by Sable Hunter
Nathan pressed his lips together. “It was…” He didn’t even know where to start.
“Did I look like myself?”
“Exactly.”
“But you’ve seen pictures of me before?” She had no idea if Storm and Mad shared family photos with the McCoys or not.
“Uh. No. I dreamed of you and this place with no prior knowledge at all.”
Clare was stunned for a moment, but then she considered the things she’d known about Nathan from the very beginning. And how connected she felt to him. “I believe you.”
“Do you?” Nathan tried to read her expression.
“Yes. I do.” She wanted to pour out her heart to him. To tell him everything – what she knew and what she suspected. But she couldn’t. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
“Well, I…” Nathan didn’t want to leave, but he didn’t want to wear out his welcome either. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
He smiled and winked. “Yea, I can see that.”
She blushed anew.
“I need to get home to see Lobo, but I’ll come back tomorrow…” As he stood, his face brightened. “Oh, I forgot. I have something for you.”
“What?” She remembered what Storm said about Nathan coming bearing gifts. “You didn’t need to buy me anything.”
“I didn’t. I found it.” He held out a large stone. “I’m not sure what it is, but when I saw it in the streambed. I thought of you.”
Clare took the stone, her eyes growing wide. “Oh, this is gorgeous. It’s an aquamarine, worn smooth by the water over eons of time.”
“Can you use it?”
“Oh, of course I can.” She held it to her breast, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. “I love it. Thank you!” Impulsively, she stepped close to kiss his cheek. The moment her lips brushed his skin, it hit Clare what she was doing, and she froze with a soft gasp.
Nathan froze too – just for a second, then he did the only reasonable thing a man could do in these circumstances.
He turned his head just enough, so his lips met hers.
The moment he felt her soft mouth under his Nathan trembled as a shock of electric pleasure sizzled through his veins. He held so still, just marveling at the miracle of kissing her again for the first time. So familiar, yet so brand new. With a touch as soft as a whisper, he let his lips caress hers – giving her time to end it if she chose. When she didn’t move, he groaned and deepened the kiss, sinking into the sweetest heaven he’d ever known.
Clare couldn’t stop herself. This was the moment she’d been dreaming about for years. Being in his arms felt like coming home. His kiss thrilled her, surprised her, bringing to life her most cherished fantasy. Slowly, she slid her arms around his neck, pressing her body close to his. She moaned as his hands soothed down her back, pulling her even closer. For long moments they kissed, their breaths mingling, their hearts beating as one.
At last, Clare pulled away a fraction, bowing her head to rest against his chest. She held onto his arms, winded, letting him support her weight.
“Oh, Romy,” Nathan whispered, kissing the side of her face and the top of her head. “You are so beautiful. So sweet. Just like I knew you’d be.”
Even as the afterglow of the kiss warmed her, Clare felt a sinking confusion. Knowing something he could never know filled her with guilt. “We probably shouldn’t have done that.”
“No.” Nathan caressed her hair, gently keeping her right where she belonged. “That kiss was meant to be, and we should do it again and again.”
Clare shifted in his arms until he reluctantly released her. “I think we should…think about this.”
“Put those second thoughts out of your head, beautiful. Don’t even entertain them.”
“Nathan, I don’t know.”
Seeing she needed some space, he kissed her forehead softly. “All right. I’ll go. But I’ll be back tomorrow.” He held her, hesitating. “I hate to leave you here by yourself.”
“Stop. I’m fine. This is my home. I’m perfectly comfortable and safe here.”
He didn’t argue with her. Like she told him in her dream, this was her sanctuary. “You need a satellite phone for emergencies. I keep one with me, especially in this wilderness area.”
“I have one,” she confessed. “Mad bought it when I first came up here. I just refuse to turn it on unless I need it.”
Nathan let out a sigh of relief. “Good. You need to carry it with you.” He looked around to find her desk. “Let me write my number down for you and you can call me if you need anything. Anything.”
