Page 16 of Snow Bound

“Come on, you lump. Get up.” He gave the dog a solid nudge and didn’t get so much as an eye flicker in response. “Hey. I’m not kidding. You want to eat?”

Henry’s eyes stayed closed, but his massive whip of a tail began to thump. “Yeah, I thought that might do it. I’m not feeding you if I can’t get up.”

Grant didn’t know if it was the threat of going hungry or the next hard shove that did it, but Henry hauled his bulk up and climbed off the bed. He stretched and shook himself, making the metal tags on his collar jingle musically, then he trotted to the door and sat, tail wagging, while Grant shoved his way clear of the pile of blankets.

The floor was like ice under his stocking feet, he would have climbed right back into bed if his bladder hadn’t been so insistent. He hurried through the necessities while the bathroom tile threatened his toes with frostbite, then added a flannel shirt on top of the thermal undershirt he’d slept in. He thought about swapping out his sweatpants for his jeans, but it was too damn cold and he needed coffee, so he opened the door and headed down the attic stairs, Henry leading the way.

It was considerably warmer on the second floor, warmer still when he made his way to the first. There was a fire crackling in the big stone hearth, and the scent of bacon in the air.

Henry beat him to the kitchen and made a beeline for the woman standing at the sink.

Grant couldn’t blame him.

She was dressed in black leggings and a sweater the color of blueberries that came to mid-thigh. Socks in the same bright color covered her feet, and she’d scooped her hair on top of her head in a messy pile, and in the morning light he could see the bright colors layered through that he’d missed last night. With the orange red and blue all tumbled together, she looked almost like a lit match.

When Henry planted himself at her feet and looked at her expectantly, she jerked back. “Oh, shit. Um, nice doggie?”

Henry responded by holding up a paw to shake.

“Right.” She cleared her throat and moving slowly, took the proffered paw. “Okay. Good morning.”

Henry gave a soft woof, and a smile bloomed over Anna’s face.

“You’re not so scary,” she murmured. “Though Jesus, how do you look bigger?”

Henry didn’t answer, just trotted over to the back door then looked over his shoulder expectantly.

“You want out?” Anna crossed to the door, then hesitated. “I don’t know if you’re allowed to go by yourself. You might run away.”

Henry just gave her a look as if to say give me a break, lady and lifted a paw to bat at the door.

“All right,” Anna said and opened the door. “But stay close.”

Henry bounded out the door, kicking up snow, and Anna was laughing when she shut the door behind him.

The laughter cut off abruptly when she turned and saw Grant standing by the island. “Jesus. Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” He pulled a coffee cup out of the cupboard, careful to keep his distance. He jerked his head at the coffee pot. “May I?”

“Sure. Help yourself.”

“Thanks.” Pouring himself a cup of the fragrant brew, Grant leaned back against the counter. He’d already decided on the direct approach, and seeing no reason to put it off, jumped right in. “Do I owe you an apology?”

She crossed to the stove where bacon sizzled in a skillet. “For?”

He sipped his coffee, his eyes on her profile as she poked at the bacon with a fork. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, from the heat of the stove or embarrassment he couldn’t tell, and she was watching the bacon like it was about to explode.

“Any of it. Scaring you. Fucking you.” He hid his smile in his cup when her hand jerked, sending the fork scraping against cast iron. “Take your pick.”

Her cheeks were pinker, adding weight to the embarrassment column, but when she looked at him her eyes were clear and direct. “I’ll take the apology for scaring me.”

“Then you have it,” he said simply, and waited a beat. “And the rest?”

She turned back to the stove. “Unnecessary.”

“I didn’t give you much choice,” he said, voicing the concern that had been nagging at him since she’d fled the kitchen the night before.

“I didn’t say no,” she pointed out and began to fork up bacon.

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