31 Days of Winter (42 page)

Hi, Brooke. I hope you get this, so sorry I’ve
not been in touch before. We had a power cut on Christmas Day and are without
electrics, phone, Wi-Fi, the works. Trying to save my iPhone for emergencies
only, but this classes as one. He’s driving me INSANE and I really wanted to
talk to you. I miss you so much, I can’t wait to see you next week. Hope things
are going ok with Molly? I’m going to try ringing you, but wanted to text
quickly in case I lose the signal again. Really hope I get to speak to you.
xxxx

I moved down the end of the jetty, away from the
trees and saw the signal flicker up to a full bar. I tried dialling Brooke, but
every time I lifted it to my ear, I lost the connection. I sighed and ran a
hand through my hair and looked back at the boathouse, dreading whatever
conversation he was planning on having with me. I just had a feeling it would
be more apologies and no explanations, which was starting to wear thin. I
smiled as I realised how adorable the boathouse looked, still covered in snow,
the fire and candle lighting up the windows and the moon casting a bright white
light over the veranda. I squatted down and took a picture on my iPhone,
pleased with how good it looked. As I went to stand up I gasped as I lost my
balance, wobbled and my phone flew out of my hand as I tried to steady myself.

‘Shit, Ellie,’ I muttered as I teetered on the
edge and righted myself. I looked down to see my phone had landed on the wooden
walkway, thank God. I stepped toward it and my boot skidded on a patch of ice
and I felt myself falling backwards and let out an involuntary cry. I yelped as
I landed on the jetty, the wood connecting harshly with my bottom. I quickly
reached behind me to steady myself on the planks below me, but my hands met
nothing. Before I knew what was happening I fell backwards again, tipping over
the edge of the jetty and cracked my head on the ice of the loch below me as I
landed. I held my breath as I tried to recover from the shock, then screamed as
I heard the unmistakable sound of the ice cracking up below me, as fast as I
tried to scramble upright on the slippery surface to grab the jetty, I wasn’t
fast enough and screamed again as the ice gave way and I was plunged into the
freezing cold water below me.

I barely had time to take a breath before I went
under and flailed in the water, my jeans and jumper dragging me down. I felt a
sharp pain in my right arm as I tried to grasp the edge of the ice above me to
haul myself out. I forced myself to open my eyes as the numbing cold started to
take effect and slow down my efforts to struggle to the surface. I was running
out of air and I couldn’t see the hole I’d fallen through anymore. All I could see
was a solid sheet of ice above me which I hammered on from below in a panic,
but I was too cold to put any power into.
No!
I was not going to drown
in an icy fucking loch, not after everything I’d just been through this last
few weeks. I started going light headed from the lack of oxygen and my arms and
legs slowed so much I felt myself sinking even further down. I heard a muffled
sound of splintering and saw cracks forming above me, then suddenly something
large was next to me, a strong arm circled my waist and hauled me upwards
breaking through the ice above us, and I gasped again and again trying to fill
my lungs as my whole body shook. Everything was spinning and I felt like I was
going to pass out.

‘Fuck Ellie, stay with me, you’re going to be ok. Stay
with me, ok?’ Dan’s voice sounded muffled as the pounding of my heart filled my
ears. I felt my body being lifted out of the arctic water, then the hardness of
the wooden jetty feeling warm against my back as I shivered. I felt him check
the pulse in my neck as I panted. Suddenly I was being lifted again and hauled
against his cold wet chest. ‘Focus on me Ellie, stay with me. I need to get you
warm, or you’re going to go into shock from the cold and the panic, you’re
going to be ok, I promise, just stay with me.
Please.
’

‘D … Da … Dan,’ I stuttered as my body shook in
his strong arms. I was freezing. I’d never felt so cold in my life and I felt
so sick.

‘Breathe slowly baby, don’t pass out on me or I’ll
have to give you mouth to mouth and I know how much you’d hate that,’ he smiled
down at me. I closed my eyes as I managed a half-smile in return. He’d just
called me “baby” and I wasn’t even sure if he knew he had. He really cared, no
matter what his actions said sometimes he really felt seriously crazy about me,
he wasn’t lying, I just knew it. I was on the verge of passing out, the roaring
in my ears, headache and dry mouth all indicators, but suddenly I felt hot
water raining down on me snapping me out of it. I tried opening my eyes, and my
head lolled, my cheek resting against Dan’s cold t-shirt as he sank to the
floor, holding me in his lap as the hot water poured over us both. ‘Talk to me
Ellie, let me know you’re ok?’

