by Donna Kunkel
I’ll show them tomorrow, no more mistakes. She quickly glanced at them. The man and dog were alike in so many ways. Good or bad, they were always there, especially today. For some reason Steve had been watching her more and paying more attention. Could it be because of this morning? This morning when he woke up with her arm draped across him, or when Mandy knocked her into him? Could Mandy have done that on purpose?
Mandy lifted her head and looked at Alex.
Alex could swear the dog was smiling. All afternoon, she stole glances at him. He definitely looked a lot better. She kept wanting to run her fingers through his newly trimmed long hair.
Chapter 7
The bright sunshine that afternoon was such a blessing. Tomorrow she’d be helping dig out the porch in addition to the regular chores. It had been a day without howling winds and continual snow, even though it was still bitterly cold. She’d never gone this long without talking to her parents. Her boss would have contacted them when she hadn’t shown up for work. Twelve days and she still hadn’t been able to contact anyone.
Did Steve have any family outside the valley? Surely he had someone out there who worried about him. But he’d avoided talking about his family so far. He had to have some way to get in touch. She had to find out tonight.
As they ate dinner she spoke up. “How do you get in touch with your family when the phone lines are down?”
“I use my snowmobile and go over to Peter’s. He has a shortwave radio that can get messages through.”
She dropped her fork. “So why haven’t you mentioned this?”
“I knew it would be several days before the storm cleared enough so I could get there safely. I didn’t want you to worry more than you already are.”
“When can we go? I need to let my family know that I’m safe.”
“Tomorrow we’ll get the doorways and front steps clear. And then if it’s still sunny the next day, we’ll leave as soon as chores are finished. We have to travel while the sun’s out or it’ll be too cold.”
“So what does Peter do so he can live out here?” Alex picked up her water and started to drink.
“He’s a wizard—”
Alex spewed the water out. She jumped up and got a towel to mop up the mess. “Sorry about that. You were saying.”
Steve paused for another moment. “He’s a computer programmer. He writes computer games that become famous. It’s like magic the way he can work.”
“But he can get a message to my parents?”
“Should be able to.”
“How?”
“His roof is covered with solar panels. He almost always has electric.”
Electric, long hot showers, Internet, heavenly. Her breathing increased.
“Alex, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I was just thinking.” She picked up her glass and took another drink. She couldn’t wait to meet this neighbor.
****
The next morning, Alex’s arm and leg were draped across Steve when he woke up. His chest tingled where her open hand was lying on it. Every now and then her fingers would curl and open again, making his skin burn from her touch. Oh, how he’d enjoy feeling her hand stroking his chest and her leg wrapped around him. He stayed as still as possible, wanting this moment of contact to last. Her hand and leg tensed, tightening up against him, almost as if she was snuggling up to him. She murmured something unintelligible. He couldn’t not touch her any longer. Ever so gently, he eased his hand down her arm, savoring how soft her skin was.
She jerked. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what keeps making me do this.”
Steve stretched out, putting his hands behind his head, grinning. “Actually, I don’t mind.”
“I’m not too heavy for you?” Alex struggled to get unwrapped from the sheets then slid out of bed to get her warmer clothes from the closet.
Steve gazed from her toes to her head, taking in her shapely bare legs extending down from her shorts and especially how her soft t-shirt clung to the curves of her breasts. He had to take a moment before forming a coherent thought. “You, too heavy? That’ll be the day.”
“I try to wrap myself up in the sheet so I won’t encroach on your side.” She hurried out of the room, clutching her clothes.
Mandy and Steve looked at each other.
“Actually, I don’t mind when she ends up against me. She could do it more often.” He quickly threw on some clothes and headed out to make breakfast, just to keep her in view.
****
The day was cloudy, but at least it wasn’t snowing. After breakfast, Alex wandered out into the barn and noticed an intricate web stretched between the side of the barn and the nearest post of Anna Belle’s stall, a silken maze. During the night, Anna Belle’s breath had created tiny drops across all the web’s fibers that sparkled like diamonds in the lantern’s light. Alex moved the lantern and watched pieces of rainbows dance across the barn’s walls. She hadn’t realized she’d been doing this for several minutes until Steve cleared his throat.
“Do you mind? I’m trying to get some work done.”
“Look at this. It’s beautiful.”
Steve moved close and leaned on his shovel’s handle. His warm breath grazed her cheek.
“Look at all the rainbows.” She moved the lantern around some more, trying to ignore her body turning on fire by his presence.
Steve sighed. “Yeah. Now can we get back to work.” He moved back to the pen he was cleaning out.
“I got distracted.” She carried the light over and hung it up on its bracket.
“Sorry.” He looked up at her. “It is beautiful. I see it every day, so I’ve taken it for granted.”
“I know. It’s stupid. It’s only a spider web.” She picked up the water bucket and started getting to her chores.
Steve mumbled, “Next she’ll be talking about dragons, or pixies, or heaven forbid, unicorns.”
Mandy shoved into his legs, knocking him off balance.
