“Should’ve pegged you for a pancake girl. Tell me, how many of these can you pack away, sugar?” I tug playfully on one of her cute braids while pressing my chest against her from behind.
She flips a round cake before answering coyly, “Oh, after what you did to me this morning, it’s safe to say a lot, big guy.”
“Jesus, you’re such a turn on. Damn, those are making my mouth water, angel. Gonna be ready soon? You’ve already made ten.”
“Patience, sexy warrior. My famous lemon ricotta pancakes with bourbon pecan butter and warm maple syrup take time.”
I mock growl my annoyance as she continues, “Here, can you put the rest of this bacon away and start the water for the tea?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So polite.”
“Only when the situation calls for it.”
“You know, you’re a very perplexing man.”
“Nah, angel. I’m a very simple man who lives by his own code. Nothing complicated about that.”
She slides a delicious-looking oversized pancake onto the plate, carefully pours more batter into the skillet, and says softly, “You’re unique. I like that about you, Roark. I can honestly say you are a galaxy away from any other man I’ve met. There is one thing I’m curious about, though.”
She looks up into my eyes. I place my hands on my hips and reply, “Shoot.”
“What were you doing out in the woods when you found me yesterday? In that kind of weather, I mean.”
“Hunting caribou.”
“Caribou? Wow.”
“Maybe one day I’ll take one down. Fantastic steaks.”
She smiles sweetly, the pale color of her shirt making her eyes more intense. “Set out for a caribou, wind up with a feisty woman.”
“Sure did. Damn thankful for that unexpected outcome too, sweetheart.”
She giggles and throws her arms around my neck, planting a kiss on my lips. She gazes deep into my eyes and tells me, “Need you to take me to a tourist shop soon.”
I cock my head. “Oh yeah? Why’s that, angel?”
“Because I need to buy you the largest stuffed-animal caribou they have, something super cuddly with big brown eyes and long lashes.”
I burst out laughing, my shoulders shaking, causing her to lose her balance since she’s on tiptoe.
“You’re so handsome, Roark.”
Fuck. You’re falling hard for this woman.
“That so?”
“Mmm hum … oh!”
She twists around, screeching, “Oh no, the pancake! It’s burnt to a crisp. Oh well, one casualty isn’t a total failure. Right?”
I grab her hips tight and whisper into her ear, “No, it’s not, baby.”
“Oh well, I’ve made enough for our epic brunch. We can start carrying everything into the living room now.”
“Nah.”
She twists around, spatula in hand, her pale eyes questioning, “No? Why?”
“Want to eat here, properly, with you.” I smack her ass playfully and add, “Do whatever else you need to do and I’ll go set the table.”
She smiles at me, and I feel like a prisoner who has just seen the sunshine after five long years behind bars.
You need her in your life. You’re good for each other. You both make each other so damn happy.
I lean back and lock my fingers at the back of my neck, telling her appreciatively, “I can’t remember the last time I packed that much food away. Damn, Sabine, thinking I need to thank that grandma of yours in person. Never had pancakes that tasted anything like that before.”
She blushes. “I never thought we’d burn through the entire stack, but well, as you can see …” her eyes track over the empty platter then out the window, “the snow’s stopped. Never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad. I need a break from it.”
I reach over into her lap and hold her hand in mine, asking, “You ready to talk about it?”
She continues to stare outside for a long while until her words suddenly begin flowing like a river. “It came out of nowhere. The force was unimaginable, sweeping us away like we were feathers in the wind. But more than anything else, it’s the sound, the menacing roar that haunts me. When I’m doing random things like washing my face or getting dressed, the sound will jolt though my mind, like it’s happening all over again. Minutes will have gone by, and I’m standing there like a zombie. I didn’t want to say anything to you about it earlier, thinking you’d be freaked out.”
“Probably PTSD.”
Her shoulders jerk back in surprise. “You think? Really?”
“Sounds like it. You should get help if it lasts more than a couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”
“Sabine.”
She turns to look me in the eyes. “Yes?”
“I’m no doctor, but by the time I found you there, you were one, maybe two hours from death. How did you get separated from the others?”
Her face drains of its pink hue, reminding me eerily of how she looked when she was out cold in the cab of my truck.
She stammers, “I-I had to help them. I was on a path down the mountain when the snow started up. It wasn’t long before I became disoriented. I’ve heard that can happen when hypothermia begins to set in. Maybe that’s what it was, who knows? I just remember that I was surrounded by a sea of trees and became so … so tired and dizzy. My legs felt like concrete and my boots were making it impossible to take another step. I guess that’s when I stupidly curled up to rest.”
Her shoulders begin to shake as tears spill down her cheeks. My heart sinks; it might as well have been plunged into a vat of bubbling tar for all the good it can do. I know I should fucking say something to soothe her, but I’ve never been good with this shit. Instead I reach over and pull her out of her chair sideways into my lap, tucking her face against the comfort of my warm chest.
“Shh, it’s okay, I have you.”
Her unsteady voice drifts up to me. “I should’ve fought harder. What if Aldo’s beacon had failed? They could be dead now.”
Movement catches my eye. Both dogs have meandered in, sensing something’s wrong. They are good at picking up on human emotions. Anything that deviates from the norm causes them to snap to attention.
Minutes pass in silence and I do my best to comfort her, rubbing both her back and her hair.
“You know I have a strict no-tears policy inside this cabin, don’t you? Violators have to sleep out back in a tiny tent—no bathroom, no fucking picnic.”
She huffs out a small laugh at my lame attempt at humor. Reaching for her mug of tea, she takes a sip, telling me, “Thanks for always brightening things up, Roark. I love that about you. At least Aldo’s in stable condition now. My aunt told me on the phone this morning that Ben has already been discharged and will need to use crutches until his ankle heals. I told them I’d get a flight out as soon as you can get me back into town.”
The last thing I want is to tell her goodbye, but I’ve known all along that it’s unavoidable, as certain as the next wave crashing on some distant beach. The least you can do is make the rest of her time here memorable. Maybe, just maybe, this beautiful, addictive creature won’t forget you once she’s settled back into her own world ….
“Hey, you wanna see something super cute that’ll make you smile?”
She swipes at her damp cheeks, a hopeful look on her face. “Sure, what’s that?”
“Let’s get you bundled up and I’ll show you. And, snow angel?
“Yes?”
I can guarantee you’ve never seen it before.”
I practically eat up that glimmer of excitement in her eyes. It hasn’t been long, but I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I want those striking eyes focused on me for the rest of my life.