Chapter 2
two
December
There’s spots of warmth against my back and side.
A blessing when I’m so cold. I know I fell face first into the snow.
I’m not walking. Why am I still moving? I don’t understand.
Unable to open my eyes—does this mean I’m asleep?
Is this a lucid dream? If it is, why can’t I focus and control what’s happening?
Shouldn’t I know what’s going on in my own dream?
I try to speak but when I’m lowered to a soft surface all I want to do is snuggle into the warmth.
Sadly, all I feel is clammy wet fur. I try to lift my hands, but nothing happens.
So I must be dreaming. If I can’t control my physical body, perhaps putting actions into my dream will work.
Imagining the cold fur disappearing doesn’t do a thing to warm me.
It's time to remember why I’m so cold. Time to wake up.
It’s a struggle then finally I’m able to blink open my eyes.
All I see is white with dark, blurry lines running across the expanse. A few more blinks and I recognize a ceiling with log beams. This isn’t familiar. Where am I?
There’s a shuffle of movement to one side and I move my eyes without turning my head. A man is staring at me, one hand extended. My brows lower with suspicion. What is he trying to do?
He jerks his hand back to his side. “Uh, hello. You’re in my cabin. I’m Dane. Do you know your name?”
What an idiotic question. Of course I know my name. “December.”
“Yes, it’s December. What’s your name?”
I close my eyes. Why couldn’t my parents have given me a normal name? I have to explain why I’m named after the month I was born all the time. “No.” Realizing that sounded angry, I soften my voice. “My name is December. Most call me Deca.”
“I’m sorry, December. Do you know why you were wandering alone in the forest during a snowfall?”
“I’m cold and clammy. My cloak is wet.” Of course I know why I was out in the forest on the night of a full moon. I’ll explain later. I wiggle trying to ease the discomfort. “I’d like to be dry and warm.”
“Sorry. I was just going to remove your cloak when you woke up.”
“Thank you.” I struggle to sit and when I move my left leg pain spears through my ankle. I gasp and whimper.
“What’s wrong?” Dane kneels next me. Even with the distraction of my throbbing ankle, I notice how attractive he is. Dark, messy hair. A well-groomed beard hugging his jaw. Bright blue eyes full of curiosity.
“My ankle. I must have twisted it.”
He angles toward my feet and carefully pulls back the cloak.
“Where’s your other shoe? You’re only wearing one.
No, that’s not really important. Yes, your ankle is swollen.
The cold probably kept you from feeling the pain.
I think I’ve got something to wrap it with.
Just stay still and I’ll be right back.”
Of course I don’t listen and swivel so I’m sitting on the edge of a denim covered futon.
My wet cloak is growing more uncomfortable so I struggle with the ties.
They’ve turned from simple looping bows to tight, wet knots and my cold fingers fumble to get them opened.
Finally I’m able to shove the damp fur from my shoulders.
“I’ve got a wrap and so—.”
I look up at my unwitting host just as he turns his back to me.
“You’re… uh… you’ve got no… where are your clothes?” he manages to say.
Clothes? I glance down at my naked body. Oh, that’s right. “I left them in my car.”
“In your…” His shoulders rise and fall with his noisy breath. Sounds like he might be frustrated with me. “Hold on.”
He leaves the room and returns with a blanket. Head lowered, he holds it out to me. “Use this to cover up with for now.”
“I need to stand up. You’ll need to help.”
“Why? Just cover yourself.”
“My cloak is wet and cold. If I’m still sitting on it, a blanket’s really not going to be much help.”
“Except to cover you up,” he mumbles.
I can’t help but grin at his discomfort as I take the blanket. “I’ve covered my front, now will you help?”
Keeping his head lowered, he takes a step closer and offers his bended arm.
With one hand wrapped around his forearm, I’m able to wobble on one foot while shoving my cloak to the floor and wrapping up in the blanket.
“Thanks, I’m decent now. But it looks like the couch has soaked up water from my cloak. ”
He's cautious when he lifts his head although the relief in his eyes when his gaze runs over me seems to spark with something more. I suppose, like usual, my thicker curves are a turn off. A vague sense of disappointment steals my grin. My reaction though is not usual and I’m unsure what to do.
I touch the toes of my left foot to the floor and gasp at the stabbing pain. Dane’s expression immediately turns to concern. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t stand any more than you have to. Hang on.”
He lifts me easily and I struggle to do just that…
hang on to both the blanket and to him when he moves from the room.
