"It’s fine. Looking good at ho is enough," Suzy said with a laugh.
At the very least, she enjoyed the view.
"Oh, right. Uncle, there are still a few outfits over here. Do you want to try those too?"
She pointed toward several sets of clothing she had already put together.
"Absolutely."
Leonard was clearly enjoying himself. Without hesitation, he gathered up another armful of clothes and headed back to his room.
Soon, Suzy was alone in the living room again.
Although the windows had been shut tightly, she could still feel the temperature inside steadily dropping.
Her safe house was designed with insulation features that kept it warm in winter and cool in sumr. If she could feel the cold even here, the conditions outside had to be far worse.
Bending down, she retrieved the safe house remote from a drawer and spent a mont figuring out the controls before switching on the heating system.
Warm air gradually began circulating through the room.
At the sa ti, approaching footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Suzy looked up... Then froze.
Thomas had erged from his room. His head was lowered slightly, and there was a rare hint of awkwardness about him.
He was wearing the clothes she had picked out.
The black thermal turtleneck fit closely against his broad chest and powerful shoulders, outlining every contour of his upper body.
The sleek fabric emphasized the hard muscle beneath, tracing the strength of his physique without rcy.
He wore matching cargo pants below, loose enough for movent but fitted at the waist with a black woven belt that accentuated his lean, powerful fra.
Standing beneath the overhead lights, Thomas looked almost unreal.
The illumination cast sharp shadows across his features.
His brow ridge was pronounced. His eyes were deep-set. His nose ford a clean, striking line down the center of his face. His lips remained pressed together in their usual reserved expression.
He was devastatingly handso.
"Does it look strange?"
Thomas finally raised his eyes to et hers.
Beneath his calm exterior, there was a trace of nervousness.
He was accustod to loose clothing.
Sothing this fitted felt unfamiliar. Restrictive. As though the fabric wrapped too closely around him.
Even breathing felt different.
anwhile, Suzy had completely forgotten how to blink.
Her gaze traveled shalessly from his shoulders to his waist.
From his waist to his long legs.
Then back up to his sharp, imposing face.
Her throat suddenly felt dry.
Thomas’s physique was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
"Doesn’t it look good?"
When she still failed to answer, a faint crease appeared between his brows.
He glanced down at himself before looking back at her.
Raising an arm, he rolled his shoulder experintally.
The black fabric stretched and relaxed with the movent, revealing the clear definition of the muscle beneath.
"Is it that bad?"
"You’re insanely handso."
Suzy finally found her voice.
The complint escaped before she could stop it.
She stood up imdiately and circled him like a fashion critic examining a masterpiece.
Thomas remained perfectly still, allowing her to inspect him from every angle.
Only the gradual reddening of his ears betrayed him.
His gaze lowered.
His lashes concealed whatever emotions flickered in his eyes.
Yet the corner of his mouth curved upward ever so slightly.
"Do you like it?" he asked quietly.
Without missing a beat, Suzy placed her hand against his chest.
She pressed lightly against the muscle beneath the fabric before nodding enthusiastically.
"Of course I do. It suits you perfectly."
And beyond that, the outfit was practical.
Dark colors. Easy to move in. Difficult to stain. Perfect for surviving the apocalypse.
Suzy grabbed a thick winter jacket and handed it to him.
"Try this one too."
Thomas slipped it on without complaint.
"Well?"
Once again, Suzy raised a thumbs-up.
"You look like a professional model."
A laugh escaped him.
"That’s a little exaggerated."
"No, seriously."
Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him.
"Your physique is better than most models."
Suzy couldn’t help feeling pleased with herself.
Life had finally started treating her well.
Unexpectedly, Thomas hooked a finger around her hand and leaned closer.
His breath brushed her ear.
"Then later, would you like to..."
Before he could finish, another voice interrupted.
"Suzy, what do you think of this outfit?"
Leonard appeared at exactly the wrong mont.
Thomas’s unfinished sentence vanished into the air.
He imdiately straightened and turned toward Leonard as though nothing had happened.
anwhile, Suzy rubbed her ear.
The spot where Thomas had spoken still felt strangely warm.
Leonard had changed again.
This outfit was sohow even more fashionable than the previous one.
It looked just as good.
Unfortunately, Suzy’s attention was no longer entirely focused on clothing.
"Looks great," she replied automatically.
Leonard continued trying on outfit after outfit.
He practically demanded a fresh round of complints every ti.
Only after receiving sufficient praise did he finally feel satisfied enough to stop.
Ti passed quietly.
Outside, the wind grew louder.
Each gust struck the building harder than the last.
Inside, however, everything remained peaceful.
Gradually, drowsiness crept over Suzy.
She glanced toward Leonard. He had already fallen asleep.
Thomas looked equally sleepy.
Unable to fight it any longer, Suzy yawned and curled up on the sofa.
Before she knew it, she had drifted off as well.
She dread.
The dream was completely white. An endless expanse of pale emptiness stretched in every direction. There was nothing else.
No sky. No ground. No landmarks. Only white.
Suzy stood alone within it, confused.
Where was she?
As she slowly turned, searching for answers, she noticed a blurry silhouette in the distance.
Soone was approaching.
Step by step, the figure grew closer.
"Suzy! Thomas! Wake up!"
A gentle shake jolted her.
The white world shattered.
Suzy opened her eyes and found Leonard staring at her.
"What happened?" Her voice was thick with sleep.
Leonard pointed urgently toward the window.
"It’s snowing!"
His excitent bordered on alarm.
"There’s snow outside!"
Suzy froze.
Then she sat upright so suddenly that the blanket slipped from her shoulders.
Leonard had already thrown open the curtains.
Following his gaze, she looked outside.
Everything was white.
Massive snowflakes filled the sky.
Heavy snowfall blanketed the world beyond the glass.
The storm was so dense it seed to swallow the city whole.
Suzy jumped off the sofa and hurried to the window barefoot.
She cracked it open slightly.
A blast of icy wind imdiately rushed inside, carrying tiny snowflakes with it.
The cold bit into her cheeks.
She extended her hand and caught several flakes.
They lted almost instantly against her skin.
After a mont, she withdrew her hand, shut the window, and returned to the living room.
The first thing she did was increase the temperature on the heater.
"The deep freeze really did arrive early."
Leonard stared outside thoughtfully.
"You actually called it."
Suzy’s thoughts, however, had already drifted elsewhere.
Derek.
The sudden temperature drop had caught everyone off guard.
How was he handling it?
She had foolishly convinced herself there would still be ti before the true cold arrived.
Clearly, she had been wrong.
Less than a single night had passed, and now it was snowing.
Then another thought struck her.
Liam. And Noah.
Did they have enough winter supplies?
"Uncle, I’m heading out."
Suzy turned and hurried toward her room.
Once the deep freeze began, temperatures would only continue falling.
There was no ti to waste.
"I’ll get ready too."
By the ti Suzy changed into heavy winter clothing and erged from her room, Leonard and Thomas were already prepared.
"Eat sothing first," Leonard suggested.
The three of them quickly had a simple al to fill their stomachs before setting out.
When they reached the thirteenth floor, Suzy’s pace slowed considerably.
She was debating whether she should stop and check on Liam.
Before she could make up her mind, the apartnt door suddenly opened.
Liam stood there, looking surprised.
His gaze swept across the three of them.
"You’re going out?" he asked.
User Comments
0 comments from readers