Snow Angel (7 page)

Elizabeth squealed as Jacko dodged a bone that suddenly sprung up from Noah's plate and propelled itself toward his head.

Jacko roared with laughter. “OK, OK, I'll only come every other day.”

* * *

She couldn't sleep. The room was cozy warm with the perpetual fire crackling and popping, the quilt tucked up tight under her chin. Tomorrow they would prepare for the trip to Juneau and the next day they would leave. Just two more days with him.

Noah had given Jacko the bed, while Noah slept on a thick fur between the fire and where she lay on the sofa. He had fallen asleep right away tonight, with the kind of deep and even rising and falling of his broad chest that spoke of easy contentment, of a peaceful, steadfast nature. His blanket was another long, dark fur. Elizabeth couldn't help but think about what it would feel like to lie between those two silky surfaces. She turned away and closed her eyes. She didn't want to watch him. She told herself it was impossible to consider anything with Noah other than a surface friendship, a sham business partnership. But still, she couldn't sleep. She could hear Jacko's loud snoring from the bed. A movement from Noah regained her attention. He had rolled over onto his back and the fur had slipped down a few more inches. Firelight danced over his dark form, illuminating then shadowing, revealing and hiding, mesmerizing her. Turning her
face to the ceiling, she squeezed her eyes shut. What was wrong with her? Not even Ross, the only man she had
believed
herself in love with, had made her feel like this man did. Turning back she stared at him, trying to reason it out in her mind.

His feet must be cold, sticking out from the bottom like that.
Glancing around she saw the heavy cotton shirt she had mended after dinner while the men talked. He would probably kick it off, but she thought it was worth the effort. After all the care he had given her, he could use some in return, couldn't he? She slipped out of her makeshift bed and sidled over to the shirt. Whisking it from the back of the rocker, she crept over to the sleeping form and spread out the shirt, letting it float gently onto his feet.

She jumped when a hand suddenly clamped around her wrist. “Elizabeth?” the groggy, deep voice asked. “What are you doing? Is something wrong?”

She'd been caught. Biting her lower lip and standing in her thin undergarments, she started shivering, her teeth chattering. “I-I-I w-wasn't doing any-anything,” she said, trying to pull away from the grip on her arm.

Noah easily drew her closer until she was kneeling in front of him and whispered, “You were doing something. Why are you up? Are you all right?”

Elizabeth looked down at his chest and sighed. She couldn't possibly tell him the truth. It was ridiculous.

* * *

NOAH WAS FULLY awake now and growing more uncomfortable by the moment. She was sitting there in front of him with the firelight casting dancing shadows on her curves, her gown
tangled up around her bare legs. Forcing his eyes to her face, he concentrated on keeping them there. But all he could see was the top of her silky hair. Putting a thumb under her chin he tilted her face up. That was a mistake. When he saw the smoldering depths of her eyes, he knew. God help him … she wanted him.

He fought a quick internal battle and lost, unable to resist her quiet call—had even been waiting and hoping for it in some innate part of his soul. Slowly he pulled her toward him, her knees sliding across the silky surface toward him, until she was close enough to touch him. He leaned up, bracing himself with one arm to reach for her, leaning toward her until he could feel her quick breaths across his face. He lifted higher, feeling the fur slip down to his waist, feeling the cool air in front of him and the warmth of the fire on his back, feeling the rush of blood pound in his ears as he reached for her lips.

They were cold and she was still shivering. Whether from cold or something else, Noah wasn't sure, but he wanted her warm and comfortable. Putting a strong arm around her waist, he pulled her closer, down into the fur nest with him, feeling her stomach come flush against his, feeling the small mounds of her breasts against his chest, and all the while pulling the fur over them where it could warm her.

“Elizabeth,” he whispered into her hair, next to her ear, sending a shiver through her body.

His lips grazed the line of her delicately made jaw, then into the crook of her neck, then back to where her breath mingled with his. His hand slid up to the back of her neck and then around, his thumb caressing her cheek. Their breaths intermingled, becoming one. Her eyes looked like dark pools,
their depths unreadable, unfathomable. Her lips were still as he touched them, wanting a response, wanting what her eyes just moments ago had promised him.

An eerie feeling assailed him. Something was not right. He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes once again. Noah suddenly knew she was somewhere else, that she wasn't in the room with him anymore. He touched her cheek gently. “Elizabeth?”

As reality returned to her eyes she became alive. Bracing her free hand on his chest, she pushed away and whispered desperately, “No. Don't touch me.”

He looked back into her eyes, holding her to him by her wrist, to find fear had replaced the nothingness. Some sense told him fear was the better of the two. “What's wrong, Elizabeth? I won't hurt you.”

She shook her head and tried to pull away. “No, I'm sorry … I didn't mean … you can't.”

He abruptly let go of her wrist. “Elizabeth … what's wrong?”

When she didn't answer, just looked confused and terrified, he reached out for her, but she scrambled farther away. “You know you can trust me, Elizabeth. I would never harm you.”

She shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes and whispered, “Good night, Noah.” She went back to the sofa and rolled away from him, pulling the quilt up to her neck.

He looked at her slight form under the blanket and felt like cursing. What was wrong with her? What was wrong with him? Just when he thought they were going to get closer, she once again closed herself off. Would he ever really know her?

Why Lord? Why did I have to fall in love with this woman?

* * *

AS AUTUMN ASSERTED itself, darkness crept increasingly into the daylight. It was mid-November and Noah hoped they would have enough daylight to make it to Juneau, although he and his lead dog, Shelby, had made it in the dark before. Looking across the room, he saw that Elizabeth was still asleep. Rising, he folded the furs and walked quietly over to where she lay. He gazed down at the translucent creamy skin, the dark hair spread around her pillow. He didn't want her to leave, wished he had time to court her and make her want to be in his arms. He wished he had time to help her conquer the demons that seemed to hound her. She needed him.

