Chapter 33
With the local news organizations all talking about the storm that was coming that Thursday, Oliver made sure their emergency kits were up to date in the house, office, and cars. As the week got colder, Shane was really appreciating the heated coat Oliver had gotten her for Christmas. It had a battery pack with different warmth settings. The Postables spent the day at the DLO working through lunch and finishing off as many projects as they could. Shane and Rita went through work and made lists of projects everyone could work on from home in the event the storm met expectations. It started snowing mid-afternoon. When Norman and Rita left for home, Oliver left for choir. "Be careful going home. Don't stay too late." Oliver said running a hand down her back when he kissed her forehead.
Shane left about an hour later when someone from international shipping saw the light on in the DLO and let her know the snow was getting worse. Getting home took twice as long between the snow coming down and everyone else having the same thought to get home while they could. When she finally made it home, she immediately took the doodles out for a walk while there still was a walk. She had gotten a snow melt mat for Oliver at Christmas and noticed he'd already laid it out on the porch and back steps so they could get to the wood in a storm.
It was already late when she started making dinner, Oliver should have been home by then. Knowing he probably got stuck in the same traffic she did she tried not to worry. With dinner finished, she put on some music and started having a dance party with the doodles. Oliver walked in on her and Raven dancing to Abba's 'Dancing Queen'. When Shane noticed him standing at the edge of the kitchen, she looked up at him sheepishly, "We were trying not to worry."
"I can see that." He said grinning and came over to kiss her. "Who makes a better dance partner me or the doodles?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Shane said grinning turning the music off. "Come sit down and eat. Was traffic really bad still?"
"It's like the entire city is either headed home or to the hardware store." Oliver said taking his coat off.
"I took the dogs for a walk already." Shane said putting drinks on the table.
After eating they got a few things ready for the next day and went to bed. Oliver could tell when he woke up early in the morning the power was out. He managed to push the back door open enough to let the doodles out and to reach the turn on switch for the battery pack for the snow melt mat. He started a fire already feeling the temperature dropping in the house. Letting the dogs back in and drying them off, he made some tea glad they had a gas stove. Putting it in a thermos that said 'Life is too short to drink bad tea' he left it on Shane's bedside table since she was still sleeping. Hoping the melt mat had worked enough to budge the snow he put his coat on to finish shoveling enough snow to get to the wood pile in case they needed more later. Grabbing a shovel from the garage and managing to get the back door open, the doodles sat by the fire looking at him like he was crazy for trying to go out there. "I don't disagree, but we'll want to keep that fire going." He said to them. After managing to clear a path, he came inside to warm up by the fire.
Shivering Shane came out of the bedroom. "Is it still snowing?"
"Yes, and not lightly." Oliver said taking his coat off as he warmed up.
"When did the power go off?" Shane asked drinking some of the tea he'd left her.
"Around four." He said sitting next to her by the fire. "Would you like some breakfast?"
"Would love some but I'm going to take a shower quickly before it gets any colder in here."
"When you get done do you mind turning the faucets on to drip and shutting the rest of the doors in the house."
"No problem." Shane said.
Oliver pulled everything out of the fridge they'd need for breakfast and got started. He grinned when he noticed it was the fastest shower, he'd ever heard Shane take on record. It wasn't long before he heard doors shutting and her rummaging around in closets. When she finally appeared, her arms were full of sleeping bags and blankets she dropped by the fireplace. The doodles immediately had to see what she'd brought them. "These are for us. I'll get your beds after I warm up for a minute." Shane said sitting by the fire.
"Breakfast is almost done." Oliver said noticing the dogs were already trying to burrow under a sleeping bag. "You may want to find their jackets. They're not farm dogs anymore." Oliver said smiling at their antics. Shane came over to refill her tea while Oliver put omelets and bacon on plates.
They ate by the fire the doodles looking at them reproachfully the entire time. "They make you feel guilty you're not sharing. I know you guys ate because I fed you myself."
Shane looked at him grinning. "I know you Oliver O'Toole. You'll slip them some bacon while we're cleaning up the kitchen."
He laughed, "Caught on did you." Taking their plates, he put them in the dishwasher.
"I'll clean up if you want to take a shower."
