Archie stared at me long enough that his gaze seemed like a tangible weight. I didn’t want him to push right now. And I really needed Jake to back the fuck off.
“Cool,” Archie said after a beat. “C’mon, Jake, I’ll show you your room and then we’ll grab Frankie’s stuff. Bathroom’s right through there.” He pointed somewhere to my right. “Everything you need should be stocked, and we’ll set your bags just inside.”
When Jake didn’t move right away, Archie hooked his arm and tugged him back.
“We’ll see you in a few?” Archie continued as Jake took one reluctant step after another backward and away from me.
“Yep,” I said, not moving to follow them because now my feet were really starting to hurt. The carpet was thick on the floor, and probably very plush and nice, but the cold had done a number on me. Once they were clear of the door, Archie pulled it closed and I let out a long breath.
Once alone, I hobbled into the bathroom, wincing with every step. Oh, cold shouldn’t hurt when you warmed up. Though as soon as I was in the bathroom, I just stared. There was a huge picture window looking out onto the snowy landscape. It was gorgeous. An oversized tub that reminded me of the one in Archie’s room occupied one corner, while a shower stall big enough for three or four people occupied the other. There were three showerheads.
Everything about the bathroom cried out luxury. One hand braced against the doorframe, I glanced back into the bedroom. The massive bed was the centerpiece, but the room also had a fireplace of its own, fat, cushy chairs, a television and all the amenities, and another gorgeous picture window where I could see the snow coming down.
The tears burned in my eyes again. It was really fantastic. I groaned. At the sound of the door opening, I hurried inside and closed the bathroom door. A minute later, I figured out how to get the water on, and it wasn’t long before steam began to fill the bathroom.
I stripped out of the jacket and clothes. The trembling grew more pronounced because I was actually shivering. I clamped my teeth together rather than let them chatter. Bracelet and necklace set aside, I slipped under the hot water and groaned. It was almost too hot and not hot enough. I just let it beat on me for a few minutes.
The last thing I wanted to do was fight with Jake or spoil our first hour here by getting mad. At the same time… I huffed out a breath. The bossy thing was sexy to a point, but I wasn’t a child, nor did I require manhandling, and maybe it was time they remembered that.
Maybe what I needed to do was remind them. Decided, I helped myself to the shampoo and the conditioner. It was the pricy stuff and smelled fantastic. Coconut and vanilla—wow. The soap was equally divine and a bit on the spicier side. It reminded me of the crisp air, and I had to wonder if I’d end up smelling the alpine lodge.
The thought was enough to make me giggle. By the time I finished and shut the water off, I’d warmed everything up and the tension bunching my muscles eased. Guilt had also begun to nibble at me. I toweled off my hair and debated using the dryer or just letting it air dry. My intention had been to run back out into the snow, but maybe we should all talk first.
“Here for two weeks, Frankie,” I reminded myself. “Now is not the time to piss on everyone’s fun.”
I cracked open the bathroom door after I hung up the towel to find my suitcases waiting, as promised. The bedroom was also empty. It wasn’t until I’d dragged one of the suitcases over and set it on the bed that Archie’s earlier words registered.
He was showing Jake to his room.
The guys had their own rooms.
I had this giant room and giant bed all to me?
My stomach bottomed out. I mean, it made sense, we were all staying in this huge house. We didn’t need to be crammed into one room. Having our space was important, and I’d just gotten irritated with Jake for invading my space and being all bossy.
Even if he was sexy and growly when he got all overprotective.
Ugh.
It took me a minute to locate panties and a fresh bra, but once I