Cabin Mates

But the way they look at me definitely helps my vivid imagination. Heath does a slow up and down, then tells me to lead the way to the hot tub. Wyatt’s gaze is less controlled, pinging back and forth from my face to where my boobs are hiding under the towel and then back again.

When I scoot in front of them to open the back door, I imagine he’s looking at my butt too.

My imagination is very brave.

I, on the other hand, stand next to the hot tub, refusing to take the towel off my body. I’m getting in a hot tub with two strange men.

Heath picks up on my hesitancy right away. “Do you want us to get in first?” He grabs Wyatt’s shoulder and turns him around. “Or you can.”

I drop my towel and scamper into the water, lowering myself into the bubbling tub until everything is submerged from the neck down. “I’m in.”

Wyatt snaps back around, eager like a golden retriever puppy, and gives me a happy grin as he climbs in. Heath is more careful, taking his time, his gaze never leaving my face. What is he thinking?

“I just want to make sure you’re comfortable with us.”

My eyes go wide.

He smiles. “You have a very expressive face, little miss.”

“There’s that nickname again,” I whisper.

Wyatt frowns. “Does it bother you?”

I’m surprised, but no, it doesn’t. “I just don’t understand it.”

His expression slides from concerned to…chagrined?

“Wyatt,” I say, affecting my best “stern teacher” voice, which isn’t that bossy, but I’m trying. “What does it mean?”

“Emily.” Heath says my name, like a command or a caution.

I twist in the water, giving him my full attention. “Yes?”

“It’s a term of endearment. We will stop using it if you don’t like it, but we don’t know one another well enough to fully explain it with the right context. Can you trust us to share the story in time?”

I nod, surprised again. And even more shocking to me is how warm I feel inside when Heath smiles, genuinely pleased at my answer.

“Good,” he murmurs, and I feel that deep inside me.

What else can I do to get that kind of satisfied purr from this man?

It makes me feel bold. I hold his gaze for a long beat, until I sense that Wyatt needs my attention too. When I turn to the younger man, he’s watching me as intently as I was looking at Heath.

“What?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“So, what should we talk about, then, if not your curious nickname for me and not the reason you are staring at me?” I don’t need to look back at Heath to know he wants to caution me again. “And before your boss says Emily again, I’m genuinely not sure how to entertain two strange men in a hot tub. This is a first for me.”

Heath laughs out loud at that. “Well, that’s fair, isn’t it, Wyatt? She’s never done this before.”

Wyatt grins boyishly. “How do you entertain one strange man in a hot tub?”

“I wouldn’t know, haven’t done that either.” I lift my chin. “I’m just a little miss, after all.”

Something wild flashes in Wyatt’s gaze.

Heath glances between us. “That’s interesting.”