A/N: Sorry guys for the lack of update, I had a bit of a writers block for this story. Well anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.

They spoke very little on their journey back to Nathan and Haley's ranch. Brooke pretended to be deeply engrossed in her surroundings. It had been an unusual day, Brooke concluded. Lucas had annoyed her, charmed her, angered her and delighted her, all in a handful of hours. His kiss had aroused excitement and a deeper feeling she couldn't explain. She slid a sidelong glance at his lean, tanned features.

He was undeniably attractive, she admitted, pulling her eyes away from him before he could catch her staring. There was a powerful aura of virility about him that was totally male. Perhaps it would be wise to avoid his company she thought. Brooke was someone who liked being in control, and she had been nothing but a bundle of nerves around him. Plus, she thought, he was the type of man who would never allow anyone else to call the shots but himself. She would keep her distance and let him use his charms over the other women who were undoubtedly thirsting for his attention.

When they reached the ranch, she dismounted and handed the reigns to a waiting cowboy. "I had a wonderful time, Lucas." Brooke's smile was faultless in its social politeness as he walked her toward the ranch house. "I appreciate your time and hospitality."

Lucas' mouth lifted at one corner. "It was my pleasure, ma'am."

If there was mockery in his tone, Brooke chose to ignore it. Reaching the back door, she turned to smile at him again as he stood, tall and lean, beside his gleaming chestnut.

"Would you like some coffee before you go?" she invited, determined to be polite.

"No, thanks, Brooke." He continued to watch her, his eyes shaded by the brim of his hat. "I'd best be on my way."

"Well." She breathed a small sigh of relief when her hand touched the doorknob and safety was in easy reach. "Thanks again."

"Sure." He nodded briefly and turned to his horse, paused and turned back to look at her with a penetrating intensity that turned her legs to water. When he spoke, it was soft and final. "I mean to have you, you know."

"D-Do you?" Her voice was a shaky whisper, unlike the coolly flippant tone she would have wished for.

"Yes, ma'am." He vaulted onto the chestnut's back and pushed the Stetson back on his head so that she had a disturbingly clear view of his eyes. "I do," he confirmed, turning his mount and galloping away.

Over the next few days, Brooke told herself that her reaction to Lucas' kiss had been merely a passing physical attraction. She was a woman after all, what did she have to feel guilty about?

Lucas Scott was a very attractive man. Too attractive, she added to herself. And he knew too much about charming women. The fact that Lucas was abrasive, smug and irritating had nothing to do with the way she had acted. It had just been a passing fancy. And would never happen again. She wasn't going to let him get the best of her. Especially not after his comment about her skills in the kissing department. Although he had only been joking, Brooke wasn't one to taken comments like that lightly.

Finally Haley was allowed up from the confinement of her bed. Brooke decided it was safe to leave her sister for a few hours. With a light heart, she saddled up her horse and set off the ranch with a brisk canter.

It had been an hour into her ride when Brooke noticed that snow flakes were falling. She stopped and watched their progress in fascination. The snow fell slowly. Lifting her face, she let it caress her checks and closed her lids. The air was moist, coming to life around her, and she stirred herself out of her dream. She knew that New England weather was unpredictable, but seeing the snow fall reminded her why she loved living in the east coast so much. It's unpredictability! Patting her horse on its neck, she turned it around and headed back toward the ranch.

They rode slowly. Brooke was enchanted with the fairyland that was forming around her. The ground was being cloaked pretty quickly with snow. Though the scenery was breathtaking, Brooke began to feel uncomfortably alone.

She broke her horse into a canter. The sound of his hooves was soft and muffled. The quiet surrounding her was unearthly, almost as though the world had ceased to breathe. She shivered, suddenly cold in the warm confines of her jacket. To her annoyance, she saw that in her preoccupation with the landscape she had taken a wrong turn, and she began to backtrack, berating herself for her carelessness.

The snow increased, plunging down from a sky she could no longer see. She cursed herself for having come so far, fighting down a sudden surge of panic. "Don't be silly, Brooke," she spoke aloud, wanting the reassurance of her own voice. "A little snow won't hurt you."

The cold became more intense, piercing the layers of her skin. Brooke tried to concentrate on steaming coffee and a blazing fire as she looked around for a familiar landmark. Nothing was the same as it had been. She clamped her lips tight to still the chattering of her teeth, telling herself that it was impossible that she could be lost. But it was a lie. She was definitely lost and scared out of her mind.

The snow fell thickly, a blinding white wall blocking her vision. It was so cold, she thought as she began to shiver convulsively, so unbelievably cold. The snow had soaked through the wool of her slacks and slipped mercilessly down the neck of her coat. She hunched her shoulders against the driving wind. Snow was everywhere, blocking her in and seeping into her clothing, numbing her body.

As horse and rider plodded on, the snow continued to pile on their backs, weighing Brooke down until she slumped onto the gelding's mane and clung to him. Staring down at the gelding's front hoof, she began to count each drudging step the horse took as he continued his slow progress through the blinding storm.

If I close my eyes, she thought dimly, I won't see all that white and I can sleep. Oh, how I want to sleep...

Brooke didn't know whether she was hallucinating or dreaming but all of a sudden the snow was talking to her. It was calling her name, she thought deliriously. Even in her semi-unconscious state, the snow sounded a whole lot like Lucas' voice. Helplessly, she began to giggle.

"Brooke!" The snow shouted at her. "Open your eyes. Stop that insane laughing and open you eyes!"

Wearily, she forced herself to obey the command. Dimly she saw the blur of Lucas' features through the flurries of snow. "You would be the last thing I see before I die." With a moan, she closed her eyes again and sought silence.

"Tell Nate we've found her," Lucas shouted against the howl of the wind. "I'm taking her back to my ranch."

A/N: Hey guys, I know there's not a lot of dialogue in this chapter, but I hope you like it anyway, and if not, that's okay. But I promise the next chapter will be packed with Brooke and Lucas interaction, and maybe something more. Read on to find out. As always, reviews and ideas are always appreciated. Good or bad ones, it doesn't matter. You're the readers and I want to write what you will read. Thanks!