Chapter Four #2
The hold on her hands relaxed and Lesley’s gaze shot to Cole as he stood and brushed the snow from his pant legs. Resting
her weight on her elbows, Lesley sat up and stared at him dumbfoundedly. When he extended a hand to her, she placed her bare
one in his and was lifted from the wet snow.
Her eyes were filled with questions, but he ignored them. Cool and aloof, he pushed her toward the stairs into the apartment.
“Get dressed or you’ll be late for work.”
“Yes sir,” she tossed back saucily.
A hint of a grin sprang into his eyes and just as quickly disappeared. “I’ll finish digging you out.”
She stood, one foot resting on the porch, the other on the top step. “Cole.”
He turned.
“Thanks.”
“Why thank me?” he said in a husky voice. “I’m doing this for completely selfish reasons.”
The words were meant to disarm her, and they did. With a sad smile, Lesley retreated into the warmth of her home.
Snow was a part of life in northern Idaho, but the first snowfall of the year created the usual rush on the service stations
for snow tires and chains. Lesley bypassed the station where she normally did business and instead stopped in at Paul Walker’s
on her way home. After filling her gas tank, she stepped into the resort grocery.
“Howdy, Paul,” she called out cheerfully. It was just after four-thirty, and already the sun was beginning to set. Heavy clouds darkened the sky. “Looks like we’re due for more snow.”
“Seems that way.” Paul was stacking jars of peanut butter on the shelf. “Anything I can get you?”
“How about a snowplow?”
He chuckled good-naturedly. “Haven’t seen your neighbor in quite a while. Must be a week or so since the last time he was
in. Buys most of his things here. Even had me special-order a few things I didn’t have handy.”
“Cole Daniels?”
“Only close neighbor you got up your way, I’d say.”
Cole had continued to do his main shopping in this resort store? Groceries were 20 percent cheaper in town.
“In fact, if it isn’t too much trouble, would you mind taking him a couple of things? He paid for them. No need to let them
sit around here with you being so close and all.”
“No,” Lesley answered thoughtfully, “I don’t mind.”
“Good.” Paul returned his attention to the peanut butter, and Lesley strolled down the narrow aisles picking up coarse salt
and the latest issue of TV Guide.
Paul handed her a small sack marked “Daniels” after she paid for the gas and the couple of things she’d gotten.
Her thoughts were as heavy as the gray clouds that obliterated the sky when Lesley drove home. The hill had been sanded, which
made the access up the hill to her place easier.
What did Cole do for a living? He was always there—at least, his car was. He seldom came out of doors. Sometimes she had the
feeling he was hiding. But why, and from whom? She’d tried to tell Terry her suspicions on several occasions, but Terry had
laughed them off, attributing such ideas to Lesley’s overactive imagination. Rather than argue, Lesley said nothing.
Cole’s lights were on when she pulled into her driveway. After dropping off her sack in the kitchen, she walked over to his front door. He didn’t respond to her first rap.
“Come on, Cole,” she cried, half-angry. What did he think she was going to do? “I promise I don’t have any snowballs.”
The sound of his chuckle could be heard before he unlatched the lock and pulled open his door.
“Paul Walker sent this along.” She gave him the small sack. The temptation to take a look had been almost overwhelming, but
she’d resisted. Lesley hated to think of herself as the nosy type.
Frowning, Cole took the sack, looked inside, then glanced up at her. “Was there something else you wanted?” he asked dryly.
Why was it Cole had the ability to make her feel like a repentant child? “No, there’s nothing else,” she shot back hotly.
She pivoted and marched down the steps.
“Lesley,” he called out, stopping her.
She turned back, her eyes flashing angry signals at him.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She didn’t feel the least bit gracious. She’d done him a favor, and Cole acted as if she’d purposely intruded
on his privacy. “Next time I won’t bother,” she mumbled under her breath as she righteously marched back to her half of the
duplex.
“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Cole called after her.
Lesley closed the door, the light and warmth of her home welcoming her. She wasn’t angry with Cole, but more puzzled than
anything. She didn’t understand him, and the more she tried, the more confused she became.
Lesley opened a can of stew and let it warm on the stove while she changed into her wool pants and sweater. The phone rang
as she reappeared in the kitchen.
“Hello,” she answered and stirred the bubbling meat and vegetables.
“Hi, how’s it going?”
It was her sister. “Fine.”
“Have any trouble getting to work this morning?”
“No. Cole helped dig me out.”
“That was nice.”