He said to the dog, “Taking her side now? You ole redcoat, you. Aren’t you supposed to be man’s best friend?”
Mandy shoved him again.
“Okay, okay. I get your point.”
Mandy sauntered away, tail wagging.
Alex kept her head turned away, trying not to laugh at Steve’s comments.
They finished the normal chores, and then she started to shovel the front porch and steps, while Steve made a path to the barn’s shed. When he finished, he walked around to the front and found Alex making a snowman.
“What are you doing? Didn’t you have enough work for one day?”
“I wanted to do something that was fun for a change.” And exhaust herself physically so she wouldn’t get hot whenever he was close.
“Need help?”
“Sure, you can make the middle ball and put it on this one.” She continued to roll the large ball.
He finished a medium sized ball and placed it above her bigger one. She walked over and placed the smallest ball on top. “All done.” She bent over to brush snow off her pants.
Mandy charged into her, knocked her into the drift near the porch, then dashed off around the cabin.
Alex struggled to get up. Steve held out a hand for her. “Here, take my hand,” he said.
She clasped his hand. When he jerked her up, she fell against him. He kept her one hand tightly clasped in his and touched her cheek with his other. They stared at each other, as he moved toward her, so close his breath warmed her face. Heat flooded her core and her breathing became heavy. His lips touched hers briefly. He stayed within inches for a moment, then kissed her again. This time the kiss was insistent and hungry, his tongue asking to come in. Alex opened her mouth to him and moved her body closer until their chests touched. They took their time exploring each other. He tasted like cinnamon and bacon. When he started to withdraw she moved closer, not wanting the kiss to end. He responded to her silent request and re-engaged. When he finally broke apart, he leaned his forehead ag
ainst hers. Her lips still tingled and her body was hot from her desire. She wanted more, a lot more.
He pulled back and released her. He gently brushed the snow off her coat as she stood there. She couldn’t move, her body aching to savor his touch, even with the heavy coats and gloves. “We’d better get some lunch,” he finally said.
Oh how I want to keep kissing him. Instead, she nodded and followed him up the front steps. Mandy sat on the front porch watching. Alex gave the dog a thumbs up, and Mandy’s tail started wagging. Steve placed a hand on her back until they’d entered the cabin. He helped her out of her coat, brushing her shoulders as he did. He paused and took a deep breath, as if he was smelling her. After hanging up their coats and hats, he hurried to the kitchen to fix lunch.
All during lunch, he remained silent with his head bent over the table. Occasionally he would look into her eyes and smile. She couldn’t stop thinking about how wonderful his kisses had been. It took all her self-control to keep from leaning across the table and pressing her lips against his, or to slide her bare hands along his neck and curl into his hair, or give him something to really smile about.
They’d finished clearing the lunch dishes when a snowmobile could be heard approaching. Steve headed out onto the porch as it drove up to the cabin.
“What’s with the snowman? Never seen you make one before,” Peter said.
“I have company,” Steve answered.
“Company? How?” Peter got off the machine and headed up the porch.
Steve opened the door the rest of the way and they headed in.
“I just checked the pass. It’s closed. It’ll take a while before anyone can get out,” Peter said as he walked in and removed his hat, gloves, and coat. He hung them up as Steve walked back to the table.
Steve swept a hand in Alex’s direction. “Peter Robertson, meet Alex Klein. Alex, Peter.”
Alex stood and held out a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Peter was average height, lean, with brown hair and a beard.
Peter shook her hand. He looked at Steve. “I thought you were kidding.” He looked back to Alex. “How’d you get here? The pass is buried.”
Alex sat back down. “I came two weeks ago, before the pass closed.”
Peter whistled and sat down at the table. He listened as Alex told how she got stranded. “What can I do to help?”
“I need to get a message to my parents. Steve mentioned that you have a radio.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Peter said.
“Peter usually checks on the pass and all the neighbors after a big storm. He sees if they need anything,” Steve said.
“Give me the numbers and messages for the people you need to reach. I’ll see if they can be available in a few days so you can talk to them,” Peter said.
Alex wrote down the numbers and messages for her parents and boss. “How do you do this without a phone?”
“I use my radio and contact another ham radio, pass the message along, that person calls and relays the message. Hopefully they’ll let the people at the other end come over so you can talk to them directly.” Peter looked away from Alex to Steve. “Need anything else?”
“I’ll probably need some more canned goods,” Steve said.
“Sure thing, and I’m dying for some fresh eggs.”
“We’ll bring some eggs and milk with us. Do you want a few now?”
“No, I’ve still got to check on everyone else.” Peter stood and started for the door. “I’d better get going or I’ll run out of daylight.” He looked back to Alex. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Steve walked Peter out. The snowmobile started and pulled away. Steve walked back in. “I bet we start seeing him a lot more often, you being the only single woman in the valley.” He refilled his water and sat back down at the table.
“How many other people live in this valley?”
“I’m the closest to the pass, then Peter. Past him there is the Gibson family of four, another couple, then a gay couple.”
