Chapter 8

Katniss was shivering beside him.

"Here take my jacket," Haymitch offered kindly.

"No, thanks." She shook her head resolutely, crossing her arms and tucking her hands under them to find some warmth. "I don't need it."

"Oh, sweetheart." Haymitch sighed, pulling off his jacket and passing it to Katniss. "You're as stubborn as a mule."

Biting her tongue, Katniss accepted his jacket and pulled it around her slender shoulders. "I'm used to much worse," She pointed out, secretly cuddling into the fine woven fabric, grateful for its lingering warmth, recognizing that it smelled slightly of him.

"I know," He said simply and shifted his attention from Katniss back to the long rainy road.

An hour ago, the modern LED display of his SUV had turned black and his brand new car had stopped in the middle of nowhere. Baffled by the "hi-tech" engine, without the slightest hope of repairing the damage himself, he had finally called the breakdown service for help.

The rain was forming puddles on the freeway as Haymitch asked himself what he'd been thinking when he'd come up with the idea of travelling to Virginia's finest country club for nothing more than a dance. He should never have given in to Prim's childish idea. A couple of slow songs, played on his old CD player in his cosy living room would have done the job.

"What do you think, how long will it take before they find us?" Katniss asked, while her eyes followed the rain drops, pouring down from the sky onto the windscreen.

"Hard to tell." He shrugged and looked at her. Katniss had undone her chignon and her luxurious hair fell around her shoulders, framing her porcelain face. Her bare legs were tucked underneath her. He realised that she was doing her best to warm herself as she cuddled deep into the fabric of his jacket.

Carefully, he reached out his hand and faintly touched her long neck with his fingertips. She was as cold as ice. Totally astonished by his gentle gesture, Katniss looked up at him.

"You're freezing, girl. I'm fetching you a blanket from the trunk."

"No I'm fine, I'm not made of glass."

"That's for sure." He smiled slightly. "But I don't want any trouble with your little sister when I bring you home sick."

He reached for the car door, but her hand on his arm stopped him.

"What was she like?" Katniss asked, her dark eyes shifting carefully away from him.

"Who?" Haymitch asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Your late wife," Katniss said, her voice wavering.

He took a deep breath, running his hand through his light hair while a dark shadow passed over his features. Deeply sorry, Katniss glanced down at her cold hands; she knew she had crossed an invisible line. "I'm sorry, Haymitch, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's okay," He said faintly. "My shrink told me, talking about her would help." Haymitch shrugged, peering through the windshield, into the pouring rain, back to another time.

Finally he started talking, his voice more grave than she had ever heard it before. "She was kind-hearted, funny." Haymitch swallowed hard. "Effie could light up a room with her charm, making you feel that you can solve any problem in your life -"

Katniss nodded, her long locks falling over her pale face, hiding it.

"You must love her very deeply, that you started drinking because of her death," She said in a small voice.

He nodded slightly, keeping his eyes carefully on the road before him. Speaking might help, Haymitch thought, but he wasn't ready for it, at least not now and not sober. Gathering himself, he banished the pain, shoved it resolutely aside, and concentrated on the present.

"What about you?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Me?" Katniss looked up, puzzled.

"Yes. What are your plans for the future?" Haymitch asked with genuine interest. "Why are you studying economics? You should know; you're my worst student by far."

Katniss swallowed her pride, trying her best not to glare at him. Unfortunately, he was right; economics wasn't her field and never would be. "Well," She shrugged. "I thought it would be a good idea to find a well-paid job afterwards." She drawled the words as if she were looking for better ones. "As you know, my family needs every single cent we can get."

"Good idea, in theory," He pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "But if you keep up your dismal performance you'll never receive your Bachelor's."

"Any suggestions?" She looked at him, trying her best to imitate his critical glance at her. "Maybe more private lessons?"

"No." Haymitch's lips were twisting, a small smile appearing on them. "Have you ever considered studying sport?"

"Sport?" Katniss repeated, caught by surprise, her brows coming together. "Would that even be possible?"

In her dark eyes, he was able to see a new-found spark of life. "Not in Richmond of course," He explained, "but at other faculties along the coast. If you like, we could check, once we're home."

A faint smile appeared on her full lips, matching his as she nodded.

…

At last, the breakdown service found them and drove both to the nearest motel along the freeway. The shabby, simple motel wasn't the Four Seasons, but with its tiny coffee shop and old fashioned jukebox, it reminded Katniss of home.

She carefully opened the back door leading onto the large wooden porch. A couple of handmade lanterns illuminated the dark as she stepped outside, walking quietly towards the balustrade.

Haymitch was sitting alone on the steps, his hands holding a bottle of Coke. As Katniss leaned silently against the wooden balustrade, she could still feel his fingertips on her cold skin.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her. Raising an eyebrow, he glanced up at her. "What happened to your shoes, sweetheart?"

Katniss rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I couldn't stand them, so I threw them in the garbage."

He smirked, unsurprised. "Did you consider that you'll catch a cold?"

"I don't care," Katniss said defying, looking down at him, straight into his clear blue eyes.

