Page 2 of Trig
“This car didn’t drive itself,” Beau said.
“Which means someone’s out in this.”
“We didn’t come across anyone walking toward us, so they must’ve gone that way.” He pointed in the direction we were heading. He glanced down, pointed. “Footprints, but they’re halfway filled in.”
Leaning into the car, I pulled out a hair clip that looked like big teeth that I found by the gear shift. Held it up. Fuck. “A woman’s out in this.”
With a decisive clench of his jaw, he nodded. “Let’s go find her.”
3
TRIG
We climbed backin the truck and crept along. The woman would have to be in the road itself because the plows, over the winter, had built up huge berms on either side. A minute later, a dark shape emerged from the snow.
“There!” I pointed as Beau slowed.
I was out of the truck before he came to a complete stop.
In seconds, I was in front of her. She was in dark leggings and boots, a puffy coat and a knit hat with a pom pom on top. Her hands were tucked into the pockets, her head down. She was dressed appropriately for going to the grocery store in January, not walking through a blizzard.
What the hell was she doing out in this? If there was a woman who needed her ass spanked, it was her.
She’d been moving at a snail’s pace and was halfway to being the abominable snowman.
“Hey there, sugar,” I said, my voice loud over the wind.
She didn’t look up.
Setting my hands on her upper arms, I ducked down to meet her gaze. I couldn’t miss feeling the shivers that wracked her body.
Those light eyes lifted and met mine. Widened.
“You’re a cowboy.”
It wasn’t what I expected her to say, but it made me smile.
“Sure am.” I tipped the brim of my cowboy hat at her. “Got the belt buckle to prove it.”
She didn’t say anything else, just stared, eyes meeting mine. Holding as the snow fell between us.
Her hand came up, as if she couldn’t believe my words and her fingers touched my beard.
All of sudden, it wasn’t all that cold any more. The snow could have melted right off me with how hot I felt just looking at her.
Blue, wide set eyes. Round face. Pert nose. Cheeks that were splotchy red. Ice coated her dark lashes and her full lips were a gruesome shade, probably blue but it was too dark to tell.
Her fingers against my skin were fucking freezing and I realized she wasn’t wearing gloves. Shit.
“It’s too cold for a cowboy to be out in this weather. Be a good girl and come sit in front of a fire with me? Cozy blankets? Just you and me.” She kept right on staring, but was she even seeing me? She wasn’t moving, only getting colder by the second. If I had to cajole her, I would. Hell, if she didn’t agree in the next few seconds, I’d be tossing her over my shoulder.
“I’m cold,” she said, her voice soft and carried to me on the wind.
Two words.
Two shaky words and that was it. She was mine.
It was as if she knew I’d take care of her because from one second to the next, she gave up the fight and crumpled.