“That’s not very many.”
“It’s a small valley that ends against a mountain. That’s why we’re one of the last places a plow gets to, as well as having to deal with the pass.”
“So what do you do about the pass?”
“When the pass has an avalanche, we’re left with only getting through by snowmobile. Peter is the best supplied, so he helps the rest of us out when we get trapped.”
“Can we get out on your snowmobile?”
“Not for a while. The snow has to settle and compact before it’s safe to traverse. Before then, a snowmobile would sink.”
Alex stroked the side of her water glass. “What do the other residents do when they can’t leave the valley? How do they get by without electric?”
“The gay couple are wealthy, so they enjoy their hobbies. The other couple has some money and earns some extra by selling oil paintings. The Gibsons are both writers with a young girl and boy. Peter is wealthy.”
“So why out here?”
“They all wanted to get away from a large city and all its problems.”
“What about you?”
“Me? I do some prospecting during the summer.” He got up, walked over to the fireplace, returned, and set several crystals on the table. “This is what I look for, aquamarines.” He picked one up and handed it to her. “This is one of the better pieces that I’ve collected.”
Alex took the crystal and ran her fingers along the stone’s facets. “It’s beautiful. You find these?”
“Yeah, up on the mountain at the end of the valley. That’s why I located here. What about you? What do you do?”
“I’m a technical writer, if I still have a job.”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s okay, but I’ve become dissatisfied the last couple of years. Writing technical journals is boring; they lack variation. I took the first job I could get after college to pay off my loans. They’re all paid off now. I can pay my bills and take a nice vacation occasionally, so I’ve been reluctant to go out and look for something else.”
“What will you do if you’re stuck here for two months?” Steve asked.
“I don’t know. I have some savings that will get me through a few months, but after that…”
“What will you do about paying your bills?”
“My parents will probably do that for me. My brother is living in my apartment so he can take care of Vladimir for me.”
“Who’s Vladimir?”
“My chocolate lab.” Alex set the crystal back down on the table.
“What were you doing that made you travel that night?”
“I was visiting with some of my college friends. They’re all in relationships, involved with their careers, settling down, growing up. I probably won’t be seeing them as often now. They’re all getting too busy.” Why hadn’t she looked into getting a career? Instead, she was passing time not going anywhere. It was as if she’d been waiting for something to happen. Maybe this was it, especially if she had to find a new job. “What about you? Why’d you stay here?”
Steve picked up the crystal Alex had set down. “Me?” He looked into the depths of the stone as he rotated it. “I found a serenity out here that I’ve never had before. I bought the land and buildings. The cabin was rundown so I fixed up the interior and added the barn. I rent out part of the land to the other residents to cover the mortgage. For the rest, I find these,” he held up the crystal. He got up and put the crystals back on the mantel with several others. He collapsed into his chair and picked up his book.
She was surprised he’d said so much. He had been extremely quiet so far. Maybe he was just shy. For whatever reason they’d opened up to each other, trusted each other with their feelings, and had kissed. Given their close quarters, she couldn’t imagine not ending up close to him so they could kiss again, maybe this time without the coats and gloves.
Chapter 8
The next morning Alex woke up even more entwined than be
fore. She loved how Steve made her warm all over, like a sexy, living teddy bear. As much as she wanted to stay wrapped up around him, she gently untangled herself, slipped out of bed, and got dressed. Alex poured some honey into her mug of weak tea. Using the same bag for a third cup had produced unsatisfying results, but it was the last one. Maybe the honey would add a little flavor to the colored water.
They had gotten a light snow last night so they’d have to re-shovel outside. She savored her caffeine, anything to delay shoveling. She still ached from all the work yesterday, and those damn chickens still gave her problems. Maybe a chicken dinner would be just the ticket tonight. That speckled hen, the hen from hell, looked particularly plump. But she knew they couldn’t do that, the hen gave them some of the eggs they so desperately needed. She sipped the rest of the tea visualizing the chicken’s demise.
Steve wandered out. “You should have awakened me.”
“I knew you’d be up. I wanted to savor the last of my tea.”
Steve nodded and fixed breakfast. Once finished, he headed out to the barn.
No more delaying, she had to get busy with her morning chores. At least today was a little warmer. Maybe the storms were finally clearing out. Today she took her time and didn’t make any mistakes. Finally, she only had to collect the eggs. She put the oven mitt on again and paused for a deep breath before facing the hens.
Steve walked up to her and pointed to the mitt. “What are you doing?” he asked, shaking his head.
“I just thought…” Just thought what? Thought that the hen would let her take the eggs. No, this was her defense. The oven mitt worked great. “Those brown hens and that demon hen hate me,” she finally answered.
“I know the hens can be a pain. You need to reach in with confidence. They can smell fear.”
“I fear her all right. She’s pecked my hands raw. The mitt keeps me safe.” She showed him the back of the mitt. “See. Look what she’s done.”
He looked closer. The stuffing poked out all over the back.
