Read Snow Angel for Free Online Page B

it. She would find it and then push and push on that spot until he pushed her out of his cabin back to the safety of the strangers in Juneau.
    After filling the tub to the top with snow, Noah went to the stove and carried a large pot of boiling water over to the rim. Every so often he glanced over at her at the table. He would smile or comment on some small matter, but what hiseyes spoke to her sent new tremors through her body. For some reason she couldn’t fathom, this man liked her.
    The tub emitted a great hissing sound as the steaming water melted the snow into slushy piles that soon turned into lukewarm water. After another fifteen minutes, Noah had another pot ready and poured it in. Then another and another until the cold, harsh, deadly snow had turned into something inviting, something desirable. Elizabeth could hardly wait to get in.
    Clearing his throat Noah said, “I have chores to do in the barn, then I plan to chop some wood, so I’ll be gone awhile. The soap and a towel are in the top drawer of the bureau. Is there anything else you’ll be needing?”
    Elizabeth looked down at the shirt she was still wearing—his shirt—and asked in a rush, “Are my clothes still here?” She hadn’t seen them hanging to dry for days.
    â€œOf course. They’re in the bottom drawer.” He pointed to the bureau, pulling on his winter gear as he talked. “Well, I’ll be back around noontime.”
    With that he was out the door.
    Elizabeth drew a deep breath. Forcing herself up, she walked unsteadily over to the bureau and looked for her clothes. There they were, practically her only possessions in the world, folded into neat squares and lying on top of some other shirts like the one she was wearing. After closing the drawer, she opened a narrow top drawer and started digging around for the soap. She found it, a big, flaky cake smelling of lye that she could hardly grip with one hand. The washcloth was easy to find, right beside the soap, but a towel … hadn’t he said the towel was here also?Still rummaging through his things, she found a pocketknife with a sharp blade. Staring at it for a moment, she made her decision and dropped it onto the top of her pile. She could hide it on her person after her bath. She might not need it here, but there was always tomorrow. She would need it someday.
    Glancing around, she saw the towel draped over the washbowl. He’d probably forgotten he had already used it this morning after he shaved. It must be his only one. She reached for it, noting it was still damp and lifted it to her nose. It smelled like him. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent … manly, woodsy, like the land and a man melded. It reached something inside her, making a warmth come over her that startled her. Quickly she lowered the towel, wishing he had another, something sterile and free of … anything. Without that choice she hefted it with her other supplies and hobbled over to the steaming tub of melted snow.
    Piling her goods on a nearby chair, she dipped a finger into the water. Perfect. She could hardly wait. How long had it been since she’d had a real bath, one of life’s few pleasures? Wresting the large buttons from their holes, she worked the plaid shirt from its place. Ugh. It was practically stuck to her back, she’d worn it so long and slept in it so soundly. She peeled off the itchy socks he’d given her, staring at her feet and feeling another rush of thankfulness that they weren’t ruined. Then gingerly, with a breath of anticipation, she stepped into the water. A loud sigh of pleasure escaped her as she sank down into the depths. She was surprised and pleased to find that she could almost stretch out completely, with her head leaning against one curved end. Closing her eyes, she let her thoughts wander—wander from the small room to Noah, outside chopping wood.
    How strong he was. How strong and good. Had she