An absolute void.
“One minute ten seconds.” Johnny’s reminder further increases the awkwardness of my current situation.
She sighs. “Samantha?”
“Of course. I’m so glad I ran into you.” I continue smiling even with zero recollection of her. “Can I kiss you?”
Her eyes widen, and she plants her back foot. I brace for her to slap me, which will be a fair ending to my morning. But she huffs and walks off, sparing me at the last second. At least she has permanently ingrained her name in my mind.
I drop my head back and try to massage away the tension in my forehead. My resource pool has dried up with one minute remaining.
I jerk my head back up when I get a glimpse of Red Coat. She peers at me over her shoulder. One minute offers plenty of time for a last-ditch effort, and she’s just given me an opening if I ever saw one.
My muscles are sluggish to respond, but I manage a burst of speed in their direction and come to a stop in front of them. “Ladies, I apologize for earlier. I understand the oddity of my behavior and will gladly explain—”
“Forty seconds.”
I flip off Johnny for interrupting my Hail Mary pass. “My name is Jordan. I love dogs, tolerate cats. I have a weird affinity for late eighties slash early nineties music. Is this getting me anywhere?”
“Thirty. You’re screwed, man.”
“Shit, uh…” I rub my hands together as the cold further compresses my nervous system. Shivers are more and more evident, my fingers are gaining a blue tint, the brief surge of energy wanes, and I can’t think straight.
Screwed is right.
“What happens if time runs out?”
My eyes snap to the girl. “What?”
“When his countdown ends, what happens?”
“I lose the towel and am down to a G-string.” I tack on a grin, aiming to win her over.
She shakes her head, but I can’t gauge her response beyond that. Does she find me funny? Charismatic? Deserving of sympathy? Creepy enough to call the police?
“Fifteen … fourteen…” Johnny continues counting down to my defeat as another uncontrollable shiver shudders through me.
She rolls her eyes. “I have a strict policy against weirdness before coffee, but kissing you wins out over seeing you in a thong.”
Wait, what?
“Five … four…”
She steps forward, and holy shit, she’s going to kiss me. I lean down, still in disbelief she’s going through with it until her warm lips press against mine. They burn in an incredible way, reigniting my dulled senses. Profanities rain down on us from Johnny, but his voice fades out when my body feels the heat coming from her.
So warm.
Primal survival instinct takes over.
I need her close.
One hand finds her lower back, pulling her to me. The other slides underneath her scarf, seeking the warmth of her skin. Our extreme temperature difference scorches the tips of my fingers. It makes her break the kiss, jerking back from me, and I’m colder than before, my mind slowing.
“Here.” She unravels her fluffy purple scarf and vibrant pink hat. “Keep them. I don’t want you to die of hypothermia.”
Not my usual style, but I don’t hesitate to accept. Once I wrap the scarf around my neck and pull the hat on, she fights off a smile. Even in a state of half-shutdown, I am confident in my ability to pull off such a ludicrous outfit and manage a grin. She responds with the most abrupt exit I’ve ever witnessed. The friend has to rush to catch up with her, saying Red Coat’s name, but my teeth chatter so loud that I miss it.
I consider following after them, but they’re walking in the opposite direction of my clothes—my warm clothes in a warm bathroom a few warm buildings over. The anticipation of thermostat-controlled air hitting me when I open the door moves my feet before my brain issues any instructions. I almost start running again, and the more my muscles work, the more my mind clears.