket that I knew would be here. Even after so many years, they hadn't changed. The matrass and the blanket were different. I couldn't help but wonder if there were any children after me, any who had to suffer what I went through.
I set Nadine gently on the ground, trying to ignore the way her body brushed up against mine as I did.
"You need to get naked," I told her and her head snapped up at my words.
"Excuse me?"
"Did I stutter?"
I knew I was being unnecessarily mean but I couldn't help it. I didn't want to be here. My body was screaming at me to get the fuck out and yet, I knew if I didn't stay here with her, she would fall sick or die.
She wouldn't be the first person I would watch die but for some reason, I knew her death would hurt me in a way the others didn't. I was responsible for her.
Despite her sickness, she crossed her arms over her chest. "You have got to be fucking insane if you think that I am getting naked with you. What the hell is your problem?"
"Do you want to die?"
"I don't-"
"It's a simple question with a very simple answer, Nadine. Do you want to die?"
"No, but-"
"Then get fucking naked."
"Body heat works wonders against the cold. Get naked and lay next to me."
"Now you're pushing it-"
"If you're worried about being touched, I am more than capable of controlling myself around a naked woman."
Her cheeks flushed a bright pink color. I had come to realize that I loved that color on her.
She mumbled something incoherent under her breath before taking off her shirt. I tried to look away, look anywhere but at her but she was like a magnet and I was drawn to her. She stripped down into her panties and stared as if daring me to make her pull those off.
She was perfect, round perky tits that begged to be sucked and full hips that I could just imagine holding onto while I fucked her from behind. She was every man's wet dream and she was right in front of me but I couldn't touch her, not right now.
I couldn't have spoken even if I wanted to.
Instead, I shrugged off my pants, leaving me in just boxers and settled on the ground. I stared at her, watching her decide if this was worth it. She was already naked and she was freezing even more. It took a long minute before she finally decided to crawl over to me.
She lay with her back to my chest, her hands crossed over her tits to protect herself.
I wrapped my arms around her, slowly turning her over until she was facing me. She didn't stop me, but she did close her eyes, perhaps in a bid to pretend it wasn't happening.
I tangled my legs with hers, gently pulling her onto me so she was lying flat against my chest.
If I thought lying next to her clothed was bad, lying next to her naked was fucking torture. She was soft in all the right places and she felt like a fever dream. It would have taken nothing to slide my hands down her skin and over her body.
"Fuck," I whispered, trying to think of anything but how good she felt.
This was to help her get warm, not to feed my dick.
She moved ever so slightly, her nipples brushing my skin and her thigh rubbing against my cock as she did and I swear I almost died.
"Keep fucking still," I warned and she scoffed.
"This was your idea."
"One I'm beginning to regret. Don't move, Nadine, for fucks sake."
"What is your problem?" she snapped, her voice barely over a whisper but somehow still terrifying. "You asked me to come here. You asked me to do this. If you don't want to help me then you don't have to but don't make me feel like I'm burdening you for something that you asked to-"
I grabbed her chin with one hand, forcing her to look at me. "You're fucking gorgeous and naked and pressed up against me. Do the fucking math, princess."
"I didn't-"
"You were right about one thing, this is a fucking inconvenience because if it were anyone else, they would already be on all fours screaming my name."
Her cheeks went impossibly brighter until she was the color of a tomato and I let out a groan.
"I should never have said that," I ran my hands down my face. "Go to sleep, Nadine. You need to rest."