‘Cold,’ I whispered.

‘I need to undress you, your clothes are freezing
and it will stop the heat warming you up. I don’t care if you have a problem
with that, I’m getting you naked.’ He didn’t even ask, it was a formality, a
courteous advisement of what was about to happen. I didn’t object as he started
to pull my heavy sodden jumper up over my head. I knew he was right. Heat
directly onto skin was the fastest way of warming me up and getting my
circulation moving properly again. I tried to unbutton my jeans, but my hands
were shaking so violently I couldn’t even connect with them. ‘Don’t, just
concentrate on slow deep breathes, I’ll look after your clothes, I’ll look
after you.’

‘Thank you,’ I managed to say as I felt him unhook
my bra and slide it off me. He deftly spun me in his lap and put me between his
legs, my back to his chest. He reached around and undid my buttons and zip and
tugged as I lifted my bottom to let him slide them off me, along with my soaked
cold knickers. I kicked them off before he wrapped his arms around my waist and
pulled me back against him, right under the downpour.

‘Shit, Ellie. You gave me the fright of my life.
If I hadn’t heard you scream, I … fuck. Do you have any idea how scared I was
when I came out and couldn’t see you anywhere?’

‘Sorry,’ I whispered. I could hear the panic in
his voice, the torch he’d propped on the sink also showed me that his hands
were shaking.

‘Thank God the moon was so bright tonight,
otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to see where you’d gone through and go in
after you. Do you have any idea how lucky you were? A few seconds later and
you’d have drowned. I could have … I …
fuck, Ellie
. What the hell were
you doing?’

‘Trying to … ring Brooke to tell her … you were …
an arsehole,’ I advised between shaky breathes of hot steamed welcome air. I
closed my eyes as the memory of that cold water closing in all around me came
back.

‘I was an arsehole, but can we talk about that
tomorrow, when I know you’re ok. Fuck, your arm’s bleeding. You must have cut
it on some ice or the jetty as you went under. Stay here, I’ll dry off and get
some gauze and tape and we’ll get it cleaned up.’

‘Ok,’ I nodded as I continued to shiver. I felt
him kiss the back of my head before he scooted me forward and got up. I pulled
my knees up to my chest, feeling vulnerable naked, and huddled on the floor
while he towered over me. He bent down, repositioned me under the water then straightened
up and peeled off his wet t-shirt. I didn’t hide the fact that I was looking up
at him. It may be the only chance I got before I left to see him completely
naked up close and personal, in all his manly glory, that should help to heat
me up. I needed to put some distance between us as soon as we could get off
this island, so I was going to use my plight to my advantage. He pulled at his
sodden tracksuit bottoms, taking his boxers with them as well. I felt my eyes
go large as saucers as I got a nearly eye level view of his impressive package.

‘Eyes Ellie, you just nearly drowned. Looking at my
cock like that while you sit there naked is unfair.’

‘I’m thinking I know a way that will warm me up
really fast,’ I nodded as he straightened up and I watched it unfurl and
stiffen. I gulped. It was seriously beautiful.

‘I thought you hated me,’ he advised as he turned
his back on me and grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, leaving the
rest of the droplets of water clinging to the edges of his defined muscles. He
was in absolutely sensational shape and watching him was taking my mind off my near
death experience.

‘I was angry, you confuse me so much with your
changing moods,’ I replied.

‘Which is why I prefer to be alone. I warned you
from the start that I’m not a people person.’ He rummaged in his bathroom
cabinet, turned around and turned off the shower. Using a damp facecloth he crouched
down, cleaned the gash on my arm, dabbed it dry with a hand towel, quickly
applied some antiseptic cream, a number of steri-strips to hold it closed, then
applied an adhesive dressing over the top. ‘Does that feel better?’

‘Much thank you, but I’m still cold,’ I advised
with a shiver that backed up my claim.

