Jeff checked his watch. Only a couple of minutes had passed, but it seemed like an eternity. Mentally, he tried to calculate how long it would take her to cover the distance to the woodshed and back, with a load of wood in her arms. He glanced at his watch again. Had he payed out too much rope when shed left? He tested the yellow nylon. No tension. Wouldnt it be getting tighter as she walked? Worried, he glanced at the sweep hand of his watch, staring at it as it crawled around the gold circle.
A crashing tree branch snapped Haley back to reality. She fought the loose snow over her head and quickly got her face exposed, dragging in a much needed breath that burned all the way to her lungs. Without pausing, she dug through the drift and scrambled her way out. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, and she couldnt feel her hands. She knew she had to get moving, but she was terrified of falling through another drift.
Praying with every step, she finally reached the corner of the house. The rope tugged sharply against her waist.
Jeff.
With renewed energy, she half-ran, half-stumbled, with her arms outstretched, in the direction of the shed and ran right into it.
Though the small structure was built a foot above ground level, snow had begun to bury it. Haley dug at the mound of snow. Panting with exertion, she managed to uncover the doorway. The exertion sapped her energy even more, but finally she managed to raise the heavy leather flap covering the doorway.
Somehow she managed to load her arms with a half dozen of the split logs. Exhausted and colder than shed ever been in her life, she left the meager shelter and lurched back into the swirling snow and ice.
Suddenly, she realized if anyone saw her stumbling across the snow, theyd probably think she was drunk. Haley giggled. She imagined she looked like a stiff-jointed, drunken robot. The more she thought about it, the funnier she found the image. She laughed so hard, she fell and almost dropped her precious load of wood. Laughing and giggling hysterically, she tried to rise without letting the wood go. Thanks to well-developed leg muscles she managed the task and stood there laughing like a maniac.
Finally, she reached the porch. Jeff opened the door and reached for her. "Get in before youre frozen."
"No," she gasped. "One ... arm load of wood ... isnt enough. Another... ten minutes."
With Jeff still protesting, she dropped the wood next to the door. His face looked grim. She was too tired to argue. She stumbled off the porch.
"Five minutes," Jeff yelled.
Haley moved as quick as she could since she had a path carved out now, but she was exhausted. The laughter had drained her. One more armload of wood. That would hold them. Until tomorrow. Surely the storm would blow itself out by then.
Retracing her steps to the wood shed, she managed to get there without falling this time. She managed to load her arms with the same amount of wood and started back.
Her feet seemed to weigh more with each plodding step. Her arms felt as wooden as the logs she carried. She was so cold. So tired. If she could just rest a moment. Just stand still and lean against the house. Just for a minute. Then shed be able to finish carrying the wood to the porch.
What she really needed was to lay down for a minute or two. The huge snow drifts made her think of down-filled white comforters. Wouldn’t it be nice to curl up under one of them? Tiredly, Haley leaned against the side of the cabin and closed her eyes. There was a tightness around her waist that was painful, but she couldnt figure out what it was. Maybe if she just rested. She leaned against the log wall of the house. Her thoughts drifted off into nothingness.
Bemused, she stared at the graying gloom of the day and thought it was like being inside a television that wasn’t receiving a signal. So that’s why they called it snow on the TV screen, she thought. It was nearly hypnotic, she thought, watching the gray. She closed her eyes to rest them a moment.
Get up, Haley Gant!
Haley blinked. Something dark loomed over her. Her lips felt too frozen to form the question in her head. Then something, some force pulled her upright. Her sluggish brain sent the word to her lips. They formed the name but no sound came forth.
"Jeff."
She tried to ask a question, but the wind tore the words from her lips. For a moment, she seemed to hear her father’s voice, shouting, commanding. Just like he’d done that summer at camp when she’d been in the swimming race and had nearly given up because a cramp had hit her.
"No excuses, Haley," Franklin Gant had yelled at her. "Just do it!"
Filled with that memory and encouraged by the man next to her, Haley managed to put one foot before the other and was half dragged, half carried onto the porch.
"Let go of the wood," Jeff shouted.
Haley stared dumbly at him.
"Haley! Drop the wood."
She stared. Finally her brain transferred the message to her arms. She opened them and the wood fell by the door.
It seemed like an eternity later when Jeff shoved her through the cabin door. She fell onto the hardwood floor. Jeff sank down next to her. She felt encased in ice. When she tried to speak, to thank him, her teeth chattered so badly, the words made no sense yet Jeff seemed to understand.
"Youre welcome," he muttered as he fumbled with the knots in the rope, freeing each of them from the yellow nylon loops.
Haley was too tired to help him. Some expert she’d turned out to be. Once out of the blizzard and into shelter, she realized with horror that shed been a hairs breadth away from hypothermia. How long had she been out there, motionless, with her brain starting to shut down? Thank God Jeff hadnt waited to reel her in like a frozen trout.
