Page 114 of Loyally, Luke
He sighed. How long did snow furies last?
Well, once Ellie was fit to travel, he’d load them up in the car and drive to the Frasiers’. Likely, the weather at the bottom of the mountain proved better than the top.
“What happened t-to the lights?”
He turned to find Ellie standing in the doorway to his bedroom, looking much better in his clothes than he ever did.
“Looks like we’ve lost power for a bit.” He moved to the couch and picked up a large blanket. “Come on over and get wrapped up. I’ll bring you some soup.”
She obeyed and he tucked the blanket in around her, then brought her the soup.
She shook while she ate a few bites. “Th-that helps.” She looked up at him as he replaced the bowl with a cup of coffee. “You’re better than any servant at the castle.”
“Aww, you’re just saying that because you’re delirious.”
She chuckled and took a sip of the coffee. “And you even perfumed up my c-coffee?” Her smile quivered. “Hidden talents?”
“Desperate times.” He took the cup from her and placed it on the side table. “I couldn’t let you die from drinking my petrol after you’d survived freezing to death.”
“Your charm and valor know no bounds.”
Yeah, she just needed a little time. She’d be okay. His grin broadened as he stared down at her. Better than okay. “Don’t get any fancy ideas about me. I’m a plain and simple kind of guy.”
She shook her head and shuddered again. “Not true.” Her gaze held his. “You’re not simple, and you are certainly not plain.”
He almost breached the gap between them to kiss her again, but if that started up, it may be a long time coming to a stop. And he needed to make sure she was perfectly fine. “Stop trying to flatter me and take a few more bites of that soup.” He stepped back. “I’m going to change into warm clothes so both of us don’t end up teeth-chattering together.”
Within minutes he was back and knew exactly what do to do next. With her body still trembling and her skin still cold, he took the bowl from her, pulled back the blanket, tugged her against his warmth, and cocooned them up together.
“Oh my goodness, you’re so wonderfully warm.” She nestled in close, her damp hair pressing in against his chin, the coolness of her skin still evident even through their dry clothes. Not cold, though, so that was definitely progress.
He tightened his arms around her as her body shuddered into his, but the shivering was subsiding.
“I think I’ll just st-stay here the rest of the day.” She yawned. “Or the rest of my life.”
“Well, that sounds nice to me too, but I think we both have an engagement to make this evening, so we’ll have to take a rain check on the rest-of-our-lives scenario.”
And the rest of their lives wasn’t an option.
A truth neither needed to voice. He certainly didn’t want to break the sweetness of the moment by doing so.
She burrowed her face into his shoulder. “Can we just rest a little while before we have to think about what’s happening outside this cabin?”
“Sure, Ellie. We have another hour or so before we need to get you down the mountain.” He ran a hand over her hair, tucking the blanket back close.
“I love moments like this,” she whispered, her breath warming his neck.
“Falling in a frozen lake and nearly freezing to death gives you a high, does it?”
She chuckled and then sighed. “I meant moments with you. Everything feels s-so safe and real.”
The fire flickered in the dim room as the wind howled just beyond the walls. He kept her talking a little longer, until he felt sure she was beyond harm, and then allowed her to fall asleep against him.
In a perfect world, he knew the next steps.
Be with her. For as long as she’d have him.
But they didn’t live in a perfect world.