‘Take my hand, we’ll get you dry and into some
clothes by the fire. I can make you some coffee to warm you up, with a brandy
in it, then you need to get into bed to stay warm. A good sleep will help you
recover.’

‘I was taking the sofa tonight.’

‘Don’t bloody argue with me Ellie, not tonight,
not after I … not after I thought I’d just lost you. Just don’t, please.’ He
held out his hand, I took it and he hauled me up, averting his eyes as I stood
naked in front of him, still shaking. He grabbed a towel and handed it to me,
before turning his back again. I quickly wrapped it around my chest and secured
it.

‘I’m decent now,’ I advised him. He turned around and
pulled me against him and tipped my head back, gently towel drying my long hair
for me as he studied my face. ‘What?’

‘Do you have any idea what you just put me
through?’ he sighed.

‘You were really worried?’

‘I was nearly sick. You’re still trembling, you
need some food, or some sugar at least.’

‘Thank you for jumping in after me,’ I nodded
sincerely as I looked up at his concerned mossy green eyes.

‘I was just thinking of the refund I’d have to pay
to your estate if you croaked before the end of your rental period,’ he teased.

‘You know, I’d heard the Scots had a reputation
for being tight fisted, but that’s low, even by their standards.’

‘Less talk more action please, I want you by the
fire, now.’

‘That sounds like plenty of action,’ I grinned
with a bite of my lip as I looked up at him. He smiled back and dipped his
head, hesitating in front of my face. I went the distance and pulled him down
to me and kissed him. ‘Thank you, you saved my life.’ I kissed him again,
putting as much feeling for him as I could into it. I heard him gasp, felt his
cock swelling against my stomach, he’d felt my gratitude, possibly even more, maybe
he’d just realised how I actually felt about him. He lifted me up into his arms
and carried me through to the fire and settled me down on the rug as he went to
make me a hot coffee and tipped a good glug of brandy into it. He buttered some
bread and dotted the plate with some chunks of various cheeses and handed it
all to me and sat behind me, sliding his legs either side of mine, pressing up
behind me again as he rubbed his hands up and down my shoulders.

‘You’re still cold.’

‘I’m warming up, I promise,’ I nodded.

‘Finish eating then we’re going to bed.’

‘Dan,’ I objected.

‘Ellie, I need to be close to you tonight, to
watch over you, just in case. No arguing.’

‘Ok,’ I conceded. I felt better knowing he was
close, that he’d protect me from any nightmares. ‘Aren’t you still cold?’

‘I was only in there briefly, you were fully
submerged for some time judging by the scream I heard until I found you. I saw
a glow from your phone on the jetty which made me realise you’d probably fallen
in.’

‘Shit, my phone. Do you have it?’

‘I was a little preoccupied being a hero. It will
be there in the morning.’

‘Have you eaten?’

‘I did, it was really nice, thank you. Stop
worrying about me and drink your coffee and eat, please.’

‘You’re very bossy sometimes,’ I observed as I
took a few gulps of the alcohol laced coffee. I felt it warm the back of my
throat as I swallowed. ‘Were you used to giving orders in your old job in IT?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you miss it?’

‘Giving orders?’

‘No, your job. Doing what you do now is very
different to working in the city.’

‘You think it makes me less of a man for choosing
this life instead?’

‘No, I never said that or implied it. You’re here
because it’s what you want, I can totally understand needing to follow your
heart. If being here is right for you then that’s fine, I just wondered if you
ever missed your old life?’

‘I don’t miss being there if that’s what you’re
asking. I still go from time to time, obviously my parents still live there and
I love seeing them, but I usually can’t wait to get back here. I like the
quiet.’

‘How often do you visit them?’

‘You’re already well over your personal question
allowance for the day, Miss Baxter,’ he reminded me as his arms slipped around
my waist and squeezed me tightly. I smiled and leaned back against him.

‘Damn, I thought with my near death experience I’d
get away with that.’

‘Nice try, but no.’

‘It’s hardly giving much away if you tell me how
often you visit London each year.’

‘About once every three months,’ he sighed.

‘Would you come and see me? We could go out for
dinner and I could bore you with all the details of my new house and job,’ I
asked hesitantly.

‘Ellie, I … I don’t know if that would be a good
idea.’