His eyes burn into me, and that’s literally what it feels like. The cold dissolves under his gaze. Our eyes are locked. My mind wanders to the past, but his hand in mine pulls me back to the present. I am standing now, and we are looking at each other. He blinks and the spell is broken. Looking away, he begins to brush the snow off my jacket. “You must be freezing out here.” His voice is distant. I feel a sliver of disappointment cut through me. With it returns the cold.

“Oh,” I say quietly, “I suppose I am.” Suddenly the impact of the cold truly hits me, and I feel my teeth chatter. His gloved hands are vigorously rubbing my arms to try to bring warmth, and once again he is looking at me with that fierce twinkle in his eye. For a moment I look away, fearing what I might see in those dangerous eyes, but I can’t hold out for long. Again our eyes are locked, but this time, his arms are around me.

He must know that this silence between us is sacred, but he speaks anyway. I shiver in warm apprehension.