Once Bitten, Twice Shy

How long had he been asleep? It couldn't have been too long since he stoked the stove. She leaned over the gate, calling his name softly so that the goats wouldn't be frightened.

Instantly he was awake - not simply sitting there with his eyes open, but completely awake. She smiled at him mischievously.

"Fine goat herder you are. Falling asleep in the hay."

He stood and stretched. Wincing, he rubbed his neck and grinned at her. Why did some people look so good in the morning? And how must she appear to him? In her concern for his safety, she hadn't showered or changed clothes - or even combed her hair. Of course, as long as she kept the hood up, he needn't know her hair was a mess.

He ran fingers through hair that didn't need straightening and brushed the straw from his pants.

She moved away from the gate, tearing her gaze from his lean muscular thighs.

"I guess it must have snowed since you came out here. I didn't see any tracks from the house."

"Snow?" In one lithe movement he vaulted the gate and bolted toward the door. "I slept here last night," he threw over his shoulder.

The sky hung like a gray sheet over the white landscape and huge flakes continued to fall. Daylight was making a feeble attempt to break through the heavy cloud cover. Alex stared in amazed appreciation.

"It looks like a Christmas card. I was hoping to see some snow, but this is fantastic."

Was this the first time he had seen snow? She stepped out into the frigid morning, her boots sinking into the snow with a squeaking sound.

"Katie should have breakfast ready. Let's go in and eat before I start the chores."

Normally the animals were her first concern, but if Alex had spent the night in the barn, he needed the warmth a good hot meal could offer. Thanks to him, there was nothing in the barn that couldn't wait.

Half way to the house she turned to find him slowly following, absorbed in the beauty of the winter storm. She reached down, scooping up a hand full of the moist snow, and forced it into a loose ball.

"So you were hoping it would snow, were you?"

With deadly accuracy, she threw the ball at him, laughing when it bounced off his leather coat and sprayed a mist of white crystals in his face.

He sputtered and wiped the snow from his face, grinning at her as he proceeded to make a snowball of his own.