“Rose? Can you hear me?”
Her eyelids fluttered.
When he shone the light in her eyes, she winced.
“Sorry,” he said, relieved to see her awake. “You all right?”
“Is this going to make me late for work?”
Grinning, he pulled her into a quick hug. “One thing’s for sure, your smart mouth escaped unscathed. And yes, I’m afraid you’ll be very late for your first day.”
“Tell me the truth…” She unfastened her seatbelt and tried sitting up, but winced, rubbing the back of her head. “Are we going to make it out of this?”
“Honestly?” He glanced out the window at the white wall of snow curtaining the plane. Turning away from that unpleasant sight, he said, “I don’t know. I’ve been in worse jams.”
“But?”
“This one’s looking sketchier by the minute. That’s not to say we don’t have a great chance of rescue. Our ELT transmitter’s on. Course, the signal’s operated by radio, so the odds of it getting out in this weather are slim, but I did call out our coordinates on the emergency channel. If we make it through the storm and the weather clears, I can fire the signal pistol if we see any search planes.”
“But?”
“Quit with the buts, okay?”
“Sorry. I’m a bottom-line kind of girl. Give me the worst-case scenario. We’re going to be squeezed in here together for what? Maybe one or two days?”
His lips settled in a grim line.
“More like a week? That’s okay. Not knowing what provisions they’d have at the site, I packed tons of snacks. I’ve got Twinkies and three kinds of Little Debbie cupcakes. Graham crackers and granola bars. And Snickers—lots and lots of Snickers. We should be fine for food. And jeez, with all that snow, we won’t even have to worry about water.”
She shivered. “Any chance of you fixing the heater? It’s freezing in here.” She tried making a smoke ring from her visible breath but failed. “What? Why are you so quiet?”
He swallowed hard.
“Does that grim expression mean the heater can’t be fixed?”
“Affirmative.”
“But we’ve got food and water. That’s good, right?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, no, don’t be sorry. Sorry is bad. Just a minute ago, when I said I was a bottom-line girl? Well, I lied. I’m really more the ostrich type. That’s why I prefer flying commercial. Because that way air travel is like a Disney ride. You know, magic. I just pop my window shade down, slip on my headphones and before you know it—poof—we’re magically there.” Even the tears streaming down her cheeks looked cold. How long till they froze?
For a long time, he just stared at her, and then he skimmed the warm backs of his fingers over her glistening cheek. “Rose, I’m sorry. Really sorry, but the plain truth is that in these conditions, well… It’s dangerous for rescue crews to go out. If we make it till morning, and the storm clears, then we have a whole new ball game. I’ve got snowshoes and a hatchet. I’ll turn all Paul Bunyan and hike down to the tree line. I’ll cut a whole forest to keep us warm. Problem is, by midnight tonight, at this altitude, we could be facing temps of fifty below.”
“But you don’t know that for sure, right?”
He dropped his stare.
“Oh, God. This is bad. I’ve got so many plans.” She looked to her lap, then at him. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty, too. I’d hoped to spend next Christmas with my mom—just couldn’t bring myself to do it this year. And my job…it was just getting good. I’ve always dreamed of becoming famous in my field.”
“It’s news to me that there are famous sociologists—but, hey, what do I know? If they give out Nobel prizes for that kind of thing, I’m sure you’re a shoo-in.”
FOR ROSE, COLBY’S slow grin started up that tingling again, spreading blessed warmth through her already chilly body. His kind words made her retract every comparison she’d earlier made between him and Rick. This man was nothing like Rick.
Colby was considerate and sweet and funny—just the sort of man only thirty minutes earlier she would never have believed existed.
She licked her lips, realizing anew how close they were sitting to each other. Colby’s face was only inches from hers—close enough that even in the dim glow of the flashlight resting on his lap, she recognized tenderness in his gaze. Even better was the way heat from his breath caressed her lips, teasing them into a smile as the grapey-sweet smell tickled her nose.
“If I didn’t have this gum in my mouth,” he said, “I’d kiss you.”
“If you reach behind my seat for my purse, I have tissues.”
“Oh, you do, do you?”
Was that a twinkle lighting his eyes?
Her heart skipped a beat.
Here she sat, quite possibly on the verge of dying. How could fate be so cruel as to finally introduce her to the last living nice guy only to—maybe—snatch him away mere hours later?
He found her purse, and she dug through for tissues to dispose of their gum. For an instant, as she rummaged through everyday items like lip gloss and aspirin and the little sewing kit she never left home without, life felt normal. But then she glanced at the frosty window and the odd angle of their seats and knew Colby could very well be right.
This might be the end for them both.
At this very moment, they could be down to only hours to live.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Hours? That was it?
How was that possible?
She swallowed hard.
“Hey.” Her pilot leaned even closer to brush fresh tears. “What’s with the waterworks?”
Looking away, she shrugged.
“You’re not upset over my gloom-and-doom routine, are you? Because if anyone can rescue us, it’s the guys in Kodiak Gorge. I served with most of them in the Navy. Trust me, they’re top-notch.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Oh, hell, yeah.” He hugged her again. Never had she felt safer and more secure than in this virtual stranger’s arms. It made zero sense, but his touch warmed not just her body, but her soul.