“Neighborly, but I think he had his own interests at heart. If I was home, I might find out what he does with his time all
day.”
“Honestly, Les, are you still on that kick?” Terry asked and heaved a sigh. “I sometimes think you missed your calling in
life. You should be working for the FBI.”
“Maybe,” Lesley decided not to argue.
“I got a letter from Mom and Dad today.” Their parents wintered in Arizona every year.
“Oh, what did Mom have to say?”
“The usual. They’re having a good time, Dad’s golfing every day and enjoying himself. They wanted to know if all of us would
come down for Christmas. Robert’s going to see if he can get off an extra day, but you know what the post office is like this
time of year. It looks doubtful for us. What about you?”
“I . . . I don’t know yet, I’ll have to check the schedule at the bank.” The lights flickered, then dimmed. “It looks like
I may be losing my electricity. What’s happening your way?”
“Nothing yet, but you can bet if you go, we will.”
“I’d better get off the phone and look for a candle. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
The soft buzz of the receiver told Lesley her sister had hung up.
Lesley was opening a kitchen drawer when the lights flickered a second time just before everything went completely dark.
“Rats,” she blurted out impatiently, fumbling to locate the flashlight in the kitchen junk drawer.
Her fingers encountered something sharp, and she inhaled a pain-filled breath and jerked out her hand.
The abrupt action pulled the drawer out of its socket and dumped the contents on the floor in a tremendous crash.
Something crashed on the toe of her slipper and Lesley cried out more from shock than pain.
Within seconds Cole was pounding on her sliding glass door. When she didn’t immediately respond, he pushed it aside and flashed
a light across the floor.
“Lesley,” he asked anxiously, “are you all right?”
“I . . . I think so.”
“What happened?”
“I was trying to find a flashlight and the drawer fell.”
“Why are you sucking your finger?”
“Because it’s bleeding.”
“Let me see.” He maneuvered his way through the mess on the floor and took her hand.
“It’s fine. I think I caught it on the end of an open pocketknife.”
“Serves you right,” he admonished gently.
A tingling warmth was spreading up to her elbow from his gentle but firm touch. He set the flashlight on the counter and turned
the palm of her hand over to better examine the small cut. “It doesn’t look too bad. Have any bandages handy?”
“The bathroom,” she supplied.
The flashlight on the counter dimmed and within seconds had faded completely.
“Oh, great.”
“No need to panic,” Cole muttered with an edge of impatience.
“I’m not panicking,” she denied. “I’ll get mine. It should be down here somewhere.” She took a tentative step and her foot encountered a spool of thread. “Oh,” she gasped and flung her hands out to catch herself.
Cole wrapped his arms around her waist and caught her just as she started to fall. “It’s dangerous just being around you.”
Lesley’s senses were clamoring at his nearness, and she required a couple of seconds to recover from the impact of being held
by Cole.
Cole was just as affected. Lesley could feel the battle that seemed to be going on inside him. He tensed and inhaled deeply;
his warm breath fanned the side of her face near her temple.
Lesley didn’t swallow, didn’t move. Instinct demanded that she turn into his arms, but she resisted. Her throat felt dry and
scratchy.
“Lesley.” He murmured her name softly. His arms turned so that only a few scant inches separated them. Gently a finger caressed
her cheek and wandered to her lips in sweet, burning exploration.
Softly she moaned at the pure pleasure of his touch. “Cole.” His name came in the form of a husky whisper.
His hand curved around the back of her neck, tilting her head up to meet his descending mouth.
Lesley released a slow sigh as she slipped her hands up to rest on the muscular curve of his shoulders. Her lips parted in
response as he kissed her. Joyfully her heart burst into a wild, welcoming song.
The contact deepened as Cole pulled her tighter against him. The melody continued as he kissed her again and again in jubilant
reprise. Lesley locked her arms around his neck. It felt so right, so good. She’d been kissed before, but not like this. Never
had she wanted anything more than to be held by Cole.
Abruptly his hands closed over her wrists and firmly pulled her free. His fingers continued to grip hers.
Lesley’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she noted the harsh twist of Cole’s mouth.
“That shouldn’t have happened.”
Was that regret she heard? “You kissed me,” she whispered, her voice low and slightly shaky. “It’s not that big a deal.” She
strove to sound flippant and unaffected.
“You don’t understand.” He raked his fingers through the tousled dark hair.
“No, I don’t.”
He lifted a dark strand from her face and kissed her again, lightly, brushing her lips with a sweet intensity that made her
yearn for more.
“See?”