You gonna wake up?" She lazily opened her eyes and jolted awake, scooting up on her elbows. "What? What?" "Easy. It's okay. Sort of." She blinked a few times and then her eyes were wide. "Where am I?" "I brought you inside. I had to. You were on your way to freezing to death. You must not have a brain in your head." She squinted at him, pursing her lips. "Oh-I have a brain. I'm just not real experienced in mountain life." She struggled to sit up. "Gee, if I'd known you got your eyebrow back and grew your beard in red, I might've found you sooner. I'll get out of your hair, which I notice, you have plenty of." "You're not going anywhere," he said, putting a big hand against her sternum, holding her down. "You're stuck-and so am I." "No problem," she said. "I sleep in the car every night. I have a good sleeping bag…" "Did you hear me? You were passed out on your way back from the john, covered with snow and damn near frozen to death. You wanted to see me, you're going to get your wish." Her eyes widened suddenly. "I'm…ah…naked under here?" "You're not naked. You have underwear. I had to get your wet clothes off you. That or just let you die. It wasn't an easy decision," he lied. "You undressed me and wrapped me in this quilt?" she asked. "Pretty much," he said. And felt your small, soft body against mine for an hour, the first female body that's been against mine in five years. Until tonight, he hadn't thought he missed that feeling. "What happened out there? How'd you end up in the doorway of the john like that?" "I don't have the first idea. I was so glad there was an outhouse for once and I wouldn't have to squat behind a bush. I was going to make it quick, but I was so tired I could hardly move, and that's the last thing I remember till I woke up." She coughed. "I didn't think I was so tired I'd fall asleep on the way." "You didn't fall asleep," he said. "You lost consciousness. Hypothermia. Like I said-half frozen." "Hmm.
( Robyn Carr )
[ A Virgin River Christmas ]
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