The Woods: A Dark Fairy Tale Retelling of Red Riding Hood (A Cursed Woods Novel) by Em McDermott

Author:Em McDermott [McDermott, Em]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Embolden Books
Published: 2022-09-13T16:00:00+00:00

23

TIMBER AND I returned in silence to the guarded cottage. We pulled aside the canvas and stepped inside. His fire was still alive. In the corner, the promise of a warm, soft bed beckoned. Would I have my old bed back soon?

Timber retrieved his blanket from the corner and placed it on the floor in the center of the room. He sat on the blanket and kicked off his shoes. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching him. It was well into the night now and I knew he would transform in his sleep.

Silently, I removed my shoes.

“Goodnight.” He lay down.

The new knowledge that I might soon leave him made me feel brazen and reckless, like I had nothing to lose.

“Why don’t you sleep here?”

A single yellow eye questioned me.

“Oh don’t act like it’s a big deal. We slept close every day of our travels, even when I—” I faltered to a stop.

“Even when you were afraid of me.”

I swallowed. “Yeah, so why not now? It’s silly for you to sleep on the floor when there’s this awesome bed.”

“I’ll let you enjoy it then.” He placed his head in the crook of his arm.

“Timber, I want—”

The questioning yellow eye again. He waited with a patience I utterly lacked.

“I—”

The river water dripping from my clothes and skin. The thrill of feeling brave, of achievement. The conviction that I could do anything, anything at all in the whole of the woods, and here I was afraid to tell him that I wanted him to come and sleep beside me.

“Just come and sleep up here, dammit.” It burst out of me with no grace and I frowned at the sound of the angry words.

Timber eyebrows were high enough to leave his face. Wordless, he rose from the floor and picked up his blanket.

Almost surprised it worked, I hurriedly shifted my body tight to the wall to make space for him. With deliberate motions, Timber laid the blanket down the length of the bed. He tucked the edges behind me, his hands brushing my thighs and arms. I smiled at the gentle touch and the feeling of safety as Timber climbed in beside me.

The only sound was the crackle of dry wood as the fire ate it up. Neither of us was brave enough to remove our clothes. But the bed was small; there was no choice but to turn into each other. My legs found his and we entwined. The pillow was a cloud of feather down.

“Mm.” I cuddled myself closer to him and I felt his arm snake under me and take me into his chest.

“Thanks,” I said, for lack of anything else to say.

Timber made a strange strangled noise in his throat.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he said gruffly.

“What was that noise?” I wondered if I was taking up too much space, or had an elbow somewhere I shouldn’t.

“Nothing, Red. Just–”

I waited. He was so warm. The hardness of his muscles was so attractive, and I shifted a little to press tighter against him.

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