When she’d recovered from her latest crying jag, she pulled back just far enough to look at him. “Thank you,” she said. “I needed a hug.”
“Ho, ho, ho…” He jingled his Santa hat’s bell. “I’m all about making the little—and big—girls smile.”
She laughed, and then he was inching closer, closer, until the heat of his hands holding hers had nothing on the glorious blaze of his lips. His kiss started out soft, maybe even a little teasing with those sugary grapes still flavoring his breath. Then he increased the pressure and she found herself not just going along for the ride, as she had with the few other men in her life, but meeting his tongue thrust for spellbinding thrust.
Never had she experienced such a myriad of emotions, from fascination and pleasure to brazen curiosity. If just kissing Colby felt this good…
He drew back. “Wow. Sorry. That wasn’t very professional.”
Shaking her head, she touched her fingers to his still-moist lips. “It might not’ve been professional, but it was very nice.”
Cupping her face in his big hands, he murmured, “Just nice?”
“I said very.”
“Oh, well, in that case… May I kiss you again?”
Teary-eyed, she nodded.
And he did kiss her. Again and again.
Rose groaned, repositioning herself to sink more deeply into his welcome embrace.
An hour earlier, she hadn’t thought feelings like this were possible. Her attraction to him was so intense that instead of reality, it felt more like a beautiful, snowy dream.
He deepened his kiss and she arched into him, seeking comfort and warmth and a resolution to the unfamiliar pulsing between her legs.
After what felt like hours but was probably closer to minutes, she fought past the lump in her throat and tucked her mussed hair behind her ears. She took a deep breath. “You kno
w how I got so huffy when we were taking off and you asked if I was a virgin?”
“Yeah.”
“I practically am.”
“As in a haven’t-had—you know—virgin?”
She nibbled her lower lip. “Technically, I suppose I’m not. But that one time… Well, it wasn’t very good. I’m not even sure if we did it right.”
“If you have to ask,” he said with a big grin, “chances are he fumbled.”
“That’s kind of what I thought.”
“So how come you never tried again?”
She shrugged.
“Been saving yourself for marriage?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then why?”
“I don’t know. My girlfriends say I expect too much. That I’m looking for perfection in an imperfect world.” She bowed her head, thrust her fingers into her long hair and pulled. “Some luck, huh? After all this saving, here I am, stranded on a mountaintop and maybe about to—”
“No.” He touched his fingers to her lips. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it. I mean, I’d be lying if I told you our rescue is guaranteed, but…” He curved his hand to her cheek.
Leaning into his touch, she shivered. He kissed her slow and achingly sweet, telling her without a word that whatever happened, at least she wouldn’t have to go through it alone.
Her whole life, she’d been alone.
Her mom had always had her husbands. Once Rose’s father was behind bars, he became a non-issue, except in the places it most mattered—like her heart. And there she’d been, all on her own, trying to convince herself that was the way she liked it. But here, with Colby, she was questioning everything. If going solo was so right, then why—when getting smacked with the inevitability of her own mortality—did being with Colby feel anything but wrong?
Covering her no-doubt red face, she said, “I’ve never even had an—you know.”
“You mean a… Oh.” He coughed and, thankfully, didn’t say the big O word out loud.
Good grief, what had gotten into her to even bring it up?
Maybe because the only thing Santa’s bringing me is frostbite?
Sobering, she nodded. “But listen to me, rambling on about something so unimportant in the grand scheme of things. If we don’t make it off this mountain, the only person who’ll miss me is my landlady—and that’s not even because she particularly likes me, but because I’m the only one in the building paid up on my rent.” She glanced to her hands, snug in his warm grip, then lifted her gaze back to his eyes. “Who’ll be missing you?”
“Besides my mom…” He squeezed her fingers. “No one special. I don’t have a steady girl, or even pets. A lot of great friends, but that’s about it.” Leaning against his seat, he dropped his head back and sighed. “Mom sent me a plane ticket to New Mexico for the holidays. She didn’t want me flying all that way by myself.” With a sad laugh, he added, “What’s that old saying about accidents always happening closest to home?”
Rose swallowed hard. This wasn’t happening. Couldn’t be happening.
On the one hand, she was sharing great conversation with a fun guy. On the other, they might have only hours to live. The thought didn’t seem real, which was probably a good thing, otherwise she’d give in to the acid-tinged panic rising in her throat.
“I feel bad about not going to see her.” He gazed out the plane’s side window at the sliver of black night visible above the packed snow. “Even in hard times, Christmas was her thing. She always made a point of giving a gift to every single man, woman and child in this town—mostly cookies and homemade candies, but she didn’t want anyone feeling alone or left out. Side note—Kodiak Gorge’s year-round population was only around fifty at that time.”
“She sounds like one of those rare souls who truly gets what Christmas is all about.”
“Yeah. I miss her. I should’ve gone down.”
“Why didn’t you?”
He took his hand back, then used it to rub his forehead. “Long story.”
