Page 41 of Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

“I think we can leave those here. If we need more, then we can strip blankets from the beds in the cabins,” Sawyer said.

With their bags full of supplies, they headed back outside. Gwen looked back at the cabin before they started walking. It looked like a fun place to hang out during the summer or fall but not necessarily in the dead of winter.

The wind picked up again, swirling the snow around them, making it hard to see. She felt the exhaustion hanging over her like a heavy blanket. Her muscles ached and she wanted to find a warm spot, collapse, and sleep. The trip had been worth it, but everything – her father’s attitude, the stress of two avalanches, and the fear of running out of supplies until they could be rescued – weighed heavily on her.

She hoped that the supplies they had would be enough to last them until help came. She had heard Sawyer and Lucas talking about the possibility of hunting for food.

At least we would have that.

When they got back, Millie gratefully inventoried what they brought back.

“Thank you, guys. This will help a lot.”

“Do you need any help?” Gwen asked.

“No. You’ve done enough today. Go relax.”

Sawyer headed to the library and Gwen followed him in there. They were the only ones in the room. Sawyer started the fire, picked up the book he had been reading, and sat on the overstuffed couch. She grabbed her book and sat down next to him, their thighs touching.

Gwen sighed. “It seems like we’re the only ones in the world. We’re completely cut off from all other humans.”

Sawyer nodded. “Yeah, it does seem that way. It feels very peaceful and sometimes, it’s easy to forget, at least for a few minutes, our dire circumstances.”

“Yeah. It’s almost like we’re trapped in a snow globe. It seems strange to be up here in the absolute silence and stillness. I’m used to all the noise and chaos of the city.”

“I know what you mean. Hopefully, no one shakes the globe up again anytime soon,” Sawyer laughed.

They fell into a comfortable silence. Gwen started reading and shifted slightly so that she was leaning against Sawyer. He put his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. A warmth coursed through her body at his touch.

Before she knew it, the exhaustion took over. Her eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep.

“Gwen, wake up,” Sawyer said. “It’s time for supper.”

Her eyes slowly opened and she looked around. The fire had died down quite a bit and there was a slight nip in the air. She was nestled against him and she didn’t want to move.

Reluctantly, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you like that.”

“It’s okay. You looked very peaceful.”

“It felt good to be in your arms,” she confessed.

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ears and smiled at her. “It felt good to hold you.”

They sat there for a couple of seconds and then he stood, holding his hand out to her. “Millie cooked the rest of the pork chops. I’m starving.”

Gwen laughed as her stomach rumbled. “I guess I am, too.”

She put her hand in his and let him pull her up.

Jerome looked at them both when they walked into the dining room. He pressed his lips together and shook his head. For once, he didn’t have anything caustic to say.

Maybe it’s a good sign.

She, Brent, and Samantha sat with Lucas and Sawyer during dinner. Sawyer was telling Brent about igloos.

“The Inuit people made hard bricks out of the snow and stacked them together to form a rounded structure. The snow helped insulate them against the cold. Then, they would build fires inside the igloos for warmth and cooking. A lot of time, the people would line the interior walls with animal skins, which would also help the igloo stay warm. The heat made the snow melt just a little and the water would trickle down over the bricks. Then, it would freeze again making ice, which only made the structure sturdier.”

“What about in the summer?”

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