Christmas Kiss

Chapter Thirteen

"Laura, I think you need to wake up" Steve whispered close to my ear, "this better be a good wake up call, I am so comfortable at this moment" I mumbled. "I think you should see this" is all he said.

I laid on the couch and heard his footsteps walking away, "fine but I hope there's at least hot coffee ready" I said as I sat up and when I opened my eyes, there on the coffee table was my mug with steam rising from it.

That got me smiling, he was starting to know my habits.

After taking a few sips of my coffee, "okay what is the big issue?" I asked looking around for him, but Steve wasn't anywhere in the cabin apparently. Getting up I walked to the window and saw him outside.

"Oh, this can't be good" I said to myself. Steve saw me and waved me outside, I held up my one finger to let him know to give me a minute. I grabbed my boots and jacket and went outside next to him.

"What's going on?" Steve pointed to the tree that now has made the garage and open roof concept. "Well, this is just perfect, how in the world are we supposed to fix that one?" I asked.

Steve was looking at it, "honestly I'm not sure at this moment until I get in the garage and see how bad it is" he said. I looked at my watch it was three in the morning.

"Well not much we can do in the dark, and flashlights won't help. Let's just wait till morning when there is a little bit lighter" I suggested. Steve thought about it for a moment.

"Your right little mouse" was all he said and took my hand and we went inside. I grabbed our mugs and filled them with hot coffee. We sat on the floor next to the fire that he refilled with more wood.

"We are going to need to keep this going all the time and until I can fix that roof even temporarily, this place can get cold fast. So as long as we keep the fire burning hotter it should help keep the chill at bay.

I got up and went into the bedroom, grabbed all the blankets and pillows and came back to the living room. "We might as well camp out here so we can keep an eye on the fire and stay warm" I said as I put everything on the couch.

"Good idea" he said and went to his room and did the same thing. I yawned and made a makeshift bed on the floor with all the blankets and pillows. "I don't mind sharing if you don't" I said as I cuddled up in the blankets.

Steve looked down at me, "I don't mind sharing with you either" he said and he climbed under the blankets as we lay there facing each other. "Sort of like what we did as kids, camping out in this room when our parents were doing a game night" he said.

I forgot all about that, I laughed. "We used to get yelled at because we didn't get to sleep, you were too busy telling me ghost stories and I kept getting scared and the one time you poked me under the covers made me scream thinking it was a bug" I said laughing.

"I remember that one" he said joining in with the laughing. "Good times I say" he said as we settled down. I yawned again, trying hard to stay awake even for a little bit with him.

"Get some sleep little mouse" he said and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and his hand found mine and I held on to it as I drifted off to sleep. 

I swear I feel like I am on fire, opening my eyes I see why, Steve is wrapped around me. This man doesn't ever need a fire, he could sleep outside in Alaska and be fine.

I looked around and saw that the fireplace was about to die out, trying quietly to untangle Steve from my body, I got up and threw a bunch more smaller pieces on the fire.

Sitting there waiting for it to catch so I can add bigger ones, I watched Steve sleep. Here was a man that held my heart as a child. He has always been bigger than life.

His ideas always got us into trouble but they were fun, now I can still see the young boy inside of him from time to time, our snowball fight, messing around by the fire.

Little things he does brings back such fond memories of my youth when we would come up here for holidays and for summer vacations. Even after all these years, Steve hasn't changed.

His heart is still made up of gold, I don't know what I would have done if he wouldn't have shown up and helped me out as he has. I honestly would do anything for him.

I always thought that way when I was young, he's mine to protect and after all this time just watching him sleep now, I still feel that way only stronger. I might be his little mouse but this mouse packs a hell of a bite.