Chosen

Chapter 10

I could feel him staring at me but could barely make out the outline of his face. I felt like he was debating something.

Right when I was going to ask what was wrong he said with no emotion...

"Take off your clothes."

"Excuse me?!" I shrieked. "Take off my clothes?" I held my jacket tighter around me in defense, but it actually made me colder instead of warmer.

Was he actually trying to kill me?

Or something else...

Panic filled me instantly and I pressed myself closer to the wall.

"You'll freeze if you keep them on," he said, matter of fact.

It was so dark I couldn't tell what he was doing, but I could hear what sounded like him... undressing?

"What are you doing?!" my voice shot up an octave.

If I had any heat in me it would have rushed to my face.

Finneas didn't respond. I heard him stand up and move towards the far corner. There was some rustling around and the sound of a chest being opened and closed. He returned and I could barely see his face in front of me, pale against the dull light along with his bare chest.

His chest?!

He was only wearing pants. Or at least I prayed to God he was. I averted my eyes.

"Take your clothes off," he said again, monotone.

"No!" I shouted.

He huffed.

"Rowan, I'm not making a move on you here. Your clothes are soaked and cold. If you stay like you are you will get sick or maybe worse. We could be stuck here for hours. Look, I have a blanket here," he held it up and I felt the stiff piece of fabric he pushed into my hands. "But it's worthless if we get it wet. Now take off your clothes so we don't both freeze to death."

I opened my mouth and snapped it shut- twice.

We? As in we both use the blanket? As in... Oh my God, I can't do this. I've never even kissed a man. Now I have to snuggle nude with one? One that I hate at that? Life is so cruel.

My teeth chattered loudly. Another gust of wind howled around the tower sneaking between the cracks in the door. I put my head on my knees and whined softly.

"Rowan," Finneas said again with authority this time.

"Fine!" I snapped. "But I'm not taking off my underclothes! And you better not either! I'd rather freeze than that!"

He barked a laugh, "Fine."

"Don't look," I mumbled and started unbuttoning my jacket with my numb fingers.

"It's pitch dark in here," he sighed.

"Still!" I yelled.

"Fine," he sighed again and I heard him shift.

I peeled off my clothes with a lot of difficulty, they were heavy and wet and my hands weren't working well they were shaking so bad.

When I sat shivering, even more severely, in only my undershirt and panties I took a deep breath.

"Okay, I'm done," in a very small voice.

Without a word, Finneas moved so quickly that I couldn't say anything. He scooped me up and put me in front of him with my back on his chest. He wrapped his arms and legs around me, encasing me with his body, and wrapped the blanket tightly around us both.