Watching him move to her desk to find pen and paper, she realized her notebook was lying right there out in the open. “Wait!” Rushing over, she scrambled to find a pad and a pencil. “Here.” She pushed the items toward him as she pressed one hand to the top of the notebook.
“Uh, okay.”
Clare realized her actions were only drawing attention to the fact she was hiding something. “Sorry.” She tried to act nonchalant as she turned and sat down on the notebook. That was one way to hide it.
Once he jotted down the number, Nathan passed the paper to her. “Now, call me. Anytime. Even if you just want to talk.” At her questioning glance, he reemphasized his point. “I mean it, Romy.”
His use of her name made her melt inside. “All right. If I have an emergency, I’ll call.”
“Okay. Good.” He stood there a moment, then realized it was time to go. “I put Buck in the barn with your horse. I hope that was okay.”
“Yes, perfectly fine.”
“I’ll feed your mare when I go out there. How about that?”
“Both Luna and I would appreciate that.”
“Okay.” He held her gaze as he backed toward the door. “Lock the doors.”
“I will.”
He pointed to the fire. “Let me put another log on for you.”
“Nathan, I’m used to living alone.”
“Well, that doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Clare giggled, placing her hands on his chest to keep him moving. “Go.”
“I’m going.” Nathan placed his hands over hers, anchoring them there. “Can I have another kiss?”
“Not today.”
“Okay. Tomorrow is soon enough, I guess.”
His smile was so contagious, she couldn’t contain one of her own. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I’d rather be irresistible.”
“Oh, my word.” She giggled again. “What am I going to do with you?”
Nathan sobered. “Kiss me. Hold me. Keep me.”
Clare’s smile faded. “Goodnight,” she whispered softly.
“Goodnight, beautiful.” With a tip of his Stetson, Nathan bid her adieu.
Before dawn, the storm moved in with full force. Clare awakened to see the ground blanketed with snow and big flakes falling thick and white. “I’d better check on Luna while I can.”
Fetching her heavy coat from the closet, she slipped it on then pulled on a pair of boots. As she went out the door, she grabbed her gloves and a scarf to wrap around her neck and face. After taking a couple of steps, she almost fell as her feet sank deeper than she expected. “Oh, wow.” Holding out her arms, she worked to maintain her balance as she trudged along. Squinting her eyes, she headed in the direction of the barn. The snow was falling so hard, she couldn’t even see the bench where she usually rested. “You can make it. Keep going,” she encouraged herself.
Bending forward into the wind, Clare pushed herself until she came to the barn door. Throwing it open, she was met with warmth. Thank goodness Storm had installed safety heaters when the structure was built. She just wished all of her other furry friends felt at ease enough to come and rest within the shelter of these walls. “Hungry, Luna?”
A soft whinny let Clare knew she’d been heard. Gathering some grain, she took it to the trough. “Oh, you still have some!” Then she remembered Nathan had fed her last night.
Despite the uncertainty she felt about the situation, she couldn’t help but smile. “Well, here’s some more. Just in case I can’t get out here later.” While she was there, Clare also topped off the water and checked the heaters to make sure they were set correctly. “Better be glad you’re not in the open today, it’s snowing up a storm.”
After giving the Palomino a kiss on her nose, Clare set out to return to her house.
Easier said than done.
The snow was falling thicker and faster now. In fact, after a few short steps away from the barn, she couldn’t even see it anymore. She couldn’t see her house either. “White out.” A ripple of fear crept through her body. “Keep going. You can do this.” After setting off in what she hoped was the right direction, Clare hugged herself and put one foot ahead of the other.
…Urging Buck forward, Nathan was determined to reach Romy’s cabin. He prayed he was staying on the right path. He could barely see his hand in front of his face. Every once in a while, he could make out the treetops overhead and the rock formations below. Nathan was more than glad he’d noted a few landmarks on his last trip up the mountain.
After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the clearing. Turning to his left, he made his way toward the barn. Hopefully. When he reached it, he felt relieved. “Let’s get you inside, Buck. You can flirt with Miss Luna while I flirt with Romy. How does that sound?”
