Snowbound, Part 8
By RocknVaughn
- - -
Yes, to anyone who has read this story before, herein starts the new chapters. I'll be taking a little more time between posts so that I can stay at least one chapter ahead with my writing. I sincerely hope the continuation of this story will meet your expectations. I'm certainly enjoying visiting with Sam and Josie again (especially when there's plenty of UST involved!). Please, especially with the new chapters, I'd really appreciate any comments or feedback you can provide. Thank you!
- - -
Josie paled and then blushed fiercely. She stuttered, "But…but…"
"No buts, Josie," Sam replied matter-of-factly. "Listen, I understand this isn't exactly ideal, but we need to conserve as much hot water in the water heater as possible. There's no telling how much longer we'll have power in a storm like this." Sam stopped for a moment and listened to the howling of the wind outside.
"Besides, just standing in the shower isn't going to work. You need to soak the muscles. And seeing as the bathroom here doesn't have a bathtub, this" –Sam shoved the tub just slightly with his toe for emphasis—"is going to have to do."
Josie stared at the large metal tub for several seconds before finally nodding her head in agreement, unable to meet Sam's eyes. "I…I guess I'll go get my stuff together," she said finally, pushing herself to a stand and groaning when her muscles protested.
Sam nodded in response and as Josie left the room he started rooting through cabinets. He pulled out several large pots, setting them on the counter next to the sink. Then he opened the access door to the cast iron stove and reached into a small box next to it, pulling out smaller logs and tossing them onto the dying fire.
After spending several moments rearranging the wood with an iron poker, he set it aside, brushed off his hands as if satisfied, and stood, closing the access door. Walking back across the kitchen to the sink, he began filling the pots with water.
Suddenly, a fierce howling wind rattled the windows to the cabin. The electric lights went out and the humming motor from the refrigerator died.
"Shit," Sam swore to himself. "I didn't think we'd lose it this soon."
Then he heard Josie calling out to him, her voice slightly edged with panic, "Sam?"
Hurriedly setting the half-full pot back into the sink and turning off the water, Sam grabbed the lit hurricane lamp and hurried out into the living room, dimly lit only by the fireplace. "Josie? Where are you?"
"I'm in the bedroom," came the slightly muffled reply.
Rounding the corner and opening the bedroom door, Sam found a wide-eyed Josie standing stock still between the bed and the dresser, holding a fluffy, pink terrycloth robe to her chest. Sam barely noticed. "Hold on a sec," he said, setting his lamp onto the bedside table closest to the door. Grabbing the unlit hurricane lamp, he walked past Josie until he stood in front of the dresser across from the bed. He then fished around in his front left pocket, retrieving a small box of wooden matches. Pulling the lamp closer to him, he lit one of the matches and then bent down a little. "I'll have this lit for you in just a moment," he said, half to Josie and half to himself. Carefully sliding the match into the lighting hole, he touched the match head to cotton wick and pulled the matchstick out, waving it quickly through the air to extinguish it. The lamp began to glow and Sam fidgeted with the wick height knob, trying to get just the right amount of light.
After a moment, Sam raised his head and looked at Josie behind him in the mirror. "There you go…" Sam said, and then suddenly he couldn't remember what he was going to say next. Instead he stared at the reflection of Josie's bare shoulders, just visible over the robe she was clutching tightly to her chest. Momentarily glancing behind her, he could see a small pile of clothing at the edge of the bed, and he quickly realized that a lot more than Josie's shoulders was bare behind that screen of terrycloth.
Forgetting to breathe, Sam was spellbound by the way the soft light made her skin almost glow. It looked silky smooth and his fingers itched with wanting to touch it. A million thoughts raced through Sam's mind, each more erotic than the last…but every one of them started with his turning toward Josie and slowly lowering that robe…
Suddenly realizing the very dangerous turn of his thoughts, Sam turned from the enticing view in the mirror, gathered up his lamp from the bedside table, and turned to leave.
Josie's soft voice stopped him in his tracks. "Thank you," she said, barely above a whisper.
Not daring to turn around, Sam replied awkwardly, "It's… No problem. I'll just…go finish getting the water ready." Then he softly closed the door behind him.
