She returned with two towels and he used one to dry off. Then shook out his hair.
“You going to watch me take off my shorts, too?” He cocked his head.
“I… um… No, I’m going to make some tea. I keep a small camp stove burner here and I want some tea.” She turned and dug into a lower cabinet and took out the small stove, filled a tea kettle with water, and turned on the burner. When she finished, she turned back to Jay.
He had pulled on the t-shirt, covering his chest. Too bad. He’d also wrapped a towel firmly around his waist. She swallowed and looked away.
He walked up to her and laughed, wrapping his arms around her. “You like what you see?”
She grinned. “I sure do.” She leaned against him, so glad to have his arms around her. Now the storm seemed not quite as scary. There was a time there, out in the storm, fighting the wind… well, she hadn’t been sure she’d make it to safety, much less find Barney. Now, here she was, in Jay’s arms.
Something hit the side of the house and she jumped. Jay pulled her closer. “It’s going to be okay, Robs. I’m here. We’re going to be fine.”
She only hoped he was right.
Chapter 16
Zoe busied herself helping out at the center. Handing out blankets, bringing people cups of coffee, all the while holding Sunny tucked in one arm and occasionally searching the crowd to reassure herself that Mason was still here and hadn’t run off on another dangerous escapade with Jay. Though, she was worried about Jay and Robin out in the storm. She hadn’t seen them return.
Mason walked up to her, his arm full of blankets. “These are the last of them.”
“I think there might be more in the old storage room. It’s way in the back of the building. Let’s go check.”
The lights flickered, then came back on. “Oh, good. But maybe we should take a flashlight, just in case.” They crossed over to a table of supplies and grabbed a flashlight. Mason followed her down a long hallway to the back of the building. The chatter of the crowd faded as they moved farther away.
She let out a long sigh. “Ah, the quiet is nice.”
“It is.”
The lights flickered again and she held her breath. But this time they didn’t come on. She felt Mason take her hand and he flipped on the flashlight.
“I figured the electricity would go out eventually. Noah will start the generator now. But it will only run a few things. Some lights in the main room and the fridge. Let’s get those blankets and get back there.”
She led the way to the storage room and they opened the door. Mason swung the light in an arc around the room, aiming it at one side then the other.
“There.” He pointed to the corner.
She juggled Sunny in one arm as they made their way over and dug through the stack of supplies. “I guess I should have given Sunny to someone else to watch. But I kind of like having her with me.”
She twirled around at the sound of the door creaking closed behind them. “Oh, that startled me.”
Mason held up the light to see the door then back to her. “So, since we’re here all alone, mind if I sneak in a kiss?”
She didn’t miss the playful look on his face. “You could probably do that.”
Mason pulled her into his arms, leaned down, and kissed her gently. “Been wanting to do that for hours, but too many prying eyes around us.”
She leaned against him, feeling his heartbeat. She could stay like this forever. But not really. They needed to get the blankets back to the main room. She sighed as she pulled away from him.
He snatched her back for one more quick kiss before they gathered up armfuls of blankets and headed back to the door. Mason juggled his armload while he wrestled with opening the door.
He set the lantern on a table by the door, dropped the blankets, and grappled with the door handle again. He slowly turned to her. “It doesn’t seem to be working.”
She dropped her armful of blankets and handed Sunny to him. She turned the handle, leaned against the door, and turned it again, then pulled the door toward her and tried. Nothing.
“I… I think we’re locked in here.” She ignored the feeling of claustrophobia that crept through her just knowing they were locked in the small room.
Mason grabbed his phone. “Ah, no signal.”
She took hers out. “Same. No signal.”
“We could pound on the door and yell.” Mason shrugged. “But no one is in this part of the building, and I doubt that anyone could hear it over the rain pouring on the roof. I never knew a metal roof could be so loud in a storm.”
“I love the sound of a gentle rain on a metal roof, but when it really storms, it is loud.”
“I guess we’re stuck here for a bit.”
“Someone will come looking for us eventually, right?” She looked at Mason for encouragement.
“They will. When your uncle doesn’t see you for a while, he’ll come looking.”
“But we didn’t tell anyone where we were headed.” She chewed her bottom lip.
“I’m sure he won’t let any corner of this building go unchecked.” He raised the lantern, looking around the small room. “How about I pile up some blankets and we’ll sit against the wall? Silly to just stand here.”
She nodded as he handed Sunny back to her. He piled a generous stack of blankets up and motioned for her to come over. He sank down on the blankets and reached a hand up for her. She sat beside him and he circled an arm around her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. I’m sure Noah will come searching soon.”
She leaned against him. “He will…”
She set Sunny on a stack of blankets beside her and the kitten pawed the blankets, then curled up
