Winter (Not Edited)

Chapter 4

  The night got no warmer as Winter's body shivered and her teeth audibly chattered. She couldn't even force her eyes shut within the first hour of her laying down. Or at least that's all she remembers as she lays in bed as the sun rises melting the frost upon her bedroom window.

  Winter slowly moved to change into a different dress, and comb her hair. She could do this, she just needed to stay low, right? She pressed foward through her thoughts as she moved her hair behind her ears. She smiled at her reflection, she felt pretty.

   Groaning, Emerson tossed himself out of bed towards the shower. The cold water couldn't wash the fire that engulfed him that night. His flashbacks of that day come in the form of dreams or rather nightmares. Haunting his life, reminding him it's his fault. Grant Emerson killed his family.

Emerson fastened the last button on his navy blue suit. He did not want breakfast maybe just a coffee. As he made his way down the stairs, he heard a soft mumbling.

Winter was busy fixing a coffee for Emerson, just the way he liked it, black- no sugar. She sat it down on the marble island bar before turning back around. In all actuality she was only making toast, but she had to cut a lot of fruit for Emerson and herself.

She was so busy trying to fix the toast to look adequate when she turned the coffee was gone and the only sound was that of a slamming door.

Well that was not what she expected.

Emerson sipped the coffee Winter had made, even though he could taste there was no sugar it tasted so sweet he couldn't continue drinking it. He wondered what she may have put into it.

The day turned to night quickly, after dinner Winter washed the dishes her fingers finally completely warm. They had dinner separately again, it would seem that was how it would always be.

Winter slowly made her way to a hallway, she hadn't gone through here with Mrs. Wagner. She wondered what was down there. She didn't see why she couldn't go.

She reached the end of the long corridor and a huge door stood still in front of her. Opening the door, she held back a gasp. It was beautiful. It was also off-limits. This was Emerson's personal library and study.

Her eyes swept across the huge room, the shelves full of books and different inventory filled the spacious room. A huge fireplace placed perfectly to warm the entire room, if it were to be used.

  The room was cold, and if Winter was going to be in here a while reading she should at least start a fire, she thought.

  Trying to silently haul wood down the corridor was hard. She almost tripped and the wood had already poked her through her loose dress. The dresses were too big, it was embarrassing how big they were. Winter would be busy trying to hem and cinch the dresses tomorrow.

Throwing the wood into the fireplace, she tried to remember how to light a fire. Obviously she needed some kind of starter- luckily she found a lighter when she was busy cleaning one of the rooms today. Her cold fingers fumbled with the silver lighter swinging the cap off and switching it on.

She watched as the flame licked the air. Winter was always mesmerized by heat, probably stemming from the fact that she was always cold.

She flicked the lighter off, and began stacking the smaller sticks, then layering the larger pieces of wood next. She crunched a small piece of newspaper and shoved the crumpled ball in the stacked wood.

The fireplace was really clean, it looked as if it hadn't been used in decades. Swinging the lighter back open the click of the switch was heard as the little flame took off again.

She placed it to the paper, it alit. Signing, Winter was on her knees watching the fire spread across the smaller sticks first. She leaned down a bit, blowing air trying to build the fire.

A grin filled her soft features. She was proud of herself, in all actuality, she knew it wouldn't be too hard. She was still proud.

  As she stayed seated in front of the warm fire on her bottom with her knees pulled to her chin. She had no idea of the problem this presented. She had no idea that Emerson was heading to his study.

Emerson had finished dinner and changed into sweats. Even with the coolness of the estate, he neglected to wear a shirt. Exposing his abdominal muscles, defined back, and his sculpted arms.

He headed towards his study to retrieve a book. Emerson had almost made it down the hallway before coming to a complete halt.

The light was on.

Someone was in his personal study.

  His skin turning hot for a spilt second, he continued to the door. Winter had to be in there, he never failed to leave a room without turning the lights off, or better yet he usually never turned them on. He preferred the darkness.

His hand pushed the door open more, his ears instantly finding the sound of fire. Fire. He pushed his body through the door taking big strides to face the woman who dare to light a fire.

  "Idiot." Emerson hissed as Winter jumped straight up. Winters dress hung dangerously low and she struggled to keep it up.

   Winter was scared, she had never seen someone so angry. Not to mention, for not a given reason.

  "What?" A frightened whimpered escaped her mouth. Emerson's brown eyes scanned the fire crackling behind the small girl.

  "You are not allowed to start fires without me being present in the room." He raised his voice. "If this happens again, you'll never enter this house again." He continued to shout.

  Winter stood frozen, her gaze was on the floor. The only thing that showed her attention was the silent tear that threatened to spill the second she got out of his sight. Against her will, her lip began to tremble.

"Look at me when I am speaking to you." Emerson said pissed off at the way she was trembling.

Winter slowly lifted her face, her eyes were cloudy with more unspilled tears. So much so, if she blinked they would probably fall. She didn't want to blink. She wouldn't let him see her cry.

Emerson watched as her green eyes threatened to explode within a second. Her pink tinted lips parted, shaking slightly.

Why was she so upset? He thought. This only made Emerson more angry.

"I don't have many rules, but this you cannot do." Emerson growled. Before he had finished speaking Winter was already nodding her head.

  Winter couldn't hold it in anymore. Wetness appeared upon her probably now red, blazing cheeks. 

She gulped.

Emerson moved through his study. Realizing he never told her she's not allowed in this room. He didn't care anymore, as long as there was no fire.

His gaze fell back on her figure, that dress was falling dangerously low against her chest. Once he caught a glimpse of her chest, he felt bad for raising his voice at this woman. Her chest heaved up and down frantically.

"Excuse me." Winter's voice cracked as she tried to make her way to the door.

"I didn't say you must leave." Emerson found himself saying almost involuntarily. Winter turned around still upset at the way he had raised his voice at her. She didn't know, it was a mistake. He acted as if she had tried to commit arson.

She stood waiting for him to say something else, she thought about leaving just for a second. The tension between the two was enough to choke a rope.

Emerson watched as she stood completely silent and still. Why did she do that? He thought. He couldn't help but notice the dress dragging the floor, she definitely needs a new wardrobe.

He pushed the thoughts away. "I apologize for raising my voice. You may leave now, just remember the rules." Emerson said sternly, yet some force of apology laced his deep voice.

She nodded and stopped before exiting the study. "I forgive you." Her soft voice had spoken a sentence that had never been said to Emerson before. Before he could glance up at her, she was gone.