- - -
After the bedroom door clicked shut, Josie let out a huge nervous sigh before turning her robe around in front of her and hastily slipping her arms into the sleeves. She reached for the belt and cinched it tightly at her waist with shaking fingers. Afraid her wobbly knees might give way, Josie plopped down on the edge of the bed, placing a hand over her pounding heart.
She had been in the midst of changing when that wind shook the cabin and then everything suddenly went black. In her fear, she had called out for Sam, forgetting for a second her state of undress. It wasn't until she heard his hand turning the doorknob that she came to and hastily grabbed for her robe on the end of the bed. She hadn't even had the time to put in on, so she ended up just holding to her instead.
By his nonchalant behavior when he'd entered the room, Josie had started to think that Sam wasn't even going to notice her predicament. But then suddenly his eyes widened with realization as he stared at her, his eyes alive and blazing with something she could not name. And she had felt helpless to do anything besides stare back.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Josie muttered to herself, "Lord, I don't know if I can do this…"
- - -
Back in the kitchen, Sam was just as shaken by what he had experienced in the bedroom moments before. Placing the lamp back onto the kitchen table, he stomped over to the sink and turned the hot water knob violently, causing water to splash all over his front when the stream ricocheted off the side of the pot still sitting in the sink. Turning the faucet arm so that the water was pouring into the pot, he stood back and shook the water from him, muttering a string of curses under his breath.
Damn it, he didn't want to feel this overpowering attraction to Josie. Sam tried to work up his anger again, but found it was no longer insulating him from his other emotions. Sighing, he ran a damp hand through his hair and then hoisted the water-laden pot out of the sink and carried it over to the stove. Steam hissed from the evaporating droplets that clung to the outside of the container as it touched the hot stovetop.
In those few minutes while Sam covered the cast iron stove with pots of assorted shapes and sizes, he tried desperately to think about something else… anything besides Josie. He tried listening to the shrieking wind and the furious drumming of snow against the sides of the cabin. Nothing seemed to work. Every time he closed his eyes, he could imagine Josie's eyes meeting his in the mirror of the bedroom. It had taken every shred of willpower he'd possessed then not to pull her into his arms and kiss her until they were both senseless.
"What the hell is the matter with me?" he asked himself as he slumped into a chair at the end of the table, facing the door. He'd thought he was over Josie. He'd thought that over time, she'd have lost the power to affect him. He'd thought that he could forget about her, put the whole sordid affair behind him and move on with his life.
Granted, he still searched the Sun Times daily to see if she'd written a new article… but that was just curiosity, he'd told himself. Sure, he hadn't wanted to date anyone since her, and he was still mad as hell with her…but surely he was over her. Or so he'd thought until a few hours ago. From the moment he realized the injured woman in the car was Josie, his world had been completely turned upside down.
Everything he'd believed he felt about Josie Geller before now seemed woefully inaccurate.
- - -
"Okay, Josie, snap out of it," she coached herself. "It's just a simple bath. No big deal." The vision of Sam's face as he stared at her in the mirror flashed before her and in her heart she knew that nothing having to do with Sam Coulson could ever be simple.
"Come on, Jos," she said aloud, trying to calm her accelerated pulse. "Don't get carried away here. The only reason he suggested the bath was because of your sore muscles. You're his burden until the storm lets up and he doesn't want to have to deal with the consequences if you get worse, that's all."
Nodding, she slipped her feet into her fuzzy slippers and stood. Yes, that was it. Sam was just trying to do the right thing. That didn't mean there were any emotions attached to it. And his look… Well, she just must have misunderstood it. He must have suddenly realized she was not dressed and been embarrassed. After all, Sam had made it quite clear thus far that he had no use for her. He didn't even want to be in the same room with her more than had been completely necessary, and she guessed she couldn't blame him. Still, she couldn't help but wish that there were some way to break through to him, to get him to give her another chance.
"Forget it, Jos," she muttered, pulling the knot around her waist tighter and opening the bedroom door. "That's just wishful thinking."
She rounded the corner and walked into the kitchen to find Sam pouring heated water from the pots on the stove into the metal tub. Without looking up, he explained, "One more set of these pots and there should be enough for your bath." He carried the now empty pot to the sink and refilled it with water.
