My Mate Was Buried at Christmas, So His Three Brothers Claimed Me novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: The Notebook

I did not let Hugo finish the page.

I took the notebook out of his hand, set it on the table, and led him into the cabin by his cold fingers.

Alexis was asleep in the big bed with the quilt over his head.

Remy had taken the auger down to the shore.

We had the stove and the tub and the whole short afternoon to ourselves.

I filled the tub from the kettles, one after another, until the water steamed.

Hugo stood against the wall and watched me with his glasses fogged and his hands shoved into his pockets.

"You don't have to do anything," he said. "I should say that."

He pushed a hand through his hair.

"You've had two of them already, and I'm the last, and you could skip me."

"Take your clothes off, Hugo."

He swallowed.

He took off his coat, his flannel and his undershirt.

He was the leanest of the three, a vet's body, long in the arms.

He had a dusting of dark hair on his chest.

A pale scar ran along his forearm where a horse had once caught him.

He unbuttoned his jeans and stopped.

"I'm not as experienced as they are," he said, to the floor.

"I know," I said.

"I've only been with two people," he said. "It was a long time ago. I wasn't good."

"Hugo."

He looked up.

"Get in the water," I said. "Bring your notebook."

He did, with his glasses still on.

He lowered himself into the tub with a hiss at the heat.

I stripped and climbed in facing him, my knees on either side of his hips.

The water slopped over the edge and ran across the floorboards.

He put his hands on my waist, very carefully.

"Read to me," I said.

"Now?"

"Now. Read me what you wrote."

He reached for the notebook where I had laid it on the rim of the tub, and his hands shook so that the pages rattled.

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