A/N: Chapter three.

Disclaimer: I only own my own characters and the idea for this story.

A Writer Required

Chapter Three

As soon as I saw who it was, I opened the door fully to usher him in. "Andrew!" I exclaimed, taking in my boyfriend's ruffled appearance. He wore a snow-sprinkled, heavy black leather coat, and thick dark blue jeans, tucked into black snow boots. One half of his body was more especially covered with snow. Caked on, really. His scarf was pulled high to protect his neck, nose, and mouth.

"Why'd you come over? And-" I looked him over once more. "What happened?" I questioned, indicating his snow covered half in its attempt at an impersonation of an abominable snowman.

Andrew shuddered behind the scarf and stomped his feet once, and his muffled voice grumbled. "I was worried about you what with how bad this storm is!" He jerked an ungloved hand over his shoulder. "On my way over, I fell in the snow out front." He moved further into the living room and I pushed the door closed behind him.

I closed and locked the door, and Andrew stripped off his coat. His curly, luscious short milk chocolate hair was snow sprinkled, but maintained its curl and volume. Snow on the full lashes that framed his hazel eyes began to melt, and he blinked rapidly to clear them. His features were sharp and very handsome-and I couldn't help marveling, not for the first time-how on Earth I managed to meet and date this man. We'd met at the local library, and he'd assumed I worked there, asking for help in finding a book. Amused, I helped him find it, then told him I didn't actually work there. He'd laughed and asked me out, and now, here we were.

I was brought back to the present as Andrew hung his coat up, huffing from trudging through the deep snow. "This weather is nuts!" He breathed deeply through his full red lips, uninhibited once he removed his scarf and put it with his coat. Briefly he ruffled his hair, scattering snowflakes, and straightened his black dress shirt, the collar of it slightly wet from snow that'd managed to get past his scarf and coat.

"I'm sorry," I offered with an empathetic smile. There was a patch of ice-laden sidewalk outside my house that I'd grown to know well during each winter. With a lot of falling. If I was lucky-as Andrew this time apparently was-I might land in the grassy front yard, now buried under a three foot deep snowbank.

"It's alright." Andrew smiled, his eyes sparkling. He reached out to the blanket, beneath where I was holding onto it with my hands, and tugged me gently closer. "I feel much better, now."

His smile was infectious, and I smiled back, my heartbeat speeding up and my heart warming as he bent down and pressed his lips to mine. My fingers loosened their grip, and I stretched up on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck, wrapping the blanket around the both of us.

He was still cold from being outside, and my thin clothing was useless in defending me from the sudden temperature drop. I shivered, and Andrew growled low in his throat when he felt it-which sent an entirely different kind of shiver coursing through me.

In sensing my reaction, Andrew snaked his arms around my waist, and pulled me closer, intensifying the kiss. With my arms and blanket around him, and Andrew's warm arms wrapped around me, I was quickly growing warmer.

Andrew slowed in the kiss, and his lips unexpectedly grinned against mine in mischief. Before I could do more than wonder at this abrupt change, his hands moved. They slipped down and then up; right under the back of my tank top. Firmly he placed his icy hands directly onto my back, his thumbs digging into and tickling my sides.

"AHH! Andrew!" I squirmed and squeaked in alarm at the cold tickles. Drawing my arms back to my chest with a shiver and an involuntary giggle, I tried to push his arms away. Andrew chuckled quite unrepentantly, holding fast.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but your cute expression makes it hard for me to be sincere about it." Andrew's grin widened, and I tried to fight off a smile by instead putting on a scowl. Even with my best efforts, my lips still managed to smile. Andrew bent down to kiss me again, dipping down briefly to my neck to lay a kiss there, before moving his hands down to rest on my hips.

"Andrew-" I said in warning, my heart racing as I abruptly turned wary. We'd never gone to this point or beyond this, physically in our relationship. I'd made it clear early on that I wanted to wait until we were married to go any further. Andrew wasn't terribly happy about it, but he never pressed me.

At my tone he straightened and reluctantly conceded, "Alright, I'm sorry." releasing me so I could step out of his arms.

My heart slowed as we parted, and I waved my hand at the kitchen doorway. "I forgive you-but only if you go take your coat and boots off in the bathroom, before the snow on them melts and makes a lake in my carpet." Andrew chuckled at my teasing tone and complied, gathering his coat and scarf, and started toward the kitchen with them thrown over his arm. Sneaking a glance my way, he moved quick as a whip and reached over to tickle my side with his icy fingers. I squeaked and jumped aside, not entirely able to avoid him. He laughed, and I swatted his arm as he passed by. "Stinker! Go on, or no hot chocolate for you!" I said, smiling.

That got him moving.

My snow man rushed across to the kitchen and into the bathroom faster than you could say "Frosty". Shaking my head at his silliness, a smile on my lips, I scooped up the stray clumps of snow and grass that'd come off his boots. Following the trail he'd made to the kitchen, I dumped the grassy snow into the garbage can, then filled the kettle and put it on the stove.

With the kettle warming up, I went to my room to get dressed. I heard the water turn on in the bathroom, and realized Andrew must be trying to warm up his hands. While thinking about this, I thought about his job with worry. Wouldn't they be upset if he didn't show up? In all honesty I wasn't entirely sure what it was that Andrew did for a living. The way he talked about it, it sounded like he was a secretary. I knew he worked for the CEO of an important company, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what the company was called. But it was big. Really big.