Josie watched the haze of steam rise from the tub and then smiled hesitantly as Sam turned to carry the refilled pot to the stove. "Thanks," she said hesitantly.
Sam shrugged, still facing the stove. He didn't want to look at her right now. He didn't know if he could handle it.
Josie looked from Sam's broad back to the open doorway of the kitchen, staring at the flames in the living room fireplace flutter from drafts coming down the chimney. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her and felt her cheeks burn bright red. Nervously, she twisted her hands in front of her and then played with the ends of her bathrobe belt, staring at the space on the floor between her fuzzy slippers. "Uh…Sam?"
At the note of hesitant question in Josie's voice, Sam turned. Tilting his head down a little, he tried to see her face and realized she was blushing badly and she was fidgeting. Trying not to think about how endearing that quirk of hers was, he asked in a neutral tone, "What?"
Scuffing one of her slippers back and forth across the floor, her eyes remained glued to it. "Uh…well…there's no…um, door to the kitchen."
Glancing at the doorway for a moment, he lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "And?"
In response, Josie blushed even more. "Sam…" she barely spoke, embarrassed. "I…I can't do this."
"Can't do what?" Sam asked. "If you're having second thoughts about being here with me, I'm afraid it's too late for that."
"No…" Josie glanced up for a split second before quickly lowering her head again. "How can I bathe in here if I can't…. if you can…?" Mortified at how inane she must sound, Josie just stopped talking altogether, gesturing slightly to the doorway.
Finally, Sam grasped Josie's meaning. "Josie, I wouldn't intrude on your privacy. Come on," he said in reply. "I thought you knew me better than that."
Josie's beseeching eyes connected with Sam's, begging him to understand. "I didn't think you would… It's just that…" She let out a huge sigh before whispering, "I can't."
Unbidden, a memory surfaced… A conversation he'd had with Josie in the early days of her undercover assignment.
Class had just ended. As the students filed out, he called out, "Josie? Can I see you a moment?"
Shyly, she'd nodded and moved to stand before him. He'd waited until the room had emptied and then said, "Josie, I'd like you to read your paper for the class on Monday."
Instantly, she blushed and stared at her sneakers. "N..no, I can't," she stammered.
He had bent his head lower, trying to get Josie to look at him. "Why can't you?" he asked softly.
"You wouldn't understand," she said miserably.
Gently, he reached out and tilted her head so that she had to meet his eyes. Then he crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back against the front of his desk, crossing his legs at the ankles. "Try me."
She'd closed her eyes for a moment, as if to gather her courage and then admitted, "They might laugh at me."
His heart had gone out to her in that moment. How could such a smart, beautiful young woman like Josie have such self-doubt? Even then, he could see she could be so much more than she envisioned for herself. "Josie, no one will laugh at you. Your paper was wonderful."
Josie just shook her head, embarrassed with his praise.
"Yes, Josie… it was. You are very talented. I'd really like the class to hear it." He'd smiled at her then and he thought that maybe she was weakening.
"I can't…" she insisted softly.
Placing a hand on her shoulder, he felt…something…pass between them. Shrugging the feeling off for the moment, he locked his gaze with hers and urged, "You can." When she started to protest, he didn't let her. "Yes, you can. Just pretend they aren't there. Pretend you're just reading it to me. Surely, I'm not that scary?" he'd joked.
His reward had been a glorious smile that reached her eyes even as a blush colored her cheeks again. "No," she admitted softly. "You're not scary."
Encouraged, he rubbed her shoulder slightly saying, "Good, I'm glad to hear that." Then he said, "Josie, I promise it won't be as bad as you think. And I'll be there with you the whole time. Nothing to worry about, okay?"
She'd nodded. "Okay."
After that conversation, Sam remembered sitting at his desk through most of the next period under the guise of grading papers, but he didn't get much done as his thoughts kept straying back to Josie. Even then, there had been something about her…
And now, almost nine months later, long after there was any need for Josie to pretend anything, she was still shy and embarrassed. He had always considered her innocence an act, but now he wasn't so sure. What could her motive possibly be to act that way now? Sam didn't want to admit it, but her sweet shyness was affecting him now the same way now as it had then: it made him want to protect her.
