Riding the Red

Adrienne was gently pulled from the depths of unconsciousness by the warm wet sensation of something licking her forehead. Opening her eyes in alarm, she saw that it was Lucas who was not, in point of fact, licking her, but gently dabbing at her temple with a wet cloth that he periodically dipped into a bowl of warm water. She could smell witch hazel and the sharp, herbaceous odour of tea-tree oil. She shrank away from him and he stopped his ministrations and looked at her.

Looking around, Adrienne took her bearings. She was gently sinking into a comfortable forest green corduroy couch in front of a crisply roaring fire in what looked like a well-appointed cabin. Under the pervasive odour of tea tree oil, she could scent the strong smell of pine, loam, and crushed leaves. Lucas had taken off his jacket, but was still dressed in his vest and shirt, the sleeves of which were rolled up to his elbows. He had undone the first two buttons of his shirt and had loosened his tie. His intoxicating, spicy scent wafted up from inside his shirt and swirled around her head.

"Welcome back," he said.

Looking back at him, she asked, "Where am I?"

"You're in my home. You took quite a tumble. Nothing seemed broken, but how do you feel?"

Adrienne did a quick inventory of herself. Everything felt fine except for her head, which was throbbing. "My head hurts, but that's it."

"That's to be expected, given how hard it hit that log."

Adrienne closed her eyes and tried to recall a memory of what he was saying, but the last thing that she remembered was him offering to walk her home. "What happened?" she queried.

"You were walking away, tripped over something, fell, and hit your head," Lucas said matter-of-factly.

"I don't really remember..."

"That's not surprising. You have a mild concussion, but nothing a few aspirin, some butterfly bandages and plenty of rest won't cure. You won't even have a scar."

"Are you a doctor?" Adrienne countered. Lucas just smiled mysteriously and began to apply the bandages. "Seriously," she said, "I want to know. I'm going to need a proper medical diagnosis from a real doctor."

Lucas' grin widened. "I've had extensive EMT training as well as countless hours of field experience."

"Oh. So...are you a medic? What is it that you do?"

"A tid of this, a bit of that," he said, evasively. "All done. Have a look." He handed her a mirror.

Adrienne looked at her face with trepidation, but aside from some superficial, if colourful bruising, and a small gash held together by the butterfly bandages, her face was otherwise unharmed. She dimpled shyly as she looked at him. "I don't mean to seem ungrateful. Thank you."

"No thanks needed. I was happy to have been of service."

"Well...I hate to run, but I really must get on to my grandmother's house." Lucas stared intensely at her.

"You can't."

"I...can't?" she faltered.

"No. A freak snowstorm hit while I was carrying you here. We're completely snowed in. Look outside."

Disbelievingly, Adrienne stood up to open the curtains. The edges of her vision flickered and she swayed.

Lucas steadied her with a firm grip on her arm, then rose and pulled her to him. "Come with me," he crooned in her ear, "I'll show you." Guiding her over to the windows, he pulled back the draperies to reveal a world dressed in white.

"What the devil is this?" Adrienne looked sharply at Lucas, who gave an elegant shrug of his shoulders.

"The temperature has dropped precipitously since the sun went down. Surely you felt it. Why else were you so bundled?"

"I...just dressed, I didn't give it too much thought." She paused. "It never snows this much here. It barely snows at all, not to mention at such an unseasonable time for it."

"And yet, there you are," Lucas said with finality, languidly waving a hand toward the window. With what she was coming to realize was his perpetual wolfish grin he added rhetorically, "If you can't trust your eyes, then just what can you trust?"

"Certainly not you," Adrienne said softly, without thinking. Realizing her rudeness, she blushed scarlet and started to stammer an apology.

Lucas just grinned all the wider. "Smart girl."

Adrienne searched his face, but despite its sharp planes, she found no malice. Unthinkingly, she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. His pupils dilated until the iris was almost eclipsed by black, but other than that, there was no reaction. Dismayed by her own forwardness, Adrienne dropped her hand as if his face hand burned her.

"I need to call someone to let them know where I am."

Lucas started shaking his head before she even finished her sentence. "I'm afraid that I have no phone. I'm a rustic sort. No phone, no TV, no Internet."

Adrienne felt her eye twitch. She was a daughter of the tech age. "No Internet?"

He laughed. "Teasing. I actually do have satellite service, but in storms like this, snow covers the dish and the end result is...no Internet."

"Well, how long are we going to be here?"

"I haven't the foggiest," he said, comfortably. Adrienne's stomach took that moment to let out an ominous rumble. "Someone needs feeding. For better or for worse, you are my guest and as such, it is my distinct pleasure to see to all of your...physical needs." She self-consciously wrapped her arms around herself. "Follow me. I'm sure that I can scare up something."

