Page 30 of Frost
Jack picks winter berries along the way and rolls his eyes for the millionth time when I ask if they’re poisonous.
“Do you honestly think I’d feed you poison berries?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “It would be one way to shut me up.”
“Now there’s an interesting thought,” he says with a sly grin. “Alas, I enjoy your company too much to kill you.”
“My company or my cock?”
“Both.”
Chuckling, I follow him up the path and to an area past the cave that overlooks the river.
“This is stunning,” I say, amazed by the view.
Jack places the bowl of fish down and stares out over the ledge. “I suppose it is. Do you want to learn how to clean a fish?”
“You sure you trust me with such a momentous task?” I ask like a little smart-ass.
“Just don’t cut yourself with the fillet knife.”
He shows me how to clean and gut the fish, and unlike when trying to catch our food, I’m actually okay at it. He then leads me to a small pit, and I watch as he starts a fire. He has actual skillets and cookware, as well as cups for us to drink out of.
“You know, it’s not too bad living out here.” I shove my hands into my pockets and look at the river rushing below the cliff. “It’s peaceful.”
“It’s lonely,” Jack says, then shakes his head and focuses back on the fish cooking in the skillet. “But it’s how I must exist, away from everyone.”
“If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?” I ask, squatting back down beside him. “Like if anywhere was possible.”
“It does no good to think on such things.”
“Come on.” I nudge his arm. “Answer the question.”
“Honestly?” A sad smile touches his lips as he looks at me. “Anywhere you are. That’s where I want to be.”
The center of my chest tightens. “And that can’t happen?”
Jack doesn’t answer. But he doesn’t need to. The look in his eyes is answer enough.
***
“How do you want to celebrate the new year?” Jack asks once we’ve returned to the cabin.
“Food. Wine. Maybe sex.”
He smiles. “Are you sure you’re not from my time period? We had such wonderful festivals. In fact, we took any opportunity to celebrate—coming of seasons, name days, and when a boy becomes a man. There was always an abundance of drink and food, and nearly everyone took their clothes off. Orgies were common.”
“Sounds like a blast,” I respond with a laugh.
“I rarely got to participate in them.” Jack walks with me to the living room. He sits on the couch while I put logs into the fireplace. “Humans aren’t supposed to know I exist, so I stayed out of sight as much as possible. I frequented many celebrations with the gods, yet I was treated as an inferior amongst them. I fit in with neither gods nor mortals. Only a few times over the years have I allowed humans to see me.”
“Like with your Spartan.” Once the flames begin to spread over the logs, I stand and go sit beside Jack on the couch.
“You keep mentioning him,” Jack says, eyes narrowed. “Is that jealousy I sense?”
“No.” I slide an arm around his shoulders and gently pull him to my side. “It’s sadness. I see how much he meant to you.”
Jack’s face softens. “I suppose you’re right. I was incredibly fond of him. Perhaps a part of me still is. But it doesn’t matter what he meant to me.” His brow wrinkles as he moves his gaze to the tall window beside us. It’s dark outside, but the bright snow reflects the moon. “He’s dead now, and there’s no sense in dwelling on it.”