Haley shuddered. Then the shakes set in. She felt frozen to her very core.
"You all right?" Jeff asked, tugging her to a sitting position, rubbing her arms and legs.
"J--just f--feeling incred–credibly f--foolish," she managed to gasp. "So c--cold. You?"
"Just peachy," he said as he pulled his gloves off and shucked his wingtip shoes. He rubbed his feet which looked fairly bloodless at the moment but which rapidly pinkened. Then he shoved her hood back, whipped off the goggles, the cap, and the ski mask.
Haley took a deep shuddering breath. She shook so hard with the chills that it was agonizing.
"Got to get you warm," Jeff muttered, removing her gloves and her coat before she could blink. An untidy mound of dripping, discarded clothing formed next to them as he divested himself of his coat. "Let’s move over to the fire," he said, pulling her upright.
Compared to the outside, the cabin with its sixteen inch log walls seemed as warm as if it had central heating. Haley allowed herself to be pushed and prodded toward the source of heat. The few steps to the mattress in front of the hearth seemed like a 10K run, she thought, collapsing on it.
Jeff removed her outer clothing, leaving her in the unflattering thermal underwear then he stripped down to a tee shirt and briefs. He tented the blankets over them both as they faced the fire. Then he began rubbing her arms again, then her legs, infusing her with his own warmth. Still she shook like a leaf in the storm.
He lay down and pulled her close, wrapping the blankets carefully around them. He shared his body heat with her, and Haley didn’t even squeak a protest. After several minutes, her body relaxed a bit. The quaking subsided to shivering and after a while that faded.
Haley felt at home in his arms. She could tell by his body’s reaction that he didn’t feel nearly as relaxed as she. Drowsiness crept over her. Exhausted, she could hardly keep her eyes open. "You’re pretty good at shucking clothes and getting a girl in bed," she whispered.
Jeff chuckled. "I owe it all to Jennifer Como and the backseat of my dad’s Chevy."
Surprised, Haley laughed. "You’re terrible." Then suddenly, her laughter changed to a sob as the enormity of what had almost happened hit her.
"Shhh. Ive got you." Jeff held her even tighter. "Go ahead and cry. Its all right." He craned his head to see her better. Tears ran down her reddened cheeks. Her nose was red and running. Yet, to him, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
The surge of adrenalin had ebbed, but he still felt the shock of fear that had filled him when he’d tugged on the rope and got no response. He hadn’t hesitated before plunging into the storm. When he’d seen Haley sitting next to the cabin, with her arms full of wood, he’d thought she’d frozen. She seemed as motionless as a marble statue. His heart had turned over with fear.
"Oh, Haley," he whispered, his hands restless on her back as he sought to reassure himself that she was safe. "I thought I’d lost you," he whispered fiercely. Just holding her wasn’t enough to vanquish the fear he’d felt. He blazed a kiss across her lips.
Haley gasped. His unexpected passion ignited some primeval emotion inside herself. He seemed to know exactly what she needed to chase away the stark fear that had held her in thrall.
Clumsily, she cupped his face with both her hands and kissed him back. "Please," she whispered, moving against him.
It was as if they were one in thought and emotion. Jeff rained kisses onto her face. Haley felt the most delicious warmth curl through her, filling her senses with an excitement that left no room for cold and fear.
Guided by emotions she’d scarcely felt before, she welcomed his passion and responded whole-heartedly to it. Glad to be alive. Glad to be in his arms. Glad for this one night with him.
"Ah, Haley," Jeff breathed against her lips. "What am I going to do with you?"
***
Silence awoke Haley sometime before dawn. The storm had died. The wind had abated. No icy pellets bombarded the windows. She listened to Jeff’s breathing and smiled. He slept on undisturbed. Shed never forget her night with Jeff. They’d talked until well after midnight. He’d told her how his dedication to work had ruined one relationship after another. She’d told him of how she’d dedicated her life to her research but that she had always longed for more than that.
He’d told her about his parents and about his life growing up with three brothers and a sister. She’d told him, haltingly, of her lonely childhood spent with a father left bitter by his wife’s betrayal.
On and on they’d talked, sharing intimacies. Theyd shared everything except sex. Shed been willing. More than willing, but Jeff was the one who called a halt. Finally, shed fallen asleep in his arms.
Why hadnt they made love? She lay on her side with Jeff spooned to her back and savored his warmth, his closeness and wished it could always be this way. Was it possible to fall in love in a few days time?
Lying curled next to Jeff, she felt a contentment she’d never found anywhere. Not in her work. Not in her other relationships. Jeff’s arms were her refuge. She felt at home. A lump filled her throat painfully. If only she knew how Jeff felt about her. With no storm to imprison them, would he demand her findings about her research and then leave? She felt insecurity sink its claws into her.