He led her to a dining room dominated by a long cherry wood table surrounded by high backed chairs. "Sit," he commanded. Adrienne bristled slightly at his tone, but she was tired and hungry, as well as a guest in his home, so, after paying lip-service to her pride by giving him a look, she sat. "Good girl." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle of Tylenol PM. Reaching across the table for a carafe and glass, he poured her a glass of water while saying, "Take three of these. They should help with your head." He left the room, but soon returned with a giant silver platter full of fruit, nuts, cured sausage, honey, bread, cheese and two sharp little knives in one hand, and a bottle of grape juice in the other. "You must excuse me. I'm a bachelor. I have plenty of food, but none of it is particularly fancy."

"My basket--"

"--Is in the living room."

"I have some food in there. My mom had sent me a care package and in it she included some things for my grandmother, which is why I was on my way to her house. I also brought most of my things to share with her, so that should supplement your stores."

"We'll dip into it, if necessary, but—"

"I have cookies," she sing-songed.

Lucas paused. "I'll get it." A moment later, he returned. Laying her basket on her lap, he looked at her. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable? I can put your cape on the coat-rack. "

"Oh...thank you." She stood to untie her cape when he moved behind her.

Reaching around, he brushed away her hands. "Allow me." He untied her cape, his fingers gently brushing against her throat. As he slid it from her shoulders, the backs of his hands brushed against her arms. The contact was minimal, but Adrienne felt her face grow hot. When he returned he looked at her. "You're blushing."

"I'm...quite hot. I'll be fine."

"Indeed. Shall we?" They tore into the food. Adrienne hadn't realized how hungry she was until she started eating. She moaned as she bit into a piece of bread and cheese. She didn't have time to be embarrassed, however, because Lucas was wolfing it down even faster than she. He wasn't a rude eater, but an expeditious one. Adrienne grinned. She had always enjoyed watching men with good table matters enjoy their food and it was nice not to have to act like a lady while her stomach burned with hunger. Soon, however, the silver platter was clean and they were halfway through her packet of Hob Nobs. Adrienne sighed and sat back. Lucas nodded. "I second that." Adrienne blinked her eyes in contentment.

Several moments later, she realized that her eyes were still closed. Before she could open them, Lucas swung her into his arms and started out of the dining room. She struggled against him until he said, "Relax, little one. I'm just carrying you to the guest room. My room is down the hall." Realizing that her struggles were useless anyway, she relented. Deep within herself, she sighed. His body was as hard as marble. A thrill ran through her as she enjoyed a luxury that she hadn't experience since she was a child. Of course, it was quite different, being carried by your beloved Papa and being carried by a rugged, enticing man who was definitively not anything like your sweet, gentle, owlish Papa.

Lucas turned into a room and placed her gently on the side of the bed. The Tylenol were just beginning to work and she blinked sleepily down at him as he undid her shoes. Looking up at her, he reached under her skirt, sliding his warm, callused hands along her calves and thighs until her reached her garters. Drawing one hand back down her leg, he put it beneath her knee and lifted it as he unhooked the back of the garter. Gently placing her leg back against the mattress, he undid the front and side, and then tenderly, yet methodically folded the stocking down her leg.

Adrienne knew that she should be affronted at his effrontery, but she was tired and warm and full of good food. Besides, what with the way that he was looking at her and the warm scent of his hair teasing her nostrils, she was half tempted to let him do a lot more. He unhurriedly repeated the process with her other leg, looking into her eyes the entire time. Then, folding her stockings together, he placed them in her shoes.

He rose before her, towering over her as he looked down into her face. Starting with the bottom button of her vest, he slowly undid it and peeled back the halves, then folded it into the drawer by the bed. As he turned back to her, Adrienne raised her arms. Reaching down, he began to pull up her shirt. Pausing, he ran his hands over her stomach. He swallowed and looked at her. "Corset?" he asked hoarsely.

"I like them," she shrugged.

Taking a shuddering breath, Lucas pulled up her shirt and folded it away with her vest. He took a step back and looked at her. Her golden-brown skin fairly glowed against the cream silk brocade. "My, my, my, Little Red. You almost make a man forget to be a gentleman." She dimpled shyly.

"Turn around," he softly commanded. Adrienne paused, unsure. Then she slowly turned around. "Pull your hair to the side." Reaching behind her, she caught her heavy mass of hair with one arm and pulled it over her shoulder. Lucas didn't move for awhile. Just as Adrienne was about to turn back around, she felt his fingers begin to leisurely unlace the back of her corset. As each row came undone, she felt the hot backs of his fingers gently brush against her back. Finally the work was done. An expectant heaviness hung in the air.

Adrienne slowly turned back around, holding the corset to her chest. Lucas looked at her, and then leaned toward her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head. She felt his hand brush back her hair, his breath gently fan over her face. He whispered, "That wound looks as if it's beginning to heal already. I trust that a night's rest will do you great good." By the time his words registered and she opened her eyes, he was gone.