There isn’t even time to protest before he lowers me gently onto a huge bed and steps back.
Watching me, he’s still for a good minute then he shakes his head as though clearing cobwebs from his thoughts.
“Let me look at your ankle and get it wrapped,” he says, his tone all business.
I’ve only been aware of this man for under half an hour. Still I feel I know him somehow. Maybe on some emotional level I haven’t discovered yet. Or perhaps it’s simply because fate has orchestrated our meeting for some reason. I make a face at that thought. Fate could have chosen a warmer night.
“What’s wrong?” he asks as he sits at the foot of the bed and carefully moves the blanket from my lower leg.
No need to make a list of things he already knows. “Other than the obvious, nothing.”
“Then why the sour face?” He blinks and gives a slight jerk of his head like he’s surprised at his question.
“Just thinking about how crazy all this…” I wave my hand between us then toward the huge window in the wall opposite the bed. “…is. Not how I’d planned the night to go.”
“Me either. But here we are. Let’s get this foot wrapped. Then get you warm. Are you hungry? I have questions.”
“I’m sure you do. I’ll be happy to answer them maybe over something hot to drink?”
“Coffee, tea, cider, or a hot toddy?”
The drink sounds the best although I don’t think adding alcohol to the mix right now is a good idea. “Cider?”
His lips twitch as though he knows what I was thinking. “Cider it is. This probably is going to hurt. Take a deep breath.”
He waits until I do and then nods before he gently lifts my foot to rest on his thigh while he wraps the stretchy brown bandage around my ankle.
I’m not sure exactly what I’ve done to my ankle and bite my lower lip to keep from crying out from the pain.
That distraction doesn’t stop a few stray tears.
Every careful touch, every movement hurts like the devil.
“Sorry,” he says softly as he winds the last of the bandage to the front of my shin and tucks it under the other layers to secure the wrapping in place. “There’s a good deal of swelling and bruising. I hate to say this but we probably should put some ice on it.”
“As long as the cold is confined to my ankle, that’s okay.”
His grin is warm, at least it warms my heart and maybe a few other places in my body.
After placing my foot on a pillow, he covers my leg and foot with the blanket then disappears through a doorway, returning a few moments later with a plastic zipper bag filled with crushed ice, a hoodie, and a pair of dark blue sweat pants.
He dumps the clothes next to me then with an apologetic glance, places the ice bag on top of the blanket covering my ankle. “Sorry, this isn’t going to help you warm up. If you need help with the clothes…” He pauses and swallows hard. “… we can figure that out after I bring you your cider. Okay?”
“That’s fine, Dane. Thank you for helping out a damsel in distress.”
He snorts a laugh. “Despite the circumstances, you hardly seem like a damsel. In distress or otherwise. I’d say more a competent and capable woman caught by surprise. I’ll go get that cider. You relax.”
While he’s gone I manage to slip into the hoodie. It’s a tad tight over my boobs, but keeping the zipper lowered a bit more than is proper gives me the room I need. Pretty sure I won’t be able to maneuver the cuffed leg opening over my swollen ankle by myself, I don’t even attempt the pants.
Dane returns with a tray that he sets on the bedside table. Along with steaming mugs of cider, he’s added some cheese, crackers, and fruit. “Nice spread,” I say.
“Didn’t know if you’d be hungry. I can fix something more substantial if you want.”
“No, this is fabulous. What kind of cheese?”
“I’m a simple guy. Sharp cheddar and Monterey jack.”
“Perfect. My favorites, too.”
He hands me a mug. The aroma of cinnamon and apples, mixed with a hint of caramel, rises and I inhale deeply. “Smells like heaven.”
“Do you feel like talking?”
“You want to know why I was out in the forest?”
“Among other things. But if you need to rest or whatever first, we can talk in the morning.”
“It is morning. Just really early. Besides, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep until the pain lessens a bit.”
“Wait.” He rushes through another doorway and returns with a bottle of pain reliever and a tiny paper cup of water. “This should help with both the pain and the swelling.”
I take the medication along with a silent thank you to the universe for my safety and healing. Then after a bite of cheese, I nod.
Dane drags a chair from the corner of the room and sits next to the bed facing me. Grabbing a handful of grapes along with his cider, he leans back, obviously ready for my explanations.
I’m probably going to surprise him. Maybe even shock him. Holding my mug in both hands, I allow the warmth to give me courage.
“Tonight I came to the forest to dance naked under the full moon.”