Page 45 of Hide My Heart
All I know is, I feel wanted and admired. That even though I am but a dirty and torn rag, he sees me as pure as new wool and as beautiful as an embroidered tapestry.
“Amber?” His voice is low and sexy. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
I swallow and hold still. My heart races and I’m so mesmerized, I don’t even wonder how things will change if he does kiss me. I inhale deep, and when I exhale, my lips purse.
I let myself go, meeting him halfway, and when our lips touch, it’s like the end of a long, cold winter. Flowers bud and birds sing as I kiss him, lightly at first, tasting his lips, and flicking my tongue along with his.
Warmth envelopes me in his arms, and I close my eyes, giving myself entirely to the brand-new sensation of being swept away, being seen and cherished, and for the first time in my life, having a chance to steer that little ship of my life, to control my own destiny, and to love as equally as I hope to be loved.
TWENTY-FOUR
Nate
“Fa, la, la, la, la.”Amber and I sing as we tidy up the cabin and I shovel a path to the woodshed. The worst of the ice storm has passed and we spent three happy days together, cooking, talking, and playing with Beck.
All we need is a dog, and we’d have the perfect little family. Of course, I’m getting ahead of myself. We still have big problems waiting for us, and even though I think our relationship is solid, I haven’t asked her to be my girlfriend.
“Shall we take a walk up to the car and see if we can move it?” Amber asks when I finish chipping the ice from the walkway. “Everything is melting.”
I wipe the sweat from my brow. “Let’s take a look.”
The driveway is still icy, but patches of it have thawed. After slipping back a few steps, I use the shovel to help me get to the top. The car is covered with a layer of ice, with icicles hanging from the mirrors. I chip off the ice near the door handle, but am unable to get the door open.
When I clear the snow around the wheels, I discover all four wheels are locked in a huge block of ice.
“I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere until it melts some more,” I yell back at Amber.
Mist steams from her nose and mouth as she makes her way to the top of the drive. “At least we can take a walk and enjoy the thaw. I’m tired of being cooped up inside and so is Beck.”
“That’s a good idea,” I say, looking into the valley below. “Doubt anyone can get up the road either.”
“Nope, and we’re doing okay with the food, although we should pay back your uncle.”
“Of course,” I agree. “I’ll write him a check as soon as I get home.”
Together we trudge back to the cabin to get Beck ready for our little outing. I know of a little trail, not too steep, that takes us to an overlook where we can see the lake.
I’m feeling pretty good and when we set off, I can see the damage the storm caused. Broken branches and limbs are scattered across our path, and some trees have fallen.
Both Amber and I wear dark glasses against the blinding glare of the ice, and we still have to be careful when walking below ice-laden trees.
A crack followed by a crinkly crash stops us in our tracks. Another tree gives way to its load of ice and falls.
Okay, so maybe hiking isn’t such a good idea, but I’m eager to see if there’s any traffic moving below.
“Maybe you and Beck should go back to the cabin,” I suggest to Amber. “Let me get up there and take a few pictures.”
“I can be careful,” Amber says. “Just have to look up and not walk under any trees that haven’t already dropped their load.”
“Okay, then stick close to me.” I pick up a relatively straight stick and hand it to her. “Use this for balance.”
She insists on holding Beck in a sling, so she’s only able to use one hand for balance.
“It’s beautiful out here, but still a little cold,” Amber observes. “Nippy.”
When I last checked, the temperature gauge hovered above the freezing point. I’m hoping it won’t take another drop overnight, freezing back everything that thawed.
Ice and packed snow crunch underneath our shoes, and I’m wearing my ice-gripping boots with the cleats, so it’s easier going for me. A splintered, icy tree blocks the fork of the trail. Amber tries to cross over it and slips.