He'd been asked to travel all over; both overseas and in our own country. He still occasionally went on trips, but lately he had remained in town. 'Actually,' I thought. 'Now I think about it… Andrew really hasn't traveled all that much since we met.' There were a few times in the beginning, but the more we dated, the less interested he seemed in going abroad or leaving for any long period of time. Was it because of me? I had wondered that before, and I wondered about it again now. My heart warmed at the thought, but at the same time I was worried. He might be missing out on work opportunities he could have had otherwise. I reached for my brush from the vanity top, and my hand slowed in picking it up. He needed to do his best at work, and if I was a distraction, then maybe we needed to talk.

The water in the bathroom switched off, stirring me from my thoughts. Quickly I brushed out my long golden hair and put it up in a twisted messy bun. Needing to be able to use my hands to make the cocoa, I had abandoned the blanket to the bed so I could get dressed. I put on a warm silvery blue sweater and jeans, and slipped on a thick pair of socks and slippers. I returned just as the kettle began to whistle, and Andrew had since returned to the kitchen, the same as before, sans his boots. Preceding me by retrieving the necessary hot chocolate ingredients, Andrew lastly retrieved the mugs.

A few minutes later found us each with a mug of hot cocoa, with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. I had moved my laptop to the floor beside the couch, so we could snuggle up in blankets before the fire. Once the hot chocolate was gone, we laid on the couch quietly talking and laughing. Andrew was on his back, while I lay on my stomach, the left side of my body flush against his. I rested my head on his chest in contentment and breathed in his scent. Spices and musk and something like black licorice, along with a few scents I couldn't identify; mixed with my jasmine and strawberry scent. It created a peaceful harmony that blanketed the room.

I was dozing when Andrew shifted, his arm under me reaching toward the floor. Blinking sleepily, I turned my head upward to see his face, and he froze. "Ah-did I wake you?" He asked, and his lips curved in a sheepish, apologetic smile. His body eased a bit from its suddenly tensed state as I stretched, closing my eyes briefly and wrapping my arm around his waist with a sigh. "It's ok, I probably shouldn't sleep." Opening my eyes again, I yawned and pushed myself up with my arms.

Andrew nodded at my laptop where it peeked at us from around the couch. "Your laptop's out today. Have you been working on a project lately?" I followed his gaze to the computer and felt my stomach flip. It was closed now, in sleep mode, but seeing it reminded me of my visitor of earlier today.

Jareth, and our peculiar agreement.

I stole a quick breath. "Yeah. Just a new project. I haven't started it, though." I then clammed up on the subject.

But Andrew's eyebrows went up in interest. "Really? Why not?" He reached out to pick up the laptop. "You usually write all kinds of ideas in the beginning, don't you? Maybe I can help-"

"No!" I blurted, cutting him off before he could touch it. Our eyes met and there was something in his gaze that startled me. They were dark and hard. The peaceful feeling that had settled upon the room, fled like a blanket being ripped off of a bed, and I shivered with the cold of it. I blinked, and the look in his eyes was gone, replaced by hurt. Had I imagined it?

"Oh." He murmured, bringing me out of my thoughts.

My stomach twisted guiltily at the hurt on his face and he avoided my gaze. I blanched, reaching out to caress his cheek soothingly. My voice soft, I clarified. "I would love your help, Andrew. It's just that I'm not yet ready." I went on as he slowly faced me again. "I want to get a rough outline written out and be sure I'm happy with it before I share it with you." Hoping it would help, I snuggled closer to him with an exaggerated pout and gently kissed his lips. "Besides, I don't really want to think about work right now."

Andrew looked at me a moment longer, then smiled lightly, warmly. There was disappointment in his eyes, but it turned to resignation-he would wait until I was ready. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me back. "Alright. But remember that I'm here should you need me." Andrew reminded me seriously, and he reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I rested my hand on top of his in relief. "Thank you for understanding." Andrew's smile softened, and he pulled me closer. "Of course."

Andrew left not long after we spoke about my 'project'. His phone ringing with a call from his boss was what called him away. I went and grabbed his coat while he explained where he was to his boss. "Yeah, I just stopped by my girlfriend's place. I'm gathering my things now." He listened a moment as he tied his shoes and glanced up at me as I brought him his coat and scarf. "Yeah." He paused again. "Not long. I'll be there soon and we can go over it in more depth." He received a short response, and coming to his feet, he replied as he slipped on his coat. "Ok. I'll see you soon." He hung up and put the device in his pocket. While Andrew zipped his coat shut, I scooped up his scarf.

"Can you come to my parents for Saturday's dinner this weekend? Or do you have to work?" I questioned, and Andrew tugged on the bottom of his leather coat.

"Yes, I think I can come this time. I'll have to check with my boss for approval; but I'll let you know soon." I nodded at his words.

"Be safe out there, OK?" I said, my brow lined with concern. "I don't like you driving out in this weather."

"I'll be alright, I promise." He assured me, kissing my forehead to ease away the lines. My frown lightened, and I reached up to tie his scarf for him. I made it a simple loop, and stretched its width to cover more of his neck. Tugging on the end of it, I pulled him down so I could kiss him firmly on the mouth. He made a sound of surprise before he reached for me, but I broke the kiss and tucked his scarf into his coat.

Andrew huffed in annoyance at me and I patted his chest with an impish grin. "There. You're officially ready for work, Mr. Andrew."

I stepped back and Andrew gave a teasing, yet elegant bow. "Why thank you, Ms. Amelia." I walked him to the door. "I'll call you later so we can actually plan our next date." He said, and I agreed with a giggle. "Sounds good. Talk to you later!" Opening the door, I waved as he hurried out into the winter weather.

A/N: Well, that's it for chapter three. Well then, what do you guys think of Andrew, eh? S:) If you've any questions you want answers to, review or comment to let me know. Thanks as always for reading! ^_^