In no time, he had Buck all fixed up. “Now, you’re all warm and cozy.” When he stopped to give Luna a serving, Nathan noticed the full trough. “Well, hell. She’s been out here this morning. Why didn’t she wait?” She’d known he was coming, but not what time. Dang it.
After putting away the buckets and shutting up the feed bins, Nathan hurried out. He hated the thought of Romy pushing herself through the snow. Making his way across the yard was no easy task. Every second it seemed the visibility conditions became more treacherous. It took him two approaches before he found the garden gate. “Thank God.” Pushing through, he hurried up the path and knocked on the door.
When there was no immediate answer, he knocked again. “Romy!” He turned the knob and found it open. Going inside, his eyes darted all around. “Romy!” Dashing from front to back, he was horrified to discover she was nowhere to be seen. Retracing his steps, he looked again – but there was no place for her to be that he couldn’t readily see. “God, no.”
Running to the door, he threw it open and rushed outside. “Romy! Romy!” A chill that had nothing to do with the cold hit him like a blast of Arctic air.
She’d lost her way between the barn and the house.
Terrified, he set out to find her.
Being from Central Texas, he had little experience with weather conditions such as this. What little he knew, he’d been told or saw it in a movie or a television program. He remembered Joseph speaking of this, he and his Wilderness S&R team had performed rescue missions under these circumstances. The outcome wasn’t always good. A person could become lost and freeze to death in no time.
“Romy! Romy!” Nathan stopped to listen but heard nothing over the whistling wind.
Seeking calm, he considered his options and decided to search in a grid formation. What he needed was a lifeline back to the cabin. Returning inside, he searched until he found some kitchen twine. This was a mighty poor rope, but all he needed was a guide to let him know the right direction to take once he found her. Tying one end to the inside knob, he pulled the door shut and slipped the ball of twine is his jacket pocket. “Now to find you, beautiful.”
Going along with his plan, he began to walk. Nathan considered what she might do, how she might have gotten off track. No one knew this place better than Clare, but when you were walking in a white landscape where you can’t even see the horizon... “Romy! Romy!”
With every step, he sent up a prayer. “I’m not losing you now, not when I’ve just found you. Oh, hell no.” Nathan pushed on and pushed on, making sure with every step that he didn’t miss her just inches away from him. “Romy! Answer me!” As he searched, he cursed himself for not taking her home with him the night before. He cursed Storm and Mad for not making her go home with them earlier. “Romy! Please!”
Determined and desperate, Nathan forged on. He refused to give up. Not sure of how much time had passed, he called until his voice was hoarse – and then his foot hit something. “Oh, God.” Bending, he gathered her in his arms. “Romy? Sweetheart?” Pressing his lips to her cold face, he almost cried with relief when he felt her soft breath on his cheek.
“Nathan?”
“Yea. I’ve got you baby. Just hold on. Just hold on.” Cradling her to his chest, he followed the string back to the front door. She’d been so close. It horrified him how easily he could’ve lost her. Of course, he needed to get her warm. That was imperative.
After letting himself into the house, he placed her on the couch, chafing her hands between his to make sure they weren’t frostbitten. “Thank God, you had on gloves. Let me get the fire going, then we’ll get you out of those wet clothes.” His hands shook as he laid in the logs and lit them, coaxing a roaring blaze.
“All right. Now, let’s see about you, precious.” Going to her, he knelt at her side. She was so cold. So pale. Her lashes lay like dark halfmoons on her cheeks. “Sorry, baby. But I don’t have a choice.” Picking her up, he carried her to the bed. With trembling fingers, he began to undo her clothes. When she raised her hand to stop him, he picked it up and kissed the palm. “Just trust me. I’ll take care of you.”
Keeping his eyes on hers he removed her clothing, stopping only to find a towel to dry her off. “Now, let’s get a blanket over you.”
“I’m so cold. So cold.”
