Page 38 of A Billionaire for Christmas
Time seemed to slow. Her breathing came quick and shallow. As the blood rushed to her head, she pulled off her goggles and helmet. She needed air. It was so thin. She couldn’t get enough into her lungs. Spots appeared before her eyes. Toby rushed towards her. He grabbed hold of her just in time. She hadn’t even realised she was falling.
He laid her down gently, kneeling beside her.
Molly breathed rapidly, trying to prevent herself from fainting. The roaring sound outside was beginning to fade.
‘Molly. You’re okay. We’ll be safe here.’
That voice. That unmistakable accent. The one that had floored her the moment he first spoke. He yanked off his ski goggles.
She squinted in the dim light poking through the cracks of the skylight. ‘Levi?’ His face came into focus.
‘Are you hurt?’ he asked.
Molly shook her head and saw him visibly relax.
‘Thank God.’ Levi hunched his shoulders, unfolded his legs and sagged down on the floor beside her. He lifted the walkie-talkie to his lips. ‘This is Levi. Do you copy? Over.’
It crackled to life. Toby’s concerned voice was faint. ‘Copy that. Are you both safe? Over.’
‘Yes. We’re at the hunting lodge. Everyone in the main house okay? Over.’
‘Shutters down. Everyone safe. Thanks to Molly’s warning. Over.’
‘Resort notified? Over.’
‘All protocols in place, boss. But it seems like it headed away from the resort. Over.’
‘Thanks, Toby. Give us a minute to assess the situation. I’ll be in touch. Over and out.’
Levi slumped to a lying position. ‘Oh man. That was way too close.’
Molly was struggling to speak, her mouth dry. ‘Thank you for coming to get me.’
‘It was my stupid fault you were out there in the first place. Thanks to you everyone is safe.’
Oh.
A myriad of emotions swirled around, jumbling her thoughts as they lay staring at the high wooden ceiling, the skylight illuminating the one light fixture swinging above them. Molly watched it swing until the rumbling sound outside faded. The lodge stopped shuddering, and the lightshade eventually stopped swinging. The avalanche had subsided. She heard Levi let out a loud breath as he lay next to her on the wooden floor. They lay side by side until their breathing had regulated.
She had almost died today. Her life flashed before her eyes. Such a short and uneventful life. Most of it spent in a kitchen washing up pots and pans.
Levi stood up, the snow melting on his ski jacket. He held out a hand to help her. Molly took it as he pulled her easily up. They began to speak at the same time.
‘I’m sorry I’ve been acting so crazy,’ said Molly.
‘I’m sorry I asked you to leave,’ said Levi over her.
She regarded him for a moment and waited for him to explain. Levi seemed unsure of what to say, mixed feelings running across his face.
‘Why did you fire me?’
‘I didn’t fire you. I just wanted to avoid a… situation from happening.’ Levi took off his wet coat. Molly noticed his hair, T-shirt and jogging pants were soaked through. He’d obviously just grabbed a jacket and raced out to rescue her. He strode over to the moose antlers hanging on the wall and hung his jacket up. It dripped into a bucket lying underneath on the wooden floor. He reached over to flick on a light switch and all the lamps lit up at once. ‘There’s no boot room here for kit. Just this drip bucket and clothes horse.’
Molly gazed around the room. ‘Wow, this place really is stunning.’
Levi was kneeling on the rug, twisting knobs by the huge stone fireplace which made it roar to life. She watched him hunch in front of the fire, rubbing his hands for warmth. Molly was glad of the heat. She was sure her lips must be blue. Levi guided her to the sole armchair in the centre of the room, instantly dropping to his knees. He pulled off her boots.
‘We need to get you warmed up before hypothermia sets in. You’re shivering.’
