Free (Sequel to Through The Dark) Complete

Chapter 25

Julie woke with a start. It had to be the middle of the night, but she couldn't see a thing except for the low glow of the fireplace on the other side of the room. The clock on the night stand was completely dark. She reached over and felt for the switch on the lamp. She turned it, but nothing happened. Great. No electricity. This snow storm was really getting on her last nerve. She could feel the chill too. She wondered when the power went off and how long the heat had been off. She reached over for her phone and jumped again when the door opened. She let out a relaxing breath when she realized it had to be Harry. She saw the light from his phone and then him peek his head in. "Power's out, I take it?" She asked.

"Yeah, it went out a couple of hours ago. Sorry to bother you, but the fireplace in my room isn't staying lit. I was just wondering if you had a few extra pieces of wood so I could relight the living room one. It's freezing." Harry asked taking a step into the room. He saw her fire was awful low, so he went over and put another log on the coals. "You don't have much either. And the wood I grabbed from outside is still wet."

"I bet your vent is blocked by all the snow. That's the way the wind was blowing it." Julie watched him put logs on the fire for her and then stand there warming his hands. She looked at the few remaining logs and back at him. If he took even most of those logs trying to heat the living room and kitchen to a warm enough temperature to sleep comfortably, it would be really hard. She sighed and shook her head. She looked up at the ceiling and said under her breath the same as she did when it started raining after Niall and Amanda's engagement party as she walked to the hotel, 'well played, well played'. She reached over and pulled the blankets down from the other side of the bed.

Harry nodded and looked at her as she talked about his vent being blocked. "Such a little nature girl." He joked. He watched her look at the ceiling and heard her sigh. He stood there and stared when she pulled the blankets back on the other side of the bed. He looked from the bed, to her face.

Julie shrugged. "There's no other option. Rational thinking makes it obvious there isn't enough dry wood right now to heat the living room and kitchen. This room is still relatively warm; and with the door shut, what we have left should make due until the other wood dries. You look really cold. So, put another log on the fire, and then, come to bed."

Harry wrinkled his brow. She just rationalized this whole situation in a couple of seconds and invited him into her bed. Was this the twilight zone? Was he in an odd dream? Was he going to wake up and be disappointed and find out this whole Tahoe thing was just some dream he was having? He shook his head when he heard her say, 'well, if you'd rather freeze your ass off, then you don't have to'. He laughed. "No, you're right. It's just, I never thought..." He started as he bent down and picked up a log.

"Yeah, I never thought I'd be inviting you into my bed either. But it makes sense. And I guess I don't really want to be responsible for Harry Styles freezing or getting pneumonia when I could help prevent it." She moved a bit more to her side of the bed and watched him place the log into the fire. The memories. Again. Would she ever get over this man? Did she want to? She shook her head. Holy hell, that thought came way too quickly. This place was going to be the death of her. At least her sanity.

"Gee, thanks. When you put it like that, how could I resist?" He rolled his eyes and walked over to the opposite side of the bed. He slid his slippers off and climbed under the covers, shivering. God, he was so cold. He had put on an extra sweater and an extra pair of pants. He wasn't quite ready to take them off yet. He pulled the covers up to his chin. "I never knew how much I would miss heat."

"Oh, you are so not a winter boy." Julie laughed. She could feel the coldness radiating off of him though. "You are pretty cold though. I can feel it."