Free Lost in Shadows by CJ Lyons

you?” 
    He slumped back, caught himself before he could actually regress into pouting, and allowed her to pull them off for him. Jeez, how much good was he going to be when The Preacher’s men came calling if he couldn’t even undress himself?
    When he looked up he saw a look of wounded pride in her face. Aw hell, what had he done now?
    “I helped build this shelter,” she said, laying the rain pants flat to dry near the fire. “If you have someplace better in mind or if you’d rather go build yourself a snow cave, feel free.” 
    She squatted before him, the fire at her back, silhouetting her, its shadows accentuating her high cheekbones and the fierce expression in her eyes.
    “I’m sorry,” he said earnestly. “I’m tired, my shoulder hurts like a sonofabitch, and I have no idea how I’m supposed to stop The Preacher when I’m trapped here in the middle of nowhere.”
     

     
    Vinnie bristled as his calling her mountain, her home, her sanctuary, “nowhere.”
    Then she shook her head and chuckled. It was in the middle of nowhere. That was why she had come here. Away from the city, away from people, away from everything except the beauty of nature and a lot of peace and quiet.
    And the occasional blundering idiot to rescue. 
    She passed him the water bottle. “Finish this,” she told him. “I’ll melt some snow.”
    He frowned at that. “Is it safe to eat snow? What about all the animals, uh, relieving themselves in it?”
    She couldn’t stop from laughing again. City boy. “Safer than that crap you city folk call water. I just wish I had some milk and vanilla—then I’d make you some snow cream. You don’t know what you’re missing.”
    “Snow cream? Like ice cream?”
    “That’s like comparing Bud Lite to Guinness.” She sat back on her heels, eyes half-closed as she remembered her mother’s deft touch in creating the winter delicacy. “My mom used to make it for us when we were kids. Had to do everything just right or it would turn into slushy soup. Use a metal bowl, set it outside to chill before you start, fill it with fresh powder—had to have fallen that day, no packed crystals.”
    He nodded as if he shared in her memory, his gaze locked on her face. She smiled. “Slowly add the cream as you gently, so very gently, whisk the snow, then drizzle in the vanilla—just a touch. And then,” she sighed, closing her eyes, “heaven as it melts on your taste buds, vanishes before you can even swallow, leaving only the memory of that delicate texture and flavor.”
    “Wow,” he said, his voice a sigh barely heard over the wind outside.
    She opened her eyes wide, saw that his were now transfixed on her lips. At first she flushed, enjoying the warmth of his attention. It had been a very long time since any man had taken an interest in her.
    Then her stomach rumbled and she realized it had nothing to do with her as a woman—he was starved. What was she doing, sitting here talking about food when she should be getting some ready for them? 
    Vinnie felt herself blush as she broke away from his gaze and stood up, grabbing a pot from her pack before heading outside to gather some snow to melt.
    Once outside she cleared her head, inhaling air so cold it made her head rush. Or maybe it wasn’t the cold air. Maybe it was these feelings newly awakened inside her. 
    She filled the pot, packed down the snow and added more. The night was quiet, the snow had slowed but the wind off the gorge came in quick bursts sending whirling dervishes of snow spiraling around her boots. She blew out her breath, tried to ignore the heat she felt when she thought of Lucky or the way he looked at her or the way his hands felt in hers.
    Tried and failed. She darted a glance towards the cabin. It had been a long time since she’d felt this way—so long that she’d forgotten how good being with a man could feel. She wanted to feel that way again.
    Adrenalin and its aftermath, she told herself. Driving her