Can't Love Christmas

Seventeen

He ushered her in through his door, and they stomped the snow from their boots and shook off the rest clinging to their coats. Rowan immediately went to light the fireplace, and threw some big fluffy blankets onto the rug in front of it. Ash shuffled over in her stocking feet and let out a grateful sigh near the warmth of the small flames.

"You can sit down and wrap up in a blanket."

"Oh, I just want my pants to dry a bit first."

Rowan's face paled, and he rushed to the bedroom. "I'll find you something dry to wear. Just give me a minute!"

Ash stood near the fireplace and shivered. She hadn't expected to get quite so wet and cold. Her outer pants were much less waterproof than she thought.

Rowan came back into the living room. "So, I put some clothes in the bathroom. If you want to have a shower you can, there's extra towels on the shelf, but otherwise just bring your wet stuff back out and I will toss it in the dryer."

"Thanks." She smiled warmly at him, and his panicked expression faded.

Ash headed into the ensuite bathroom, once again surprised at how clean it was. The counter was tidy with minimal toiletries, and there was a shelf with clean folded towels, an air freshener and extra toilet paper along one wall. He had left a pair of sweat pants, a t-shirt, hoodie and thick woollen socks on the counter.

As much as she wanted to swaddle herself in all of his clothes, It was really only her leggings and socks that were wet. She pulled on the sweatpants, and they puddled around her feet. She reached down and rolled the hem up four times before she could walk without tripping. She rolled the waist band twice, and then gathered the side and secured it with the extra hair elastic around her wrist. She pulled on the socks, and padded back through the bedroom to the living room.

Rowan was standing in the kitchen heating something on the stove. She walked up beside him and he smiled down at her.

"Your sweater was still dry then?"

"Yeah. Where's the dryer? I'll go toss these in."

"I can do that. I've got to change as well. If you watch this and make sure it doesn't boil over, I can handle the laundry."

"Okay," she handed him the wet leggings and took his place over the pot of milk. "Do I have to stay right here though?"

"Yes! It's milk. Never leave milk on the stove unattended. It will boil over the second you are gone."

She held her hands up in surrender, "okay, sorry, geeze."

He disappeared into the bedroom and came back wearing sweats that fit him properly and the hoodie he had left in the bathroom for Ash. She could hear the rumble of the dryer.

"Wait, your laundry is in your bedroom? Why didn't I see it?"

"Because it is hidden in one of the closets." He came over and took the spoon out of her hands to attend to the milk. "Do you want milk or dark hot chocolate?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Whatever you prefer."

"Okay. Milk chocolate it is. You can go sit by the fire, I'll bring this over to you. Do you want a snack or anything?"

"Sure." She settled on the floor by the fire, and built up a nest with the blankets. It was cozy and nice, so she sat and stared at the flames, hypnotized by their dance.

Rowan joined her with a tray in his hands, which she unwrapped herself enough to hold for him while he got comfortable. They set it on the ground between them. Rowan gathered the throw pillows from the couch and added them to the nest.