Navy's Sons: Bullied by Quadruplet Stepbrothers novel Chapter 27

24. Getting Warm

Tabitha’s POV

I peel my wet shirt off slowly, trying not to winee at how it clings to my skin. The fabric is heavy with rain. It’s chilly and sticky against my back that I’m positive I’ll be catching a cold first thing in the morning. I have to tug hard to get it over my head, and by the time it’s off, my hair is plastered to my neck and shoulders. My white bra is also on full display. I throw a conscious look at Luca whose eyes never left me since he handed me his jacket.

“Turn around,” I say sharply.

Luca doesn’t budge. His head tips slightly, like he heard me but isn’t sure I deserve to be listened to. His eyes stay right where they are-on me.

“What?” he says, feigning innocence. “I thought you enjoyed having an audience.”

My cheeks flare with heat. I throw the wet shirt at him without thinking. It hits his chest and slides down to the floor with a heavy slap. He doesn’t even flinch.

“Asshole.”

Zaminka

minka oa ha finally turns his back. Like I didn’t just half-strip in front of him. Like he’s seen this all before and it means nothing.

I unclasp my bra, grimacing at how cold the air feels against my skin. My hands move fast now, too annoyed to care about modesty. I grab his jacket from the floor and slide into it. It’s warm on the inside and also decently padded. The forest green fabric is enough to cover me fully even without anything underneath. But it’s not enough to keep me from shivering.

My pants are still drenched and probably my underwear too! Water seeps down to places I really don’t want to think about, and the chill bites deep. Still, I keep my mouth shut. I’m not about to admit weakness in front of him.

“Okay, I’m decent. You can turn back around,” I mutter.

He pivots around and his eyes land on the jacket, then on me.

“You’re shaking,” he noted, folding his arms across his chest. “I forgot how weak humans can be.”

I roll my eyes as my lips tremble from the cold. “Okay, Mr. Werewolf. You’re not the one who dove headfirst into the rain five minutes ago.”

He looks past me, toward the half-broken door. The storm is still going strong. Rain pounds the roof in harsh rhythm, and thunder rolls faint in the distance.

“It doesn’t look like this rain is going to stop any time soon,” he says.

“Great,” I mutter, hugging the jacket tighter around me. “We’re stuck here.”

Luca watches me as I rub my palms together and blow my warm breath on them. This narrow shed is doing nothing to block the wind outside. The only good thing is, at least it keeps the rain off us. Well, not that I have anything else left to soak.

“Damn, it’s painful to watch you,” Luca comments. He looks bored as he stares at my pitiful methods to stay warm.

“Then, don’t watch,” I hiss. I pull the helm of the jacket and extend it down to cover my legs.

“I’m just saying, if you’re cold, I can help.” He says. A glint of playfulness flickers in his eyes. “That jacket doesn’t seem to do the trick. But if you want, I can give you something warmer.”

There’s something about his voice that makes my skin tingle, almost as if he’s challenging me without laying a finger. His tone is the kind that sneaks under your skin and lingers there like heat. I look up sharply, but he’s not leering. He just watches me with that same calm, unreadable expression, like he’s waiting to see how far I’ll squirm.

“I’m fine,” I say, though my voice comes out thinner than I want.

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