He reached the mountain at the back of the property and scanned the area. With cautious steps, he slid down into the dip then climbed up the other side and stopped. As the beam drifted over the glowing whiteness, his gaze fell on a dark patch amid the paleness. He stepped closer. The blackness morphed into a cave opening.
Flicking the light over the entrance, he entered. Just inside the black cavern, a soft meow caught his ear. As the beam roved over the darkness, he made out the shape of an animal. Another soft meow confirmed his find. At least the cat had the sense to seek cover. Grabbing the hissing cat, Reece shoved him inside his zipped-up jacket. He gave a silent prayer for the animal’s acceptance. Braving the weather and an angry cat all in one go was sheer stupidity. He stepped back out into the pounding storm and cringed. His body jerked in uncontrolled shivers against the cold. Despite his shaky legs, he forced every ounce of effort into the trek to the cabin.
Slipping dangerously, he trudged back down the embankment. Without warning, the ground beneath his feet gave way the same time the cat clawed up to the opening of his jacket. Reece sank into the water, so cold he reckoned it felt like death. Fortunately, the water reached his hip. He made quick work of crossing the short distance to the embankment. However, in his effort to hold onto the cat, he slipped, fell, and went underwater. Gasping for breath, he came up quickly and scaled the other side.
“Hang on, goddammit,” Reece cursed as his numb fingers wrenched at the zipper. With another hiss, the cat leaped from his arms and raced off. He stopped to catch his breath. It wheezed out against the cold. The burn in his throat and a dry mouth made his miserable situation worse. His soaked body shook nonstop. Pain radiated across every nerve cell. He clutched his arms in an attempt to warm up. Breathing hard, he forced his numb legs to move. God, it hurt.
He mustered the last of his strength and dragged his feet forward, but hardly moved. Unable to take another step, he faltered and fell to his knees. He looked up and just made out the shape of the shed. “C’ mon, man only a few more steps, and you’re home free.” His teeth clattered so hard; he was afraid it would shatter. Panting harshly, he stood, but pain knocked the balance from his knees. He dropped to the ground in a trembling heap.
Chapter Seventeen
Anxious, Aria pacedthe living room then glanced at the watch for the hundredth time. Reece was out in the cold for a good thirty minutes. She twisted and untwisted the front of her jersey in nervous succession that matched the rhythm of her strutting feet. The sudden crack of a falling branch brought her to a halt in the middle of the room. “Please be okay, Reece,” she whispered and resumed her pacing.
A soft meow followed by a distinct Hootie scratch on the door caught her attention. With a sigh of relief, she rushed to the door and opened it. A blast of cold air slammed into her. The cat darted between her legs straight for the fire. Puzzled, Aria glanced at the wet animal briefly then searched outside for Reece. He wasn’t there.
“Reece.” She stepped out onto the porch. Huddling into the flimsy jersey, she squinted into the darkness. The porch light made no impact against the blinding rain. Aria ran inside. She didn’t bother with a jacket, but pulled on a thick woolen hat, grabbed a flashlight, and raced back outside. “Reece!” she shouted.
A sudden sound similar to a grunt flittered through the howling wind. Unsure if she’d heard correctly, Aria hurried to the top step and looked down. “Reece,” she called out. Nothing. As her eyes adjusted to the blackness, she hastened down the steps. At the bottom, she glanced around, then headed toward the shed. A few steps in, she barely made out a darkened shape on the snow-covered ground. “Oh, God.”
Ignorant to the biting cold, Aria hurried toward Reece. She reached for his hand, knelt, and swung his arm around her shoulders. God, he was cold to the touch. “Reece, I need to get you inside. You have to help me, please.” Aria kept the emotion out of her voice. She shoved aside her tears with a deep breath, tugged hard, and stood. He moved, slower than usual, but it helped with the momentum of getting him to lean on her.
“Please, Reece, walk with me.” She held onto his hand over her shoulder and slipped her other arm around his waist. Breathing harshly, she managed to get him up the steps, all the way to the door. There, he slipped from her grasp and slid to the floor. Quickly, Aria grabbed both his hands in hers and dragged him the rest of the way until he was in front of the fire.
Flustered, she shut the door, locked it, and went back to Reece. His lips were blue, and his body shook in uncontrolled spasms. “Think, Aria,” she scolded amid the tears that threatened to fall.Get him out of his wet clothes.Mechanically, Aria dragged him to her bedroom. In a frenzied rush, she removed his clothing, and then toweled him dry. Next, she heaved him onto the bed. The exertion filtered her breath out in short gasps. At the linen closet, she retrieved another two blankets and returned to her room. She spread them over him while silently praying for his body to warm up.
Hypothermia could set in at any stage. Given the crap weather, Aria wasn’t equipped to travel to town. Reece wouldn’t survive the trip. Her gaze on his body that convulsed in occasional shudders, she moved to the door and cranked up the thermostat in the cabin. Back in the living room, she added more wood to the fire. In the kitchen, she grabbed a cup of warm water, returned to her bedroom, and tried to get some of the lukewarm liquid into Reece. His shivering body, however, made it impossible. He only managed to swallow a few drops. The extra blankets made no impact.
“God, Reece, what do I do.” She bit her lower lip—her first real experience with someone on the verge of hypothermia.
“I-I n-need you, A-Aria,” his slurred words slipped out between his chattering teeth.
“I’m here, Reece.” She dropped down on the mattress next to him and placed a palm on his icy face.
“I-I’m c-cold...s-so c-cold.”
“I know,” she whispered, unsure what more to say. Tears pricked her lids. She wrenched the hat from her head in irritation.This is no time to lose it, woman.