“I know.” He looked around for an electric blanket, but there was none. Instead, he piled several other blankets on top of her. Still, she trembled so hard her teeth were chattering. “Ah, hell. You can kill me later.” Without hesitation, he tore at his clothes, stripping down to his underwear. “Skin to skin, I’ll warm you up.”
Easing between the covers he gathered his Romy into his arms, nestling her fully against him. She was as cold as ice.
“Nathan…”
“It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’m just getting you warm. I won’t hurt you, baby. I won’t ever hurt you.” Her response to his whispered promise was to cuddle closer, pressing her face into his chest, and slipping her arm over his waist. The relief he felt at having her near was overwhelming. “It’s going to be okay.”
Clare fought through a fog of drowsiness to awaken. She’d been so cold, freezing. Now, she was enveloped in warmth, comforted. Rubbing her cheek against the surface, she realized her resting place was a hard male chest. Her eyes popped open as her mind clamored to make sense of her present situation. She remembered it snowing, she remembered going to the barn… “Oh, no,” she muttered as a realization of what transpired dawned on her.
Her murmurs and movement brought Nathan to full alertness. “You’re awake.” He kissed her on the top of the head twice. “Thank God. How do you feel? Are you okay?”
“I’m embarrassed.” Clare wiggled against him. “I’m naked!” she squealed as she tried to push from his arms.
He didn’t force her, but he kept his arms in place in a gentle hold. “It’s okay. I didn’t look. I had to get you warm.”
Clare groaned. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry?” Nathan peppered her face with kisses. “Do you know how scared I was? I thought I’d lost you.”
“I messed up.”
“No, I did. I shouldn’t have left you. I knew this storm was coming.”
“I wouldn’t have let you stay.”
He chuckled. “I almost slept in the barn last night, I should’ve listened to my instincts.”
“I’m glad you’re here now.” She rubbed her face on his chest, pressing herself more fully in his embrace. As she did this, Clare became aware that a certain part of Nathan’s anatomy was growing.
Nathan shut
his eyes tightly, also fully aware of his body’s response. There wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. “I apologize. I can’t help it. Holding you like this is just too good.”
“It’s okay. Just hold me tight.”
“Gladly.” He wrapped her more securely in his arm, willing his overzealous cock to behave. “Are you feeling okay? Fingers and toes in good working order?”
Clare wiggled all of her appendages and laughed. “Seems to be.”
Nathan shook his head and shivered as he considered what could’ve happened. “What if I hadn’t come along?”
“But you did.” She let out a long breath against his skin. “You’re my hero.”
Nathan smiled, loving the way that sounded. “A position I’ll gladly fill.”
They lay that way for a while longer, content to just be together – and warm. After some time, Clare needed to get up. “I need to move. I’ve got to go to the bathroom.”
“All right.” He rolled over and sat up, reaching for his jeans. “Just tell me where your clothes are, and I’ll hand them to you.”
“I have a robe hanging on a hook in the closet, which will do for now.”
“Okay.” He fetched it for her. “Here you go.” Nathan averted his eyes while she slipped from the bed and pulled on the robe. “Are you sure you’re all right? No lasting repercussions?”
“No, I’m good. I’d say you came just in time.”
“Providence,” he said and meant it. “Fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to snatch you away from me as soon as I found you.”
She looked at him closely, trying to understand what was happening between them. When no immediate answer came, she closed her eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
While she was away, Clare freshened up, assessing her body’s reaction to the blizzard conditions. She wasn’t sure how long she was out in the snow, but she was sure she wouldn’t have survived if Nathan hadn’t saved her. Dressing quickly, she considered her situation. Last night, she’d spent several hours hashing and rehashing how she felt, what she wanted – and what would be fair to Nathan. If she wasn’t badly mistaken, he wanted her. His reaction to her closeness in bed a few minutes ago confirmed this. Of course, any man would react like that in those circumstances. He even said he couldn’t help it. Either way, she was seriously reconsidering her stance on intimacy. Yes, it was a risk. No, she couldn’t make any promises. What she could do was gift herself with the chance to really live – at least once.