Mail-Order Brides For Christmas - Frankie Love Page 0,38

to be ready for him. I walk to toward the bathroom and start filling the large jet tub so I can shave my legs. Closing up my lease and packing in under a week left little time for me to do much else before I left for Montana.

Chapter Seven

Mason

After taking my aggression out with the ax, I go back inside and carry Mia’s remaining bags upstairs. Setting them in the corner, I hear her taking a bath. I stand outside the door for just a second, but it’s enough for me to imagine the water trickling down her body, and I discover my time with the ax has been wasted. Already I can feel my body reacting to her even though I can’t see her or touch her. I’d give anything to be able to walk into where she is and take her into my arms. It’s like a magnetic force drawing me in. The urge is so strong I have to literally force myself to be strong and walk away.

Since I’m sweaty from chopping wood, I go to take a shower in the other bathroom in the hall. Instead of hot, I turn the knob to its coldest setting and stand under the spray, leaning back and letting the cold blast of water hit me right in the face. I don’t know if I want it to be a wake-up call or for it to bring me back to my senses, but I know I need some kind of jolt. With my head held back and eyes closed, I try not to think of anything. Especially my wife that is on the other side of the wall, sitting naked in her bath, running a sponge up and down her curvy body. My eyes pop open at the image, and a groan escapes me. There’s no use. Already, in one afternoon, I’m obsessed. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. We got married to save Snow Valley. I had hoped for contentment or at the very least friendship. I wasn’t expecting or even ready for this attraction that has taken hold of me as if it’s squeezing the breath out of me. I am one hundred percent attracted to my wife. But remembering how she tensed in my arms earlier is a reminder that maybe she’s not as attracted to me as I am to her.

After cleaning up, I wrap the towel around my waist. I figure she’ll already be finished since she began bathing before me, but she’s still in the tub. I pull on my flannel pajama bottoms I brought. To make her more comfortable, I build a fire in the fireplace and turn off the lights so she won’t have to look at the scar on my face. Then I sit at the desk, turn the lamp on low, and listen to her singing to herself. I pick up my paper pad and pencil, thinking I’ll draw and design a new tattoo for the shop. I’m trying to stay business-minded, after all.

I don’t know how much time goes by, but as soon as Mia stops singing, it seems I come out of a trance. I got lost in the drawing as I drew Mia’s face and hair without thinking about it. Disgusted with myself, I stare at the very similar replica of her and realize that I’ve already memorized every detail of her face. I turn off the lamp, tossing the pen and paper on the desk and lean back in the chair in the dark corner.

Mia

I open the bathroom door with the towel wrapped around my body. How jet-lagged am I that I forgot to bring something to change into? I’m lucky there were shampoo and soap samples for me to use. The cabin is dark except for the fire burning in the fireplace. I stand perfectly still, listening to the sounds of the house, wondering if Mason is inside or not. Besides the normal house sounds, I can’t hear him. I look out the window, and the spot where he was chopping wood before now only has an ax buried into the stump. I stare at it, and for just a second I wonder if maybe he left. I can’t see where he parked his truck from here, but I know that even if he did leave, he’ll be back. I’m not sure exactly how I know it, but I do.

I walk over to my suitcase and let the towel that’s wrapped around my body