Author's note: Every one has their good days and their bad days. This is an edited version of the original Cold Fusion, which in a hurried and frustrating time, I wrote and submitted. My apologies to the readers that enjoy my writing. I didn't deliver my best. Shame on me, and I hope you enjoy this new version. I also wish to thank gotwood49, who has less hair now, because he pulled it out from trying to edit this piece. Thanks pal!
*
The blowing wind and snow lashed at Clara's skin, trying to rip the windbreaker from her body. She felt herself shivering violently, as she trudged, one foot in front of the other, fighting the urge to give up, to rest. Looking up, she saw it: the light ahead of her. Focusing her sight on that light, she stared at it, rarely blinking; praying that it would not go out; that it would continue to be a beacon for her salvation. Finally, she reached the driveway, and forced her weak legs to move, step by step, bringing her closer to the door that she hoped would give her shelter.
It had been a long night; cold, and boring. As usual, he sat here alone, nursing his beer as another Friday night drifted by. Finally, Jack gave up the evening, sighing quietly he went through the routine of starting at one room, and shutting off the lights. Reaching for the porch switch, he heard a faint sound, a rasping, as if something was grazing against his front door.
She made it. Falling onto the door, her fingers numb and her body frozen. Looking down at her snow-encrusted sneakers and her sweat pants clinging to her skin, she felt the tears that had been threatening to fall slowly begin to trail down her face. Lifting her arm to knock on the door, she realized that she could barely move it, and slumped against the wood. Not fully understanding that her body was shutting down, she closed her eyes and succumbed to the darkness.
Jack opened the door, and found a bundle of wet clothing and frozen limbs falling against him. Scooping the cold figure up, he quickly kicked the door closed with his foot and rushed back to his bedroom. Noting the fire still burning strong, he placed his cold surprise on the bed. Hearing a moan escape from the frozen package, he looked up into a face that, under normal circumstances, would have been lovely. Now, however, all he saw was a frozen woman; a tint of blue to her lips and a face so pale it was almost translucent.
Clara could almost hear something or someone speaking to her. Her mind was trying desperately to hear the noise; to focus on it. Struggling with the need to sleep, she fought with herself, and forced her eyes to pry open. A blurry image rose above her. The figure was large, somewhat bigger then herself. She was able to make out a mess of black hair and broad shoulders. "Soooo... co-o-l-d," she murmured, once more blacking out.
Jack carefully removed her arms from her jacket and tossed it to the floor. Pulling the t-shirt from the waistband of her sweats, he worked the shirt out. Looking down at her face, he questioned whether or not he had seen her open her eyes. He had heard her quiet whimper about being cold, and had reassured her that he would help her. Glancing away from her face, he went back to working on getting the wet clothes from her body. Jack did his best to avoid gazing upon the woman, not feeling comfortable touching her unconscious form. He gently, yet swiftly, lifted her torso from the bed and eased her shirt off her body. "God," he muttered to himself, "She's almost frozen!"
Moving down to her feet, he quickly untied the laces and pulled off the soaked sneakers. "What was she thinking," he grumbled aloud, as he tossed the sneakers on top of the jacket and t-shirt. Next, he pulled off her socks, and began to rub her feet with his hands. It wasn't long before the warmth from his ministrations had been absorbed by her tender flesh. Gritting his teeth, he stood and looked down over her. Knowing he would have to remove the icy sweat pants, he stood for a moment at the side of the bed. Then, steeling himself, and pushing all thoughts aside that he normally would have had when a woman was on his bed, he began to remove the wet material from her pale body.
Pulling the sweats down past her hips and away from her thighs, he quickly pulled them completely from her, throwing them to the side, to land with the other clothes. He looked down, seeing her start to shake and shiver, soft pleading sounds escaping her lips. Then he moved the covers from the opposite side of the bed and returned to lift her in his arms. Without knowing what she was doing, she nestled closer against him, absorbing his heat. "Shit!" he groaned, as he felt the softness of her flesh, concealed now only by her white bra and panties, press against him.
Cradling her, he laid her on one side of the bed, then drew back, pulling down the other half of the blankets. Once again he lifted her, in order to place her in the middle of the bed, and once again she snuggled into him. Biting his tongue and trying not to breathe in the smell of her skin, he repositioned her in the bed, and covered her shivering body. Then he set about washing up her soggy clothes, and hanging them on a rack to dry. Stirring the logs in the fireplace, he added several more pieces, and prodded them with the poker. Jack then returned to the den and loaded up that fireplace as well, before moving back to check on his new houseguest.
Her body was still shaking and thrashing, trying to warm itself. Realizing that he had no choice but to help bring her temperature back to normal, he made a decision. Stripping his clothes from his body, leaving only his boxers on, he climbed in beside her. Pulling her close, he ran his hands over her skin, hoping and praying silently that this would be enough. To his surprise, his own body began to react, as he massaged the circulation and feeling back into her arms, back and hips. Running his hands further down her body, he was pleased at the firm muscles he felt beneath his fingers. Trying to keep his eyes on her face, he watched to see if she would awaken. His hands moved faster on her cold leg, and soon he heard a stronger moan come from her lips. Satisfied that her body was responding to his ministrations, he moved from the bed and walked around the other side. He again gently climbed in, this time behind her. Pressing his hands against her stomach, he brought her frozen backside against his chest and spooned his body into hers. He let his eyes close, as the fires slowly begin to extinguish behind their grates.