Deserted - Auctioned

Darius laughed. “Elise has taken care of the place.”

Whatever.

Gray climbed up the two steps that led to a sizable porch that stretched along the length of the façade, and he wasn’t at all surprised to see a rocking chair near the door. The only things missing were a shotgun and some animal hides.

“Lemme just dig out my keys…” Darius trailed off.

Gray glanced up at the roof that expanded out over the porch and tried to picture what it would look like after a heavy snowfall. Whoever had built this porch had done it with proper shelter in mind. They were almost completely protected from the wind.

Wind that brought the forest to life. Trees squeaked tiredly, branches whipped, and the underbrush rustled.

“You didn’t build this, did you?” Gray asked.

Darius stepped forward, having found his keys, and stuck the first one into the bottom lock. There were three in total. “Parts of it,” he replied. “I’m not a plumber or an electrician, though. And I’m just one guy. I had plenty of help with the main house, but I did the other one myself—and the toolshed.”

Gray was impressed. The cabin was by no means small.

Once they were inside, Darius blocked the entryway and opened a small closet. Gray spied something that flashed to life—a screen or something. Then the door was promptly closed, and coats and boots were left behind.

“Home sweet home,” Darius sighed. “I’ll get a fire started.” He flicked on the light and set his bags down by the first step of the stairs.

Gray stayed in the doorway and basically gawked. It fucking was a homestead. Like he’d seen on TV. In old Western movies.

The downstairs consisted of a living room and adjoining kitchen. He guessed that was a bathroom under the stairs, and the steps were weirdly wide. Everything was made from dark wood. Similar to the old oak floors at Mom’s inn.

The smooth floorboards still carried the smell of being treated. Darius’s home may be new, but he took care of it.

He’d had help with the living room area, Gray thought decidedly. Because he couldn’t picture Darius hanging photos on the wall above the couch—or hanging curtains, for that matter.

Aforementioned couch was buried under layers and layers of blankets in different colors and patterns.

He’d most definitely picked out the chair, though. It was a typical dude chair in aged leather. It reclined, naturally, and had a footrest.

Gray shivered and zipped up his hoodie. It wasn’t warm in here, that was for sure, but he couldn’t say it wasn’t cozy.

Darius squatted down by the fireplace conveniently positioned along the wall between the living room and kitchen. From there, the heat would spread throughout the cabin’s first floor, and it hit Gray that he saw no radiators—wait. There was one. A portable radiator stood underneath the window.

“A single radiator,” Gray noted.

Darius threw a log on the fire and eyed the radiator. “Only when I’m gone. It keeps the place dry.”

Ah. Made sense.

“There.” Darius wiped his hands on his thighs and stood up. “We should eat something.” He trailed into the kitchen and opened the fridge. The fridge and freezer were the only appliances that looked modern. Stainless steel. The rest… Gas stove, obviously. An impressive knife rack sat on an otherwise empty—and huge—counter. Wooden tools stood in crocks on the small kitchen island instead.

Um, there was no microwave.

Gray bet the counter was empty because it was where Darius baked bread. At least, it fit the fantasy.

“Elise picked up essentials for us.”

Gray joined him in the kitchen and peered into the fridge. Milk, butter, heavy cream, a big cut of some meat, a case of beer, cheese, and… “What’s that?” He pointed at a white box and rested his chin on Darius’s shoulder.

Darius took out the box and opened it.

“Hot damn.” Gray stared at the nine chocolate treats and remembered that Elise owned a shop where she sold those. Truffles and whatnot. “Can we just eat chocolate? There isn’t a whole lot we can do with the rest, aside from slipping into a dairy coma.”

Darius’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. “Ye of little faith. I’ll show you.” He set back the box of goodies and closed the fridge, then headed out of the kitchen. “My brothers give me shit for this.”

Gray quirked a brow, curious.

They passed the stairs, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Why are the stairs so wide? Three grown men could probably fit side by side.”

Darius shrugged slightly. “The best spot for the bathroom is right here, and I didn’t wanna feel like I was stuck in an airplane toilet.” He opened a door, and Gray did a double take. Goddamn, the bathroom belonged in a hotel room. A nice one. It had a big shower under the tilted ceiling, with a bench farthest in where one could sit but not stand. Tiny spotlights in the ceiling caused each dark-blue tile to give off a glare. “It cost me an arm and a leg, but it was worth every penny. You gotta be comfortable when you read the paper in the morning.”