He shook his head and tried his best not to smile; she was as stubborn as the first day they had met. He couldn't help himself, he liked it.

"Come here." Haymitch nodded with his unshaven chin at the empty space by his side. He stretched out an arm, inviting her to draw warmth from him.

She blinked, slightly surprised by his behaviour, searching for a hint of scorn in his sharp eyes, but she couldn't find it. Finally, she made up her mind and pushed herself off the rail, walking swiftly towards him on her icy feet.

Blissfully, she cuddled herself close against his solid body, enjoying the unfamiliar nearness while his arm tightened around her, holding her close, holding her safe.

"Better?" He asked.

"Better," She said, laying her head carefully on his broad shoulder, allowing herself to relax for a moment.

Katniss's gaze went up to the glittering, shiny dots on an endless blue velvet map. It was soothing, she thought, that no matter where she was she could always see the same constellations. Slowly, she took the Coke out of his hand and drank a small sip.

"Do you see the bright star over there?" She pointed with the bottle towards the night sky, her cheek still resting on his shoulder. "That's the Pole star, it's always in the north, never moves. If you get lost and follow the star you will find your way home. Always."

Haymitch's glance followed Katniss's toward the glittering stars, wondering how it might be to spend a lifetime with a girl like her. Stubborn as hell but always honest.

From the coffee shop, the faint sound of an old jukebox appeared. Someone must have thrown a dollar into the machine.

"You still owe me a dance," He said and took the nearly empty bottle out of her hand, setting it down carefully on the wooden floor.

"Do I?" Reluctantly, she raised her head from his shoulder and looked up at him.

"Wasn't that the plan for tonight?" A grin appeared on his features. "Well, this old porch is not a ballroom but we have music and the moon is up in the sky…" He shrugged. "It couldn't be better."

His eyes held hers as he rose slowly and with an inviting smile on his face, he offered her his hand.

"Shall we dance, Miss Everdeen?"

Smiling back at him, Katniss took his outstretched hand and Haymitch pulled her up into his arms. He could see flecks of gold in her shiny eyes.

"Can you dance?" Haymitch asked as he drew her closer, one hand holding hers, his other resting on the small of her back.

"No, you?"

Haymitch shook his head faintly, smirking. "Please, show mercy if I step on your toes," He whispered into her dark long locks.

And here, dancing in the dark to an old romantic song under countless glittering stars, it happened. It wasn't planned, but it felt right in this precious, magical moment. Haymitch's lips brushed tenderly across hers. It wasn't more than the wing beat of a butterfly, but for Katniss it seemed as if she'd been waiting for it her whole lifetime.

An electric shock went through her body and before she knew what she was doing, she kissed him back. Fiery, passionate. He nearly lost his balance as she stepped resolutely up to him, her clumsy hands finding their way under his shirt.

"Woah, Katniss, slow down," He said, amused, his eyes glittering.

To her frustration, he caught hold of her eager hands easily. She was starving and he tasted like sweet summer peaches. How could this be wrong? She'd never felt like this before.

"Sweetheart, hold on."

"No!" Not here, not now, she thought. "Kiss me," She begged, sounding more desperate than she would ever admit.

Her despairing words drew a chuckle from his thin lips. "And here I was thinking you were an old-fashioned prude."

"I am not a prude," She said breathlessly, glaring at him. "But up till now, I never kissed the right guy."

Gently, he released her hands and moved his thumb over her sensual red lips. "Could be, sweetheart, could be."

…

Haymitch reached out, pulling her closer to his strong chest, and tenderly kissed her tousled hair. Moving slowly on, he placed soft kisses along her long neck, her collarbone, then leaned over her shoulder to kiss her delicate shoulder-blade. As his hands touched her firm breasts, circling the tops with his fingers, she pressed herself against him, moaning, craving more. It felt so much better than anything she had experienced before.

"Could you do me a favour?" He whispered softly into her ear.

"Mm?"

"Don't scream my name as loud as last night, we still have to check out, could be a little bit embarrassing."

She turned her head, staring at him, totally shocked. What had she done? She could not remember.

He smirked, the cheekiest grin she had ever seen. "You wouldn't recognize a joke if it bit you on your pretty little ass, would you, sweetheart?"

"You are such a jerk!" With a fiery glint in her eyes she tried to hit him.

Haymitch was faster, stronger and caught her wrist easily. "Love your fire," He whispered into her ear. His breath was warm against her chilled skin; it felt fantastic.

"Kiss me," Katniss begged, breathless, full of desire for his touch, trying to free herself helplessly from his iron grip.

Chuckling, he gently released her hands, teasingly running his fingertips over her slender body down to her thighs, knowing exactly where to find her sensitive spots.

"As you wish, sweetheart."

How could he have so much luck? He had never thought that a girl as brave and beautiful as Katniss could be waiting for him. Bit by bit he had literally fallen in love with her.

Coming home would be a challenge; that was certain. He had no idea how her family would react to their relationship. But he felt certain that Katniss's little sister and his best friend would be on their side.

Finally, he pushed the dark thoughts away, kissing Katniss passionately, swearing to himself that no matter what he would never give her up.

Fin