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He was loath to let go of her, but he loosened his arms so she could
stand up. His eyes had adjusted enough that he could make out her shape
in the dark.
Could you grab the milk? I... Well& She touched his cheek again,
and he leaned into her smooth palm. Warm milk with honey, it ll help
you relax.
A soft chuckle slipped out of him, along with another tear. That
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Healing Touch by Anna Leigh Keaton
was what he gave Trevor when his boy couldn t sleep, what Rick s own
mother used to make for him. Yeah, I ll get it. He stood up, too, and
Sarah moved around him, up the steps and opened the door, letting in a
bit of light from the hurricane lamp she d left burning on the table.
He crossed the garage, grabbed the milk jug, and gave it a shake.
He heard some ice crystals, but it wasn t frozen solid. When he entered
the house, she took the jug from him and poured some in a saucepan
before putting it on top of the fireplace to warm.
Why don t you go get changed for bed? she asked as she handed
him the jug to put back in the garage. He raised an eyebrow at her, and
she smiled. Come on. I know you re exhausted after chopping wood all
afternoon. You can have the bed tonight.
He opened his mouth to argue, but she shook her head. Please
don t fight with me, Rick. She grinned. You need the comfort of your
own bed tonight, and I fit on the sofa a bit better than you do.
Before he could respond, she turned back to the fireplace to watch
over the milk. He wouldn t let her sleep on the couch, but he didn t really
want to either. As he returned the milk to the cool garage, he thought that
the bed was definitely big enough for two.
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Chapter Six
Sarah woke up when Rick pulled away from her and got out of
bed. It had been so nice being cuddled up next to him all night. He d been
the one to suggest they share the bed, and she d been too emotionally
exhausted to argue. She d held it together well while Rick let out his pain
and cried, but it hadn t been easy. She d never been able to handle seeing
a man cry, and hearing the anguish behind his tears had ripped her heart
to shreds.
She rolled over and watched him return from the bathroom and go
into the kitchen. And that was when she realized the light over the stove
was on, and the refrigerator motor was running. They had electricity. He
picked up the phone, listened for a second, then hung it up.
He wore flannel pajama bottoms, but no top, and she loved the way
his muscles rippled as he filled the coffee carafe with water from the sink
and set to making a pot of fresh brew.
Ahh, she couldn t wait! She was a latte girl, and having to drink
instant the last few days had nearly eaten a hole in her stomach lining. She
hadn t even used any of his milk in her coffee because they d needed to
conserve what food they had.
After the coffee was dripping, he went to the end table and picked
up her purse. She frowned as she watched him rifle through it, but then
smiled when he pulled out her phone and charger and went back to the
kitchen with it and plugged it in. The landlines must still be down.
Then, to her utter surprise, he came back to the bed and crawled
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Healing Touch by Anna Leigh Keaton
under the covers next to her.
You re awake, he said when he turned on his side to face her,
propping his head on the pillow.
Uh huh. I wondered if you were going to rob me. She grinned.
He smiled, his white teeth flashing against his dark skin.
Phone still down?
He nodded. I m surprised we have power already. The sun s up,
not a cloud in the sky, but I thought it would take longer to get the lines
fixed.
She shrugged. The county is usually pretty good when this
happens. They know there s a lot of people who could freeze to death
without electricity. Wonder if the roads are plowed yet.
I think that s what woke me up. He snuggled down deeper in the
bed, moved just a bit closer to her. I think I heard the road grater on the
highway.
I should call my son.
He nodded. He s probably worried.
That got her moving. She threw back the covers, went to her phone,
and punched the speed dial for Joey s house.
Mom! he answered on the second ring. Oh, thank God. Are you
okay? I ve been trying to get you for days on your cell. The troopers called
last night. They found your car with a broken window Mom?
She grinned. I m okay, hon. I wound up in the ditch, but a Good
Samaritan took me home and has kept me warm and fed. My cell was
dead, and until this morning there wasn t any power to recharge it.
Where are you? I ll come get you. Oh, Mom, I was so& His
words died and she could picture her sweet son choked up with emotion.
I m fine, hon. I m sorry you were worried. She peered out the
small window by the front door to see Rick s truck buried up to the top of
the tires in snow. I don t think you ll be able to get out here. I m at 31480
Lakeshore. They might have cleared the highway, but there s a good
stretch of driveway that s got about three feet of snow over it. You ll have
to call for a plow, and I m sure they re all busy today.
Truth be known, now that the time was here, she didn t want to
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Healing Touch by Anna Leigh Keaton
leave Rick, but then she thought... See if you can get a hold of Bobby
Johansen. He owes me a favor. And Rick, the man whose house I m at,
he s a paramedic with the CVFD, and he ll need to get to work soon.
You said 31480 Lakeshore? Joey asked.
That s right. The old Connor cabin I looked at last summer.
Oh, okay. I love you, Mom. I ll come get you as soon as I get
someone with a plow.
Thanks, hon. Love you, too.
I ll call you.
She ended the call and laid the phone back on the counter. The
coffee maker did its gurgle to say it was done, and she got down two
mugs from the cabinet and filled them. The milk was out in the garage, so
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