The End of Us (Love in Isolation 3)

I reach forward and turn it, and when the room brightens up, I realize how dark it’s gotten outside in just a short amount of time.

Once the counter is full of flashlights, extra batteries, and a lantern, he meets my eyes.

“Now we need to fill the tubs.”

“Huh? Why?” I ask, following him.

“In case the power goes out, and we need to use the bathroom. The water well is powered by electricity. The water pressure won’t be strong enough to flush if it's off. It’ll only be a trickle otherwise.”

My mouth falls open. “You’re joking, right?”

“Do I look like a comedian?”

All I can do is laugh because a tropical storm coming while I’m here is just my luck.

“Let me show you how you’ll do it.” He grabs a small bucket from the bottom of the pantry, then we go to the bathroom.

“So, you’ll take the top off the back of the toilet.” He lifts it and sets it to the side.

“That looks heavy.”

He smiles. “Then you fill the bucket with water and pour it in here.”

“And that works?”

Tristan chuckles. “Yep. Tropical storm flushing at its finest.”

We make our way downstairs, and Tristan fills an empty milk jug with water, then places it in the freezer.

“What sorcery is this?”

“The frozen gallons will help keep items cold for longer if we lose power. Oh, and if that happens, we’ll need to keep the fridge door closed so our food doesn’t spoil.”

I tuck my hair behind my ear. “We should’ve gotten a generator.”

“That works fine until you run out of gas and can’t drive to a station to get more. And eventually that will happen, trust me. I’ve lived through it.”

I let out a deep breath and watch the dark clouds and angry waves roll in. “I’m anxious.”

Tristan moves close, wrapping his arms around me. I squeeze him tight, breathing in his manly scent. “If it gets too bad, your dad said he’d send a private jet to get us, but it’s predicted to pass quickly.”

I push away. “He did?”

“Yeah. Making sure you’re okay is my number-one priority, Piper. If I thought it would be a dangerous situation, we would’ve already been on the road headed toward the airport. I won’t let anything happen to you, ever. Do you trust me?”

A smile slides across my lips. “Absolutely.”

“Okay then.”

We sit on the couch, and he unmutes the TV.

“If I had to choose anyone to be with during this, it’d be you.”

He chuckles. “That makes me happy, considering weeks ago, I’d probably have been your last choice.”

I chew on my lip. “You would’ve followed me anyway. So it’s not like I would’ve had the option to choose.”

“You’re damn right about that.” He leans over and places his strong palm on my cheek and kisses me. My tongue twists with his, and I melt into him, wanting and needing more. His stomach growls and so does mine. Eventually, we break away, both breathless and greedy for one another, but I also know we need to eat.

Tristan puts a pizza in the oven, and we devour the whole thing when it’s done. Not too long afterward, the rain taps against the house. I guess I didn’t realize how many damn windows there were until now. The palm trees bend and buck, and I hope the ocean doesn’t rise any farther.

Lightning strikes nearby, and I nearly jump out of my skin. Tristan reaches over and firmly places his hand on my thigh.

Instead of continuing to watch the news, I grab the remote and turn off the TV. I close my eyes and count to ten. Sure, we’ve had storms in New York, but it’s nothing like this.

“Hey,” Tristan says, reaching for me when he notices I’m a ball of nerves. “Come here.”

I go to him, and he holds me close. “You okay?”

“Not really,” I admit, hating that I sound like a scared little girl.

“I know how I can take your mind off things.” He waggles his brows.

“And how?” I smirk, eager to hear what he has to say.

All he does is arch his brow, and I read between the lines.

Standing up, I slide down my shorts and throw off my shirt, revealing my see-through black lingerie set I packed just in case.

“Damn,” he hisses, studying my curves.

I give him a sexy striptease, humming T-Pain’s “I’m N Luv” song. Tristan’s eyes never leave my body.

“I think when I get home, I’m gonna get one of those stripper poles installed in my room. That way, I can give you a proper show.”

He smirks. “I’d love to watch you practice.”

Laughter escapes me as I pull my hair from my ponytail. It falls around my face, and Tristan swallows hard.

“You’re so beautiful, Piper. I’m so damn lucky.”

“No, I am,” I counter, then spin around, touch my toes, and wiggle my ass in his face. He reaches forward and smacks it. The pain mixes with pleasure, and I’m ready for a repeat of yesterday.