Common sense told him it was a good thing Jacko had come when he had, though. He knew that after last night he shouldn't be spending the night alone with her. He'd prayed for a blizzard, which would have gotten him into a lot of trouble, being holed up alone together for days, but instead Jacko had shown up ready to watch the place, leaving Noah without an excuse to put off the trip. Her feet were much better, and it was time to take her back to Juneau. But he promised himself he'd make as many trips into town as the winter would allow. He wasn't about to let her get away.

The day went by as if weights were dragging the clock hands. He'd been grouchy all morning and had barked orders at both of them while packing for the journey. Elizabeth was quiet and somber, meekly accepting his gruff commands. But Jacko … Jacko was enjoying every minute of Noah's distemper.

Noah tried once more at noon to get Jacko away from Elizabeth. “Why don't you come see the dogs, Jacko,” he grumbled. “I could use your help.”

Jacko winked at Elizabeth and said brightly, “Naw, we've got plans for this afternoon, don't we, Liz?”

She looked from one to the other and compressed her lips.

Noah wanted to drive his fist right into Jacko's smiling mouth. He wouldn't look so pretty with a few front teeth missing. Growling, he shoved away from the table. “Suit yourselves.” He swung into his coat and stomped out the door. He strode to the barn, balling his hands into fists and muttering, “Who needs them anyway.” Plans! He knew just what kind of plans Jacko would like to have with Elizabeth. Never mind they were very similar to his own. The man had no scruples; he'd seduce his best friend's sister given half a chance.

Swinging the barn door open, Noah walked over to his horse and picked up the brush. With more energy than needed he applied his frustration to the supple, brown coat. The repetitive action heartened him.

He was nearly finished when Elizabeth burst through the door, shouting, “Noah, come quick, the cabin's on fire!”

“Fire?” Noah burst out as he dropped the brush and dashed out of the door, Elizabeth at his heels. Fire was a dreaded thing in Alaska. Shelter could mean the difference between life and death, especially during the winter months. Noah threw off his parka as he ran, having on an old pair of work overalls underneath. He burst through the open door and took in the scene.

The smoke was thick, but Noah quickly determined the flames were concentrated near the stove. Jacko was beating
out flames on the floor with his foot. What jerked him into action was seeing a trail creep toward his bookcase and precious books.

“There's no more water in the cabin!” Jacko shouted. Noah swept the quilt off the bed. With his boots and the blanket he stomped out the fire on the floor and turned toward the stove. Elizabeth ran in the door with a bucket of water from the barn sloshing over her sleeves. Noah moved just in time as she threw the water onto the stove, making a long hissing sound and sending steam and smoke into their faces.

It didn't take them much longer to extinguish the fire. After the last flame was out they checked the cabin thoroughly for hidden flames. Finding none, Jacko and Noah followed Elizabeth to the yard, taking deep breaths of the cold air.

“Are you OK?” Noah asked Elizabeth.

She nodded, hugging herself in answer.

“What happened?” Noah asked, looking first at Jacko's blackened face and then Elizabeth's smoke-ringed eyes.

Jacko coughed and held up his hand. “It was my fault. I was trying out a new recipe.”

Noah scowled at him. “A new recipe, huh? What kind of concoction were you mixing up in there, Jacko?”

Jacko grinned, unrepentant and Noah growled at him knowingly. “I was just showing Liz here how to make a little miner's punch. The knowledge could prove valuable to her at the post. You know how much Will likes my punch.”

Noah shook his head and turned his penetrating gaze on Elizabeth.

She grimaced. “I'm sorry, Noah. He said to add pepper-sauce, and when I did the fumes nearly took my breath away.

I backed up into the table and knocked over the lamp. The kerosene caught fire right away.”

Noah nodded. He had seen the broken glass of the lantern and had suspected a kerosene fire.

Jacko said, “I tried to get to her and knocked over a bottle of grain alcohol that was sitting on the stove. It must have met with the kerosene, 'cause the flame caught it. There was a nice little explosion when it met with the puddle on the stove right next to the pot of punch.” Jacko shrugged. “It all happened so quickly. We kind of just stood there in shock, staring at the whole thing. Then I started beating out the flames with my boots and Liz went for you. You know the rest.”

Noah sighed heavily. “Let's take a look at the damage.”

They walked in, the three of them standing just inside the doorway, staring at the mess. Water lay in puddles on the floor and the table. Broken glass was everywhere. The quilts were ruined, lying in smoke-stained heaps. Everything smelled of smoke. The wall behind the stove was permanently blackened, but upon further inspection, Noah was thankful he wouldn't have to replace any boards. With a good cleaning, the place would be almost as nice as before. He was beginning to wonder if his cabin would survive his houseguests. Looking over at Elizabeth, his heart softened. She was close to tears.

He squeezed her around the shoulders and said, “Don't fret about it, Elizabeth. No great harm was done, and at least you and Jacko weren't hurt.”

She looked up at him, guilt heavy in her eyes. “After all you've done for me … I'm really sorry.”

While they were talking, Jacko had gone over to the stove and lifted the lid on the pot. Taking up a wooden spoon he
stirred it around. Dipping out some of the mixture he blew on a steaming spoonful. Noah and Elizabeth watched in silence as he closed his eyes and tasted it. He grinned and nodded his head. “It's perfect.” He winked at Elizabeth. “Guess we'll have to add a little kerosene to that recipe.”

* * *