His Promise

by Eddie Cleveland

Fuck.

  I don’t want anything to do with whatever this situation is. Yet, I can’t stop myself from closing the distance between us. The closer I get, the less sense it makes. Under her big, black hat I can see her features starting to come into focus.

  She’s young.

  I crunch through the crisp icy layer as I lumber closer.

  She’s pretty.

  I look around, straining my ears to listen for another person. Surely she’s not out here alone? There’s no noise. None except my own heartbeat rushing blood into my ears.

  Finally, I’m standing over her. It’s easy to see she’s passed out. From the smell of her, I’d say she’s drunk. Probably a lightweight judging by how tiny she is.

  Damn it! This isn’t my problem. This woman and whatever her issues are, aren’t mine to take on. But, I don’t budge. I don’t even blink. There’s no way I can just leave her here. It’s a death sentence. I might not want anything to do with her, but that doesn’t mean she deserves to freeze to death. Despite what people say, it’s not a great way to go.

  I hunch over her and rip my glove off my hand, holding my fingers under her nose. Warm air puffs over my hand. She’s breathing. That makes her my problem. Replacing my glove, I slide my hands under her arms and lift her into a sitting position. Her fur coat flops open, exposing more flesh than I expected to see. What kind of idiot runs off into the woods dressed like a bear and wearing nothing else but a bra and underwear?

  As I button her coat back up, I notice the jagged flecks of ice that have formed over her breasts. Wait, was her bra wet? Because now it’s frozen. Is she…is she wearing a bikini? A wet bikini?

  Idiot feels like a totally inadequate word for this level of stupid.

  I roll my eyes. There’s nothing I can do but try to keep the frost from damaging her milky skin. I easily lift her up and carry her over my shoulders like a dead deer and bring her back to my sled.

  I’ve got to get her warmed up. Fast. I can make a shelter here or I can take her back ten minutes where I saw an old hunting cabin with a chimney and get her next to a fire.

  Fire wins.

  I gently lie her down on the toboggan and take off my parka, placing it over her. Why on earth is this woman out here? Why is she dressed like this? What is she running from? I stare at her face and try not to notice her beautiful features.

  I’ll never find out anything if I don’t get her warm. I pry my eyes from her high cheekbones and full lips and yank the rope to my sled. I guess supplies will need to wait. Sighing, I plod back to my trail. Back to the empty cabin I passed. Back into the woods. There’s no question that if I don’t get this lady warmed up very soon she’s going to die of exposure.

  That’s a guilt I could never shake from my conscience. Her death is something I could never outrun. Unlike the deaths I struggle to leave behind in the city. The ones I disappeared off the grid over, this one would be my fault.

  Curious to see how things turn out with Sawyer and Ashley? Then grab your copy of ‘Saved by the Woodsman’

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