Part 16 (2/2)

After a brief conversation, Shane clicked off his phone. ”They made it there okay. Conner says the roads are getting worse. They are talking about white out conditions on I-80.”

Thick chunks of snow collided with the winds.h.i.+eld; the wipers could barely stand against the attack. ”We can't go back now. It's fine. Look,” I pointed through an almost opaque winds.h.i.+eld. ”The roads aren't so bad.” Whom was I kidding? I was insane driving in this! I gripped the wheel as tightly as I could.

Shane glared at me openmouthed.

I pressed harder on the gas pedal to stop him from looking at me and it worked. He snapped his head forward and crossed his arms glowering out the window. ”Lea is right, you really do have some sort of a death wish,” he whispered.

I let the statement go. Fighting with him right then would cause me not to concentrate on the road that I could no longer see. All I needed to do was stand in front of those ancient blue eyes. I needed to know if Blake was who I'd been looking for.

”Do you want to explain to me why you are driving in this insane blizzard to get to someone you don't want to be with? Or am I wrong about you and Tucker?”

He would never understand. ”I don't want to be with Tucker. Let me just concentrate on driving.”

He kicked the floorboards with his foot. ”Whatever.”

We continued the drive in hours of eerie silence; nothing but the muted sounds of the snow closing down and suffocating the earth. Would this be what death would be like for me when my eternity was done? Silent, cold and empty; no heaven at all?

We both jumped, startled, when the voice from my GPS called out for me to take the next exit.

The Jeep skidded onto the off ramp and almost into a snow embankment, but I somehow managed to straighten out. Shane cursed under his breath.

”We're almost there,” I said. ”The GPS says we'll be there in three minutes.”

I drove slowly, my blood pumping fiercely through my veins. The GPS announced to the world that we had reached our destination. Outside the winds.h.i.+eld, it was pure white.

”Tucker's driveway is right off this main road, so we are probably at the entrance.”

I turned in, only to hit what seemed like a four-foot wall of snow.

”Looks like the drive is plowed in,” he said. ”Try to pull up to the right more so you're off the main road in case another plow comes by and doesn't see us.”

I pulled up more, hands shaking. ”Should we get out and walk from here?”

Shane grimaced. ”Tucker's driveway is at least three miles long. it's got its own name, so there's no way we can walk in this. I'll call them and see if he can get to us with the snow mobiles.”

He tried calling, so did I, but he got no reception at all and mine went right to voice mail so I left a message.

”What should we do?” I asked anxiously.

”We should stay in here until we can get them on the phone. That way, Grace, we won't die out in the pretty white stuff,” he teased. ”Kill the ignition, don't waste the gas.”

A tremendous gust of wind tilted the Jeep, so I frantically tried my cell phone again. No service. c.r.a.ptabulous!

Shane started s.h.i.+fting around in his seat, ”My a.s.s is asleep from sitting so long. Is that even possible? Wanna rub it for me?” he laughed.

”Shut up,” I laughed back.

As he tried to make himself comfortable, he skimmed his hand lightly across my knee, sending s.h.i.+vers throughout my body. Of course, he noticed.

Bending forward he sprang the handle on the seat and pushed it all the way back. ”You're cold already, climb over here.”

I looked at him as if he had just grown another head. ”That's not necessary.” I mean seriously, if a brush from his freaking hand sent s.h.i.+vers all over my body what would his whole body on me...I refused to finish the thought. To keep me from jumping on top of him I thought about my Jeep being mauled by a bear looking for food in the blizzard.

Outside, the wind screamed louder, and inside, the temperature was dropping faster. ”What's in your glove box?”

”My glove what?”

He pointed to the dashboard in front of him.

”Oh, you mean my glove compartment. Trust me, there's nothing in there you'll want to see,” I explained.

”Glove BOX. And is that supposed to make me not want to know what's inside it?” Shane laughed. ”Because, trust ME, it doesn't.”

We both reached for the glove COMPARTMENT/box at the same time, but he was quicker. About half a dozen tampons flew out at him.

I laughed uncontrollably. ”I told you it's nothing you'd want to see, why do you always have to try to get your way?”

He reached his hand in and felt around, throwing the last tampon at me. ”Because I was hoping you had one of these,” he said smiling, holding up a flash light. His eyes studied mine as he dropped the flashlight back into the glove whatever. He tucked a loose piece of my hair behind my ear. Another s.h.i.+ver rocked my body. A small flicker of sadness pa.s.sed over his eyes.

He unzipped his jacket and peeled it off. ”Come here, Grace, you're freezing.” He gathered me into his arms and easily pulled me onto his lap. Of course, it would be an easy task, my mutinous body helped him right along. He held me in his arms and draped the coat over us.

Not having any control over my body, I nuzzled into his chest under his jacket. It was as if I floated on warm tropical waters. Somewhere in the back of mind, I thought about those ancient blue eyes, just three miles away. The image blurred and faded in and out. I clung to Shane, not wanting to move a muscle, for fear the friction and heat between us would spark a fire. I laughed at the thought.

Shane moaned and held me tighter, ”What are you giggling at under there?”

I poked my head out from under his jacket, our faces so close to each other I could barely breathe. Our lips so close.

”I'm losing it,” I muttered. ”I'm desperate for some hot cocoa; you know the thick and creamy kind with those sweet sugary little marshmallows. I want to sit near a roaring fire with my hands wrapped around the warm cup and I want to feel the velvety heat coat my mouth and slide down my throat,” I ranted.

His breath pitched. ”G.o.d, Grace you can seriously make anything you say the s.e.xiest thing I've ever heard.” His eyes lowered their gaze to my lips as he unzipped my jacket. We locked eyes as I slipped my arms out of its sleeves. Wrapping both our jackets over us, he pulled me closer and nestled his face into my hair, his breath sparking flames down my neck.

I gritted my loudly chattering teeth. Traitorous body! I wasn't the least bit cold.

He slid his warm hands under my s.h.i.+rt and slowly traced his fingertips along the small of my back and up my spine. His touch was killing me, killing my soul; just leaving the body of Grace wanting and needing.

I slid my hands up the front of his s.h.i.+rt, telling myself it was for the warmth, but I was never a good liar. His body was soft and deliciously warm, and the restraint was torturous.

A low moan escaped from his lips. He pushed himself up against me and gently pulled me into a sitting position; my legs straddling him. This is too dangerous, too toxic; too beautiful.

I glanced down at him and immediately I wished I hadn't. He was watching me closely. He hesitated and fixed me with his intense icy blue stare. He raised his beautiful hand to my face and traced his thumb softly against my lower lip.

”One kiss, Grace, just one simple kiss. Baby, please,” he begged. ”Just one.” His hands reached up, grabbing my hair and pulling me towards him. His smell was intoxicating; I inhaled deeply.

He ran feathery fingers through my hair and around to the nape of my neck. I trembled under his touch. I was a complete dripping hot disaster; falling into pieces wanting him to fill me and put me back together.

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