“Unless that rescue team you mentioned shows up, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Can’t believe I’m this petty,” he said, “but here goes. Truth? I didn’t want to see my mom and her new husband because the two of them together—and his three daughters, and their husbands and happy, laughing kids—remind me how much I want to get married and have kids. They make me see what a cool grandmother my mom makes. How much better life would be if I had a family. Hell, seeing all of them makes me feel like less of a man. Like a failure.”
“Oh, Colby, no. Not everyone has to get married. That’s just what society wants us to think, but—”
“Look,” he said, “I don’t know about you, but for me, having my own family isn’t about recreating some sentimental magazine photo of a mom, dad and baby around a cozy fireplace. It’s about how I feel—or lately, don’t—in here.” He patted his chest. “I wanted a wife. Rug rats. I didn’t plan on going out alone.”
Rose bowed her head.
You’re not alone, Colby. You have me.
Obviously, though, she wasn’t enough, and because it was Christmas Eve and she might not live to see Christmas Day, the realization hurt. Because, maybe for the first time in her life, she also wanted more than just her career. That morning, she’d have denied it. But now, with the icy wind howling now or never, it was time for honesty—having someone all her own to love didn’t sound half bad.
She closed her eyes, trying to find at least momentary relief from the stinging tears that seemed to have taken on a life of their own. After clearing her throat, she said, “You mentioned wanting a wife. Haven’t you found the right woman?”
“Thought I had. Margot was up here on vacation. Her father’s a Global Oil exec. It was a whirlwind thing. At the end of her two weeks, I asked her to stay. She asked me to come with her to Houston. Neither of us bent. End of story.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Me, too. Now, I only date local girls.”
“Are there many?”
“Sadly, no.”
At another time, in another place, she might have found his comment funny. Now, it only seemed sad. Even in the short time she’d known him, Colby struck her as a great guy. He deserved a great woman.
Like me.
The crazy thought hit as unexpectedly as the freak storm that had blown down their plane. But was the idea really so wrong?
Wouldn’t it be her stupid luck to meet the man of her dreams just before—
“What’re you thinking?” Colby asked, illuminating her with the flashlight. “You’ve got a dangerous look in those big brown eyes.”
She licked her lips. “My idea is only dangerous if we get rescued. But since you said we probably won’t—and you are the local expert in these matters—then…” She took the light from him and set it on a box that had gotten wedged behind her seat. Aimed outside, it gave the menacing snow an ironically romantic blue glow. Reaching for Colby’s hands, she brushed the pads of her thumbs over the soft web between his thumb and forefinger. His skin felt rough but warm. So blessedly warm. “We really have nothing to lose.”
“Oh no,” he said. “You’re not suggesting what I think you are?”
She nodded. “Please, Colby. I might not even get to live, let alone reach my destination. Please don’t let me die alone. Even if it’s for just one night, I want to feel…” Out of her mind with fear, guilt, need and doubt, she kissed him, stopping only to slip off her heavy boots and scramble onto his lap. It was a tight squeeze, but she wasn’t complaining. “Please,” she said, ringing kisses around the small strip of skin above his sandy-colored wool sweater.
“Rose…” He closed his eyes and sighed. Hands lightly on her shoulders, urging her back, he said, “From what you’ve told me, maybe you are still a virgin. And we are going to survive. I can’t in good conscience take that kind of gift from you. It wouldn’t be right. You deserve better than this. A nice, soft bed and candles and romantic music and flo
wers and wine. I mean, here…the sheer logistics make it—”
She cut him off with another kiss—a seemingly innocent pressing of her soft, bubble-gum-flavored lips to his. Initially, their lips were cold. Then came wondrous heat.
“I don’t have a condom.”
“I don’t…” Rose groaned, the word caught in her throat “…care.”
Her pilot—her granter of last wishes—slipped his cool fingers beneath layers of wool and corduroy and cotton until reaching her warm satin bra. He circled his hand over her nipple, honing it into a sensation-filled bud.
Normally, with most men, this was about the point when she called it quits. It wasn’t that she was a prude. She just never felt anything. But this time, here with Colby, her world was being transformed from an eight-color box of Crayolas into the giant sixty-four pack with the built-in sharpener.
Hand still teasing her breast, he dragged his lips from her mouth to her neck. Her toes curled with naughty pleasure. She closed her eyes, drawing him even closer.
“Wait.” He pulled back again. “If we’re going to do this, you should at least be comfortable.”
After one more kiss, he gently coaxed her back into her own seat. Then he scrambled into the cargo area, rearranging her luggage and snacks to make room for a makeshift bed. Nestled between her suitcases was her down sleeping bag. He had one, too—apparently, an FAA requirement for Alaskan winter flying. Between the two of them, they had more than enough down feathers to line a cozy nest.
He took off his jacket and shoes. “Nippy in here,” he said.
Teeth chattering, she nodded.
“Look at you. You’re already hypothermic.” He clambered to the front to take her into his arms, trying to stop her shivering. When that didn’t work, he released her and unzipped his coat, tugging her close to join him.
Rose slipped one of her cold hands up under his sweater, easing it along the wall of his chest. She wasn’t sure who initiated the next round of kissing—wasn’t sure it even mattered who, so long as it never stopped.
Christmas Cookie Baby Page 2