A shaft of silvery moonlight peeked through the front windows. Moonlight on snow was a sight worth losing a little sleep. She started to wake Jeff so he could see the simple, elegant beauty that drew her back here time after time. She lay her hand on his cheek, intending to wake him. Just that simple touch made her shiver.
When he turned his face into her palm and kissed her hand, she forgot all about the natural beauty she’d wanted to show him. As he pulled her back into his arms, she prayed that there was something real between them. Something special. She only hoped they had enough time together for him to feel it too.
When she awoke again, bright sunlight streamed through the windows.
"Well, good morning, sleepyhead."
Haley moaned and pulled the covers over her head.
"Uh uh. We’ll have none of that lollygagging in bed."
Then the covers were ripped away.
"Jeff!" Briefly, they engaged in a tug of war for the blanket, but he won.
"All right, all right. I’m up." Haley yawned and stretched.
"And about time too, Dr. Gant. We need to go over your project analysis. Time’s awasting and life’s awaiting."
Haley’s heart turned over at his business-like tone. All her fears intensified. It took forever for her to dress because her hands shook. When she appeared from behind the curtained alcove, Jeff sat at the table with two cups of steaming coffee waiting.
Feeling awkward and uncertain, Haley took her seat at the table and waited.
"Now, before we get started, I want to tell you why I arrived here early," Jeff began.
Haley frowned and cocked her head to the side. "Listen. Do you hear that?"
Jeff frowned. "I don’t hear anything."
"Someones coming." Regret washed over Kaley. She’d lost her opportunity to be alone with Jeff.
"Hey! I do hear something." Jeff jumped up and rushed to the door.
Haley followed in time to see a Snow Cat chug into the clearing and ease up to park near the end of the porch. "It’s the park ranger, but I don’t know the other guy."
"That’s Etienne Roget."
Haley could tell by his tone of voice that Roget was not one of Jeffs friends. "Whos Etienne Roget?"
"I guess you could call him an industrial spy. I’d heard he was after you and your project. Looks like I was right."
Realization dawned on Haley. "I see. So that’s why you’re here early. Afraid I’d tell him about the project I’m working on?"
Jeff flushed. "Not exactly. You hadn’t filed any reports, and I didn’t know if I could trust you. I mean I didnt know you. Then. But I did know how Roget works. You wouldn’t have been the first woman who revealed her secrets to that French Don Juan." He shrugged. "I felt it was in the best interests of the company that I check on you."
"You mean check up on me!" Anger burned through Haleys uncertainties. What a fool she’d been! She felt mortified by every kiss they’d exchanged. He’d been playing her until he got that final report on her project. He wanted to ensure her research went to his company instead of being sold under the table to a higher bidder. Not only did he think she had no scruples about her work, he obviously thought she had none where her personal life was concerned either. Why hadnt he made love to her? Bitterly, she decided he hadnt wanted to go to that trouble when a few kisses and pillow talk would take care of her.
"I’d say you know a little about romancing women too."
Jeff turned and leveled an indignant look at her. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
"I think you know very well what it means. You’ve been cozying up to me since you arrived. Kissing me! Complimenting me! Acting as if I had enchanted you."
"I want you. I’ve made no secret of that."
"Ha! You don’t want anything except to protect the interests of EnviroMed. How dare you think I’d sell out when I’ve been hired by your company. At least I have scruples."
Jeffs brows snapped together in a scowl. "And I don’t? Is that what you’re saying?"
"Hey, if the shoe fits!" Haley’s voice rose. "And how dare you try to romance me to protect your lousy company’s interests."
"That’s a rotten thing to say!" Jeff grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close.
"Let go of me." Haley jerked from his arms. After thirty years of leading a sane, orderly life, she’d fallen head over heels in love with a rotten, manipulative Romeo. Oh, had she been ripe for the picking!
"You can take your silly gloves and your New York overcoat and your dress-for-success wingtip shoes and go back to the city where you belong."
"You honestly believe that nonsense youre babbling? You dont believe me?"
"Why should I? Give me one good reason?"
Jeff stared at her, tempted to give her the reason she asked for. But if she believed he’d shared his soul with her just to keep her loyal to his company, then she’d never believe he’d fallen in love with her.
Loud barking split the tension between them. Haley and Jeff turned as one to gape at their unwelcome foreign visitor who wrestled with an ungainly black bundle.
"What the–?" Jeff broke off.
Haley saw the Frenchman struggling to lift a huge black Labrador retriever from the cab of the Snow Cat. He sat the dog down, and the animal made a beeline for Haley. She didnt know whether to laugh or cry as she stared at the clumsy puppy bounding through the snow,
Somehow, she knew that her big surprise birthday present from Courtney had finally arrived.