Kindly, he smiled slightly and said, "Hold on a second. I'll be right back."
Confused, Josie watched Sam as he left the kitchen and crossed the living room. He knelt before the bench along the far side of the room, lifted up the seat, and moved things around, obviously searching for something.
Taking a step or two forward until she was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, she asked, "Sam, what are you doing?"
But Sam acted as if he didn't hear her and kept on rummaging. After another moment he exclaimed, "Aha, I knew it was in here…" before pushing items hastily into place and shutting the top of the storage bench. Then, grasping a small bag in his left hand, he sprinted to the bedroom, muttering something unintelligible.
A moment later, Sam emerged again, a bed sheet flung hastily over his shoulder. He crossed the threshold of the kitchen, barely brushing Josie as he passed.
Baffled and slightly shaken from the jolt of Sam's touch, Josie stepped back into the kitchen again and looked beyond Sam to the package and sheet he'd deposited on the table in favor of pouring more hot water from the pots into the tub. It read 'Four-Ply Waterproof Nylon Cording, General Use'. "Huh?" Josie said, not realizing she'd said it aloud.
Sam turned and looked over his shoulder at Josie. The obvious confusion on her face was so comical he almost laughed. Instead, he deposited the pot he held into the sink, disappeared around the corner into the pantry for a second, and emerged with a handful of wooden clothespins.
Depositing them on the table as well, he literally had to walk around the dumbstruck Josie to get to the package of nylon cord. As he stood with his back to her and opened the package, Josie finally found her voice. With a touch of nervous apprehension, she asked, "What are you going to do with that rope?"
An amused smile tugged at the corners of Sam's mouth again. "What do you think I'm going to do with it?"
Josie was afraid to guess. "I…"
Finally, Sam gave in to his mirth and chuckled out loud. Shaking his head, he decided to put Josie out of her misery. "Josie… I'm setting up a makeshift screen for you… across the doorway. You know, so that you can… and I can't…?"
As Josie's mouth formed a perfect O of surprise, Sam chuckled again and then turned toward the doorway to begin his task. Removing a copper-bottomed pan from a hook on the wall, he tied one end of his cord to the eyehook and then crossed the doorway to connect the other end to a coat hook that was screwed into the wall at about shoulder height. A long tail of extra rope hung down from the hook and pooled in a little pile on the floor by the doorjamb.
Josie backed up to be out of Sam's way as he turned and grabbed the sheet and clothespins. He efficiently worked from one end of the cord to the other, securing the sheet he was holding to the cord with the wooden fasteners. Turning around, he gestured toward his handiwork, "Voila! How's that? Better?"
Josie blinked back tears and nodded.
Slightly self-conscious about Josie's emotional response, he lowered his eyes and then said, "Oh! You need some towels. Hold on a sec." Pushing the sheet aside, Sam ducked under it, emerging a minute later with a couple of fluffy towels and Josie's toiletries bag. He explained, "It was on the bathroom counter when I was getting the towels so… Well, here," he finished abruptly, handing it to her. He put the towels on the table, grabbing the dinner dishes and hastily dumping them in the sink. "I'll do those later," he said more to himself than to Josie. He busied himself putting more wood inside the stove and then grunted as he bent over to pull the metal tub closer to it. The water sloshed back and forth inside, bringing to Sam's mind thoughts of what it would mean the next time he heard those sounds.
"There," he said, trying to regain some equilibrium. Standing up he gestured to the tub. "You should be nice and warm there by the stove." He nervously backed up a step. "Feel free to take as long as you want," he stammered. "Besides, the longer you soak those muscles, the better."
Josie nodded, suddenly full of nervous tension. She couldn't seem to look away from Sam's gaze. "Okay," she agreed lamely. "I will." Then softly she added, "Thank you, Sam."
"Sure," he replied, pushing the sheet up and walking under it once again. Then standing on tiptoe to see over the sheet, he added, "If you need anything, call me. I'll be right here in the living room, all right?"
"Okay," Josie said again, and watched as he lowered himself so that all she could see was Sam's hair sticking up over the top edge of the sheet. A sad smile crossed her features at its endearing unruliness. She waited until he moved away from the door and she heard him start poking at the living room fire before she began to undress.
- - -