Jordan looked like she was going to run. She squared her shoulders and slowly walked over to sit down on the couch as far away from him as she could get.

"Here, let me have my brush."

"Nope, just turn around....."

Jordan shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"I promise I won't bite," he added with a smile.

Still not trusting him, Jordan turned around, her stiff back. She felt the sofa cushion shift as he moved closer. She closed her eyes willing herself not to affected. She could handle his unwanted and unneeded presence.

Her eyes flew back open at the first touch of his fingers threading through her hair.

"Relax" he whispered in her ear. "Jack said you like to have your hair brushed, besides... I've had practice."

Slowly he pulled the brush through the length of her hair. Her back began to relax as he alternately combed through her hair with the brush and his fingers. Ever so tenderly he loosened the knots that Jack's eagerness had created.

She didn't know if it were hours or only minutes later that she felt him brush her newly detangled hair over one shoulder. Unconsciously, she let herself lean back against him. The warmth of the fire and his fingertips lightly brushing the side of her neck lulled her in to a false sense of security.

Suddenly, the grandfather clock in the corner of the room chimed off the hour bringing her back to her sanity. She stood.

"It's late."

She turned her back to him and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Ah, if you want to, you can take the master bedroom. Jack and I are sharing the bed in the guest room." Jordan jumped when she felt Woody stand and cup her upper arms in his hands.

"I love you, Jordan....."

"Garret may have left some extra... stuff upstairs if you check the closet...."

Woody stroked his hands down her arms. "I never stopped..."

"The bathroom is on the left... and ....and please leave the light on when you're done.... so Jack doesn't get lost if he has to get up in the middle of the night."

"Jordan"

Before he could stop her, she all but ran out of the room. Jordan didn't slow down until she had shut herself in the upstairs bathroom.

Jordan looked at herself in the mirror hanging over the sink. She looked at her smooth hair carefully and purposely lying over one shoulder. Her hands instinctively rose to cover her flushed cheeks. She turned on the water and splashed her face.

She was drying her face when she heard the front door open and close. She couldn't understand the panic that was threatening to erupt out of her. She ran to the window in the dimly lit guestroom and looked out at the drive way. Woody walked out to the driveway in his shirt shelves while the snow flurries blew around him. He stood there like a statue beside his parked car.

Jordan's heart began to echo in her chest as he opened the car door. He looked up at the window and she pulled back. For a moment she thought he was going to jump in the car and drive away. After a few heartbeats he reached inside the car and pulled out a coat and a bag.

Jordan let the curtain fall back into place and crawled in bed beside her son. She pulled his warm, boneless body close and willed herself to relax.

She was still wide awake when the clock chimed the next hour and she heard Woody's foot steps on the stairs. She could feel him standing on the outside of the door-less entry to the guestroom. She could just make out his shadow. After a moment he turned and walked into the other bedroom.

Jordan decided her reaction to him had everything to do with a little left over lust and her dry spell. Once she got back into town she would dig out her appointment book.

Jordan spent most of the night staring at the ceiling and she made some decisions. Woody was right; they needed to talk.

She felt the sooner they did the sooner he could leave.

~~~~~~~~~

Woody kicked himself as he pulled off his clothes and crawled into bed. He had been telling himself for days that a relationship with Jack was all he wanted. But, as soon he saw Jordan standing there next to the fire place with her hair a wild jumble of knots, he realized he needed them both. He needed them more then he needed his next breath.

He pushed her.

She was right. He wanted to sign on the dotted line and take his old life out of storage. Only, the first moment that they had shared that neither one of their defenses where up and he had pressured her.

At the first touch of her silky soft hair he was gone. The memories of wrapping its length around his hands came flooding through his consciousness. Normally he could only allow those memories in the hell of his dreams.

He had stood by his car and debated on driving back the highway to find a hotel. He would distance himself until the harsh light of day could bring him back to reality. But Jack was expecting him to be there in the morning. That fragile new found trust was more important.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Woody woke up to the smell of coffee brewing and the low murmur of voices. He pulled on a pair of ancient Levis and grabbed and equally as old flannel shirt and started down the stairs. He was just finishing the buttons when he rounded the corner. The morning view out the windows was more spectacular then he imagined. Woody caught the flash of navy blue blanket sleeper as Jack ran back and forth in front of the windows.

"But Mama, it's all gonna be gone if we wait any longer" he besieged her in a stage whisper.

Jack stopped in mid stride when he caught sight of Woody. He eyes popped as he made a wide berth around him to run into the kitchen. Woody followed catching Jack whispering into his mother's ear as she leaned over the listen. Jack looked around his mother's legs and pointed his finger. Jordan stood and turned.

"...Good Morning"

Jordan tried to ignore how his sleep softened face and voice made her feel. The hardness was gone and it almost felt like she was looking at the old Woody.

"Yes, I...I hope you slept well. I'll get you a cup of coffee."

"Jack, why don't you go upstairs and play with your toys. Agent Hoyt and I have to have a big talk."

"Mama?! The snow will be gone."

Woody smiled. Fate was working in his favor.

"He's right you know. The first snow of the season is too special to waste. Go get dressed buddy and we'll see if there's enough snow to slide down the hill."

Jack left the room with a whoop. Jordan braced her hands on the countertop.

"I thought you wanted to talk."

Woody poured himself the forgotten cup of coffee. He made a production out fixing it before he answered her.

"I do. We'll have plenty of time later...after Jack has gone to bed. Right now, I want to play in the snow. Would you care to join us?"

Jordan could barely control her anger at him assuming he could spend another night with them.

"I didn't except company on this trip. I didn't bring enough food."

Smiling over his coffee cup Woody replied. "Don't worry about that. We can always run out later...."

Jack flew into the room. His sweatshirt on backwards and his socks were mismatched. In one hand he was dragging his coat and snow pants and in the other one of his boots.

"Slowdown cowboy" his mother chimed. She reached over to help Jack right his shirt.

"Mama, hurry up!"

Woody sat down at the table and pulled on the boots he had dropped there last night when he brought his belongings inside. He looked up and felt his heart fill as he watched Jordan try to dress the squirming child.

Once Jack was set, Jordan glared at Woody. The look she gave him was unmistakable. They were far from done with their conversation.

"Come on Mama, you still have to get dressed!"

"Jack, why don't we just leave your mother here so she can relax? How about just you and me......."

"Sure" Jack was out the door before Woody finished speaking.

"Relax Jordan. I'm not going to take off with him." He picked up her empty coffee cup and handed it to her. "Here, have some more coffee and watch the rest on the sunrise. We'll talk later..... Oh by the way...." he added as he dropped a quick peck on her lips, "...I like my eggs over easy."

If the coffee cup that was in her hands wasn't Lenox she would have thrown it at his head.

Instead she smiled.