An icy wind stung Amy's cheeks as she ran down a tree lined avenue under an overcast November sky. Her breath puffed rhythmically in front of her as her feet pounded the pavement.
Only another three miles to go, she thought, rather morosely, to herself. Today was one of those days she just wanted to sit on the couch, snuggled in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, not freezing her ass off training for a half marathon.
As Amy neared the end of the street she felt the first whisper of snow touch her nose. This could be bad, she thought to herself. The weather report had indicated heavy storms, potentially blizzard conditions, would be sweeping across the central part of the country later this evening. It looked like the weather might be making an early entrance. She quickened her pace, hoping to make it back to her apartment before the skies opened up.
Amy was over a mile from her place when the snow began to swirl in thick flakes down the sidewalk. The evening light was rapidly fading and visibility was dropping, as were the temperatures. The bitter winds were searing her lungs with every gasp she took, her body buffeted by the forceful gales. Snowflakes collected on her dark lashes, but she was too exhausted to care.
Headlights flashed behind her, illuminating the shadowed street, now veiled in snow. Amy barely noticed the car pulling into a driveway a few house in front of her.
"Amy?" she heard a voice call out, breaking her committed focus. Amy's feet slowed of their own volition.
"Yes," she said, squinting through the flurry, trying to identify the man attached to the voice.
"Amy? What the hell are you doing running in this crap?"
Amy laughed, recognizing the man now. He was a member of the local running club. Drew, if she remembered correctly. "I'll be fine. Home is like ten minutes away."
"Bullshit, you'll twist an ankle or catch pneumonia between here and there. You can wait the storm out here, and I'll give you a lift once I can see more than ten feet in front of me."
Amy sputtered a protest, and turned to finish her run. She had only taken two steps when she hit a patch of ice and felt her feet fly out from under her. She landed with an abrupt thump on her backside, the air forced from her lungs.
"Amy? Are you okay? I told you, you're gonna break an ankle." Soft footsteps crunching snow hurried toward her.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine," Amy muttered, grabbing Drew's outstretched hand. He pulled her to her feet as she dusted the snow from her leggings. "Dammit," she swore, "it's too bloody cold out here."
A throbbing ache from her fall was spreading through her left thigh and hip. Her throat was raw from the callous air and her fingers were starting to go numb. She flexed her hands, trying to force blood into them and felt her teeth chatter as shivers rippled through her body. Her knees buckled under her, and she would have hit the sidewalk again if Drew hadn't caught her.
"Looks like you really don't have much choice in the matter," he laughed softly as he lifted her to his chest. Breathing steadily into her thick hair he carried her into his house.
Drew placed Amy gently on an overstuffed couch in his living room. Her body continued to shake as the biting cold sunk deeper into her bones. Drew's eyes narrowed in concern as he took in her frosted hair, ice kissed cheeks, and pale blue lips. Death had seen better days.
He grabbed the blankets tossed haphazardly over the couch end and threw them over Amy's legs. Then he dropped to the floor and pulled Amy's hands into his, pursing his lips at her chill skin.
"What part of this morning's weather report did you not understand? The freezing winds or probable blizzard conditions?" he asked tersely, rubbing her hands between his.
"I, I, didn't think it would h-hit until la-ater," she managed to stammer out through clenched teeth. "I'm fi-ine, re-eally."
Drew snorted. "Yeah, I can see that." As the last word left his lips, the lights flickered and went out.
"Oh, this just gets better and better," he said to himself, standing up quickly. Tearing his coat off he dragged it over her shoulders, hoping his residual heat would help bring her body temperature up. "Stay here and keep rubbing your hands together," he said, looking into her amber brown eyes. "I'm going to get a fire going." All Amy could do was nod her head in compliance as another tremor wracked her body.
Drew bent over the cold hearth across from the couch and struck a match.
Amy watched him slowly encourage that single spark into a dancing flame under the logs. Shadow and light covered his face, flickering over his dark hair and strong jaw line. She had seen him almost every Saturday for the last year, since she'd moved to town. They ran with the same club, and had chatted every once in awhile after those morning runs along Western. She always remembered him though, mostly, for his eyes. Slate gray, like the sea after a storm, they shifted with the light, piercing through the darkness. She found it unnerving to hold contact with them for more than a few seconds.
Drew glanced up and caught Amy's eyes with his and noticed she only held them for a moment before glancing away. A smile played across his lips as he took in her long auburn locks and high cheekbones. He'd memorized the pattern of freckles on her nose, now fading with the forgotten summer. The first time he'd seen Amy, stretching as she prepared for an easy 10K, he'd felt his heart hammer and his stomach knot. There was something about the way she laughed so freely, something with the way her legs looked in those black running tights. She haunted his dreams, and now she was perched like a half drowned cat on his couch, trapped by an advancing storm.
Another tremble rolled through Amy's body. Her fingers tingled with growing warmth, but she could also feel a flush spreading across her cheeks. She had seen something in his eyes that had unsettled her. Maybe it would be better if she faced nature's fury outside then stayed here. She knew nothing about Drew; he was all but a stranger...a stranger with beautiful eyes.
Struggling to free her heavy limbs from the tangle of blankets Amy started to rise to her feet. "Thank you so much, but I really should go. I don't want to inconvenience you any more than I have. I can make it back to my apartment from here, I'll just be more careful." With that she turned and quickly strode to the door.
Just as her hand pulled the sturdy door ajar, she felt his chest press against her back, his hands pushing the door shut on either side of her face.
"I can't let you go out there Amy. It's too dangerous," Drew whispered into her hear, his breath tickling her ear. A howling wind battered the door, as if to agree with his words.
Amy struggled to pull the door open, but he continued to hold it shut, trapping her between his solid body and the cool wood. "I think it would be better if you stay here, with me." His voice held a husky note and he dropped his face into her damp locks, breathing in her faint scent. Brushing his lips over her neck, he dropped one arm to her waist, pulling Amy to his body. His other hand pulled her hair away from her neck and he tenderly ran his lips over her chill skin.
His touch had an electric effect on Amy's body and she panicked. Shoving herself from the door, she threw off Drew's balance. Amy scrambled out of his reach, backtracking wildly toward the couch. However, her freedom lasted only a moment before he closed the space between them and forced her back onto the soft couch, shoving her into the blankets.
"Dammit Amy, don't make me force you. Sit down and stay put," he barked. Amy launched herself off the cushions, trying to make a dash for the door again, but he caught her arm and pulled her to him as he toppled onto the couch, pinning Amy under his body.
"Sweetheart, I meant what I said. You are staying with me tonight. Don't fight it," he said heavily. Amy struggled under him, heaving her hips in an effort to dislodge him, but to no avail.
"Look at me Amy," he commanded, holding her face between his hands as he pushed his hips into hers. "Look at me," he repeated, his voice edged with a dangerous tone Amy didn't want to name. She had no choice but to stare up into his stormy eyes as he whispered, "I will save you Amy, even if I have to save you from yourself." Shadows from the fire hid his face, but she could feel his eyes on her skin.
Amy thrashed under him, fear clouding her mind as he crushed the air out of her.
"Let me go you bastard," Amy gasped, frantic to fight her way loose. However, he was simply too strong. "Please, let me go." Her voice was tinged with hysteria.