"Thanks, it is getting colder in here." Shane found the doodle's jackets putting them on and moving their beds by the fire before finishing the kitchen.
Seeing her sitting by the fire running her fingers through her hair, Oliver returned to the bathroom to pick up her brush and grabbed pillows from the bedroom. Sitting down next to her he started brushing her hair fanning it out to make it easier for the long strands to dry. Warmed by the fire, full of breakfast, and relaxed from having someone brush her hair, Shane started feeling drowsy again. Oliver kept brushing her hair as it slowly dried. Feeling her completely relax against him, "Why don't you let me get the sleeping bags laid out and you can go back to sleep? It's still early yet." She shifted slightly letting him get up feeling the cold seep in against her back once he moved.
He laid a comforter on the floor for padding before zipping the two sleeping bags together laying them out in front of the fire. Grabbing a book while she slid into the sleeping bags Oliver joined her. She curled up against him quickly going back to sleep with his arm around her. It wasn't long before the warmth of the fire and Shane curled next to him lulled Oliver back to sleep as well.
Waking up later he hated to disturb Shane, but the fire needed more wood to keep going. Trying to extricate himself, she woke up murmuring about the cold. "I know I'm going to get the fire built back up." Adding a couple logs and making sure they were positioned right he slid back in next to her.
Fully awake now she ran her hands over him trying to warm him up. He rolled her on top of him, "There we go that should warm me up faster." He said grinning.
She grinned laying her head on his chest feeling the warmth of the sleeping bag and the fire taking the chill away. It wasn't long before the fire warmed the area around them again. "So how long do you think the power is going to be out?" Shane asked.
"It depends on how much of the city was impacted." Oliver replied.
"So, no working from home immediately." Shane said sighing. "I guess we'll have to find something else to keep us busy." Oliver ran a hand down her back. She smiled, "Have you ever played would you rather?"
"Can't say that I have." Oliver answered. "How do you play?"
"You take turns asking someone a question like would you rather wrestle a bear or an alligator?"
"Neither." Oliver said emphatically.
"That's not how you play. You have to pick one." Shane said laughing. "Then you ask me a question."
Trying to humor her, "Ok, an alligator. Um, would you rather be able to breathe under water or fly?"
"Fly. Would you rather meet your favorite fictional character or favorite musician?"
"Musician. Would you rather have a lifetime subscription to Netflix or unlimited gift card to Starbucks?" Oliver asked. Once his hands were warm, they made their way under her flannel shirt drifting up and down her back.
"Definitely Starbucks. Would you rather never be able to use a spoon or never be able to use a fork?" Shane asked.
"A spoon and then I'd invent the spork." Oliver responded.
"I think that's cheating." Shane commented.
"Would you rather never be able to watch YouTube again or TV again." Oliver asked.
"Since when do you know what YouTube is?" Shane asked laughing. "Probably not watch YouTube." Her hand slid up to play in his hair. "I love your hair when it gets all spiky." It was disheveled from sleep giving him a rakish appearance that was far from the normal distinguished Oliver.
"Do you now." Oliver grinned.
"Would you rather go to work with your bed hair or in your pj's?" Shane asked smiling.
Oliver laughed, "The wild hair." He slid his hand up under her hair cupping her neck bringing her closer. "Would you rather I kiss you or you kiss me?" Oliver asked smirking.
"I think I'd be fine with either." Shane responded grinning.
Oliver teasingly brushed his lips against hers. When he deepened the kiss, she let go of his hair sliding her hands down to his shoulders. Feeling her move restlessly against him he rolled them over so that he was above her.
"Would you rather I kiss your neck or your shoulder?" He asked teasingly.
"Oliver," Shane said impatiently.
Nuzzling her neck and kissing his way across her shoulder loosening her shirt along the way, she grew more restless. Her hands moved down his back to his hips trying to pull him closer. He kissed the other side of her neck before slowly nibbling his way to her ear.
He brushed her hair behind her ear taking his time continuing to teasingly taste her as he lowered his body to hers. She sighed relishing the feel of him on top of her at the same time frustrated realizing she could barely move.
"Shane, my love, we've got all day," he said smiling faintly knowing he was frustrating her when he heard her sigh.
She smiled faintly herself, knowing he always made it worth every minute of the wait, and settled in for a long pleasurable interlude.