Stranded with the Billionaire

I R E N A

That night Irena  went to bed hungry. When she woke up in the morning, she had a stomach ache. She blinked at the lack of sleep she’d had the night before. Rounds 4-7-8  did nothing for her. Not when the sky is never really dark.

Now she knows why so few people live here. It’s too cold. Too bright. And overflowing with a particularly illegible billionaire  curled up beside her.

Even though their conversation  ended abruptly last night, he still insisted that they sleep together to keep warm. He had been busy building a domed shelter while she dressed. Then he told her that they should get some sleep. Discuss in more depth. More mixed emotions. It’s business as usual.

She sighed, turning away from Sage . The leaves above her swayed in the gentle breeze. They are bright yellow and contrast with the blue sky. She fought back a cry as a cold, wet feeling ran down her cheek. Flapping aside, she saw Titan ‘s large nose just inches from her face.

“Titan !” she hissed, pulling herself away from the dog, but not too far to land on Sage .

Titan  took this as a challenge and moved closer to her. She backed away and panic filled her chest as she lunged at Sage . He moved and wrapped his arms around her waist. She froze. Damned. What should she  do now?

“Miss. Derrick, your voice is suffocating in your ears.

It makes you shiver. She swallows. She hated how just two words left her speechless. She was focused  and steady. “What, Mr. Kennedy ?”

His chest quivered with laughter. “If you want a hug, all you have to do is ask.”

Heat ran down her spine as she contemplated the worse. Titan , or lying here in Sage ‘s arms. Well, she knew what her heart was saying, but her mind took it all away. She moved closer to Titan , flinching when his nose touched her skin again.

“You’ve got to get through this,” Sage  said. His voice was hoarse from sleep.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Irena  tried to ignore how close he was to her. “It’s a deep and lifelong fear.” She turned with her back  to Titan  and only inches away from her  and Sage ‘s bodies.

He was smiling at her on his elbow. It must have been due to the hunger that made his stomach tighten.

“Titan  is the most beautiful dog you’ll ever meet. He won’t hurt a single fly.” He reaches out and ruffles Titan ‘s fur.

Irena  glanced at the animal  over her shoulder. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as he leaned against Sage ‘s hand. A surge of confidence surged within her as she moved and  placed her hand gently on Titan ‘s head. The dog whined and snuggled up against him.

“See? He likes you, Sage  said  behind her back. There was laughter in his voice.

Irena  began stroking the dog’s soft fur. Hmm. Maybe Titan  wasn’t as bad as she thought. She turned and saw Sage  staring at her.

His face turned red as he looked around. “Good night?” He asks.

Desperate to get rid of the unpleasant feeling in the air, Irena  cleared her throat. “No. You snore.”

His gaze fell on her. “I do?”

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?” Sage  is a playboy. That’s right, a girl once told him that he snores.

He zips and opens the cover. “I don’t have many women sleeping in my bed,” he said as he grabbed his shoes and put them on. The fire turned into embers.

Irena  pulled the blanket tighter around her, not knowing how to interpret what he had just said. Instead of speaking, she watched him fan the fire. After a few minutes, he came back to life. She could feel the heat of the fire hitting her face.

When she was sure she wouldn’t freeze to death in the outside world, she got out of her sleeping bag and stood up. Her legs were weak, but she forced herself to step on them. She wasn’t going to be one of those  women who desperately needed a guy like Sage  to survive. She wouldn’t knock him down. There must be a way for her to become an asset to their journey.

As she took a step toward the fire, her knees buckled and she felt like she was falling in slow motion. The ground was approaching and there was nothing she could do about it.

Before her body hit the ground, she  suddenly lost her weight. It took a moment for his mind to realize what had happened. Sage  put his arm around her again this morning. He pulled her to his chest.

“Wow,” he said looking at her.

When she saw the worry in his eyes, she groaned. He tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s not the reaction I would expect from someone who’s just been saved from facing the fire,” he said.

Not daring to look at him, she buried her face in his shoulder. Man, he smells good. The  water from the lake the night before  washed away all the expensive perfume from his clothes and revealed something mundane, natural, and 100% Sage .

Being this close to him sent a warning signal to his mind. She squirmed until he put her down. “I’m sorry,” she said, trying to hide the disappointment in her tone.

“It’s okay. It’s not intentional.

She pushed him away  and shook her head. “No. It’s me. I’m ridiculous. I promised myself I wouldn’t be a burden, and here I am, falling like a girl in trouble.

He was silent, she glared at him. Why didn’t he say anything?

“It’s okay not to be great at everything. Sometimes it’s good to let someone else help you.

She raised her hand. He needed to stop. “No. I am not that person. Let’s continue. She forced a weak smile. Anything to get them talking about something different.

She found a rock nearby  and settled there. She pulled her clothes close to her body and looked around. “So what’s the plan for today?”

“Well, I think we should pack up and hitch a ride, but now . . . .” He looked at her.

“What?”

He sighed. “Um, I think we should go get some food first.”

Irena ‘s stomach growled in response, but she shook her head. “No. Maybe it’s best for us to move on. Nice to see civilization and flush toilets.” But she just brushed it off. She wouldn’t think so now.

She’s awake. “Okay. Tell me what to do so we can get out of this god-forsaken wasteland.