SNOWED IN (Complete)

Chapter Six

COLTON'S IDEA OF THE perfect way to pass the time meant talking through my entire story. Chapter by chapter. Line by line. We sat together on the mattress, a blanket around each of us, next to the toasty fireplace. By the time we reached the point I was stuck on, I felt like he knew the story better than I did. He asked all the right questions about each character, pointing out areas where there might be room for improvement, and he complimented me the entire way.

I had never talked to anyone outside of my Wattpad friends about writing. Especially not anyone face to face. But somehow, talking to Colton felt natural. He listened, provided constructive criticism, and allowed me to talk through ideas and issues I had about the manuscript.

"So, Sasha is stuck, right?" asked Colton. "She can't leave for a myriad of reasons, but most of all, she fears for her safety."

I nodded. "That coupled with the psychological hold he has on her. She's afraid to leave, not only because of what he might do to her physically, but she doesn't know—even though this is twisted—she doesn't know how she will survive psychologically without him."

Colton tapped his pointer finger on his lips. "You need someone who's going to believe in her and motivate her to get out of that situation. Someone who will remind her of who she is and what she's worth."

"Yeah, but I don't want some random guy to come in and swoop down to save her."

Colton grinned. "Who said it has to be a guy?"

Cocking my head to the side, I looked at his face in the glow of the fire. His cheekbones cut at perfect angles. His lips were full, and those dimples... Get it together, Claudia!

"Seriously," Colton said with a furrowed brow, "she doesn't need the traditional knight in shining armor, what about someone else?"

"Hmmm... She doesn't have many friends left and the friends she has, she doesn't confide in."

"What about someone new? Someone with a fresh perspective?" suggested Colton.

"You know what? That might just work," I said, realizing the breakthrough we just made.

Colton ran his hand through his dark locks. "What about a woman at the grocery store? Someone she happens to see on a regular basis. Someone who has observed Sasha for years. Someone who would notice the small changes in her behavior and personality."

I pressed my lips together. "You know what? That's a damn good idea!"

Colton winked. "What can I say? I'm brilliant."

"Do you mind if I get some of this on my laptop? The battery is fully charged, and I'd hate to forget any of this overnight."

Colton grinned. "Of course."

I grabbed my laptop, realizing for the first time that night that my headache had subsided. I quickly typed down notes. The woman at the grocery store was a brilliant idea, as she would be someone who Sasha would come across on a regular basis. "Now, how should she approach Sasha? How should they connect?"

"Maybe the woman who works in the grocery store offers her a free coffee from the little coffee stand in the store?" he said. "We have one in our store. Locals love to grab a cup for one dollar. Free refills too. We have a few little tables around and pastries that they can purchase from the bakery. So, maybe she gives her a free coffee voucher and then asks if she wants to join her on her break? Or is that too forward?"

"I think I could make it work," I said. "Maybe it's really cold and the lady at the store, who is worried about Sasha, offers her the drink voucher and says she's heading over there now. She could invite Sasha to join her, and then they can strike up a conversation. She can build her trust. Perhaps they can begin to have coffee on a regular basis? Sasha is relieved to have someone who knows nothing about her. You know, someone who will simply be supportive and friendly. Then, once the woman is comfortable enough, she can ask Sasha about a bruise on her arm or some sign of violence that Sasha's boyfriend has left behind. With time, Sasha will confide in the woman, who will eventually help her leave the relationship with the help of a battered woman's shelter. Ooh—then when Sasha is safe, she heads back to the store to thank the woman, but her ex is there. He kidnaps her, but the woman at the store knows all about him and helps the police find him and Sasha later that night. Sasha is narrowly saved from the violent ex-boyfriend, who is arrested by the police and locked away in jail for a long time." I took a deep breath. Everything felt electric. I had just broken through the writer's block that had held me hostage for so long. "Colton, you are amazing."

He licked his lower lip and looked down. "Nah."

"Seriously, I have been stuck for ages! Then we talk things through tonight and BAM—everything's solved, and my writer's block is nonexistent."

"Did I really help?" he asked with an eyebrow arched.

I grinned. "You did. Like, seriously helped."

Colton smiled. He looked genuinely happy. I couldn't help but smile in return.

I pulled the blanket around my body tighter. "Look, I know we just met earlier today, and there's a good chance that after I leave in a few weeks, I'll never see you again, but..."

Colton leaned forward. "But what?"

"But I'm really glad I met you. You've made a big impact in a short time."

Colton chuckled. "A big impact in a short time?"

"You know what I mean!" I laughed. "You saved my life from a car accident. You offered to sit with me, even though I'm a complete stranger. You took me to the store, drove me home in a blizzard, built me a fire so we wouldn't freeze to death, and then on top of it all, you helped me plot out the rest of my book. Today has been nothing short of incredible."

Colton rubbed his lower lip with his thumb. "You forgot one thing... Well, two actually."

"What's that?" I asked.

"We kissed. Twice. That was pretty nice too," Colton said quietly. "At least I thought that part was nice."

The butterflies in my stomach returned. "I liked that part too."

"Maybe we should try again, just to be sure?" Colton suggested in a serious tone. "You know, in case we did it wrong?"

My insides tingled. "I don't think we did it wrong before."

Colton held perfectly still.

"But I'd be willing to check. You know, for research purposes."

Colton dropped his blanket and sealed the space between us. I lowered my eyes as his lips met my neck. He trailed kisses up to my jawline before pressing his lips against mine. He lingered for a moment before moving to my ear. "So, did that make your list of incredible things that have happened today?" he whispered.

"That just made it to the top of the list," I responded, and I pulled him in for another kiss.

******

Cliffhangers,

Well, I bet that wasn't how you thought Colton wanted to pass the time! ;)

What do you think these two will do next?

Hearts and Daggers,

Kelly Anne Blount xoxo