Not So Bad After All (BWWM)(EDITING)

Chapter Ten: Storm- Part Two

Not So Bad After All
Book One
Chapter Ten
Storm- Part Two
Jayden's POV
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"I can probably cross the tree myself from up here," she said as we stepped into my bedroom.

"No, stupid. Nobody's climbing out of any windows," I shot back. "It's storming outside—are you trying to die? You're staying here. Sit." I pointed to my computer chair.

She huffed but obeyed, plopping down with a dramatic sigh. "I'd rather go out the window," she muttered, pulling her soaking-wet sweater tighter around her shivering body.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm taking a shower. Be back in a few. Try to stay put—I don't want you dripping water all over the damn place."

"S-Sure," she stammered, failing to suppress a shiver.

I lingered for a moment, watching as she stared out the window, completely lost in the storm outside. For some reason, I felt like a dick. I wanted to leave her ass outside and not deal with her at all. I wanted to get out of these freezing clothes and was off this nasty feeling.

But something about the way she was curled up in that chair, trembling and soaked to the bone, made me pause. She'd been out there way longer than I had, and she's smaller than me. She has to be freezing.

I sighed, annoyed at myself, then turned on my heel and headed to the hallway. Grabbing a towel and washcloth from the linen closet, I walked back into the room and held them out to her.

She blinked up at me, her brown eyes filled with confusion. "What's this?"

I scoffed. "A spaceship. What do you think? Take a hot shower before you get hypothermia."

"But my clothes—"

I cut her off with an exasperated sigh. "Do you ever stop talking? I'll take care of it. Just go."

She hesitated for a moment, probably debating whether to argue, but ultimately got up and headed toward the bathroom.

Once she disappeared into my on-suit bathroom, I left the room, giving her some privacy. I made my way back down to the laundry room, peeling off my soaked clothes and shoving them into the washing machine. I'd deal with them later. Right now, all I cared about was getting warm.

Grabbing a fresh towel, I wrapped it around my waist, the soft fabric a welcome relief against my freezing skin. As I stood there, rubbing some warmth back into my arms, my mind drifted back to the girl up stairs in my bathroom.

Probably naked and wondering why I was being so nice to her...

Why the fuck am I being nice to her?

I don't really want to... Not really... But I feel morally responsible for her, but entirely against my will!

I sat on a stool at the kitchen island, unlocking my phone with a sigh. Scrolling through my contacts, I found my mom's number and tapped the call icon. It rang three long times before she finally picked up.

"Jayden?" she answered.

"Hey, Mom. Where are you guys?"

"We're in Oregon. Didn't you get our message this morning? We left a note on the refrigerator."

I rubbed my forehead, my headache from earlier making an unwelcome return. "Oregon? What are you doing there?"

"You know your father—always some business emergency that requires his immediate attention. He's constantly on a mission." Her tone was just as annoyed as mine.