Baby, It's Cold Outside Read Online Free PDF Page A

on.”
    “Okay.”
    “That was…like two and a half weeks ago. The problem…isn’t about blaming myself. It’s about being in the position of God. I don’t know that I want that power, of life and death. I hated it. Hated losing that boy. It’s as if he were mine. As if I were the one grieving as much as his mother.”
    He said nothing, because he was afraid to. Her heart was in her eyes.
    “I never wanted that power. I went into medicine because I was raised to be an obedient daughter who fulfills expectations. I never…made a choice. I just took the ride I was supposed to take. Maybe…I’d rather be a clerk in a clothing store. Or drive a truck. Or sell cosmetics or jewelry or something.”
    Again, he said nothing, but had to bite his tongue. She shut up when he was talking, so now, even if it was killing him, he had to stay shut up for her.
    “The point is…I’m not sure I’m going back to doctoring. And facing the family and friends over the holidays, I just couldn’t do it.” She shook her head. “I’m not depressed. I’m not crazy. I just need some time to think. I want to be left alone . No hounding. No advice. No sympathy. I’m not looking for anything from anyone.”
    “Neither am I.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with being alone.”
    “I totally agree.”
    “I’m tired of people interfering. Telling me what’s right for me. I love my family and friends. But I have to live my own life.”
    “You’re singing my song.”
    “I don’t need anyone. Much less anyone telling me what I should do.”
    “Damn right.”
    She hesitated with a sudden frown. “What’s going on here?”
    He hesitated, too. “We’re getting along?”
    She let out a short laugh. “Who’d have thought it?”
    If she was confounded, Rick figured she didn’t know the half of it. He ran from women faster than skunks. No offense to skunks—or women. He just wasn’t going to volunteer to be stabbed in the gut again. Realizing that he felt drawn to Emilie, not just interested but darn well pulled …was enough to make him want to run for the hills.
    As far as Rick could tell, she had the same reaction to their storytelling. Just too much personal sharing, too quickly. Both of them ran around for a while, not specifically avoiding each other, so much as easily finding things to do that required no contact or conversation. She brought clothes and books and personal things down from the upstairs, so they could completely close up the loft rooms and conserve heat. He scouted around for the location of batteries, emergency supplies, food stock, then did chore stuff like closing doors, blocking air leaks in windows and door edges.
    Eventually, though, he found her standing at a north window at the same time he was standing at a west one. There was nothing outside to see but snow and more snow. Truth to tell, it was downright breathtaking. Treacherous, but breathtaking. The view was an ever-changing dance of swirls and heaps and spangles of snowshapes…but the relentlessly screaming wind could drive anyone crazy.
    “You got a deck of cards around here?” he asked.
    She came through. He volunteered to play Crazy Eights, but she was the one who suggested poker, so he figured hey, whatever happened after that wasn’t his fault. She’d chosen the game.
    First hand, he drew a pair of aces. Still, he kept the betting down to five toothpicks, because he didn’t want to discourage her right off the bat—it was going to be a long afternoon.
    She showed him three tens, scooped up the toothpicks.
    He searched her face, looking for signs of guile or cunning. Found nothing but delighted surprise at winning in her expression.
    He hunkered down and dealt the cards. Because he was good at the game—downright great, if he said so himself—he had ample time to reflect on all the stuff she’d told him.
    Man, she was so wrong.
    So much about her made sense, now that he knew she was a doctor. The sharp intelligence in her eyes, yet