I woke up in a soft and very comfortable bed. I could imagine that, if it were a different time and place, I was snuggled up in the bed at my grandma's house with her down comforter tucked around me. I could almost smell her apple spice cake.

But I knew I wasn't at my grandma's house. I couldn't quite figure out why, but I felt very unsettled, like something bad had happened to me, but I didn't know what it was. My brain felt like mush and I struggled to open my eyes, but it felt like my eyelids were made of lead. My throat was dry and I tried to wet my tongue with some saliva, but I could hardly work any up.

Water. I really wanted water.

The water bottle in your car.

I slowly started to remember the trip. Did I ever make it to Frost Fire? Did I have a ski accident? Was I in the hospital? I struggled so hard to remember, and then it started coming back to me in bits and pieces.

You.

You were the last thing I remembered. I was just figuring out that you had been following me.

I knew I was no longer in your SUV. The bed I was lying on was too comfortable.

So, where on earth was I?

And where were you?

I forced myself to think, to figure out where I was. I finally opened my eyes and looked around. I was in a small room with walls made of rough logs. There was a heavy blue gingham quilt over me. Right next to the bed, there was a small round table. It had a white table cloth with a little ruffle at the top. On the table, there was a small lamp and a vase full of silk flowers. A small upholstered chair was tucked between the table and the opposite wall. Above me, the ceiling was slanted and low. The room I was in was so tiny. I was sure I'd never been there before. Again, if it had been another time and place, I would have found this room cozy and comforting. But, as it was, I was beginning to panic. I really couldn't remember anything since I was in your car.

How had I gotten here?

I finally summoned the strength to sit up, and then I stood up from the bed. I walked toward the door of the tiny room, but just as I reached for the door handle, the room started spinning and everything went black again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I came to again, my head was pounding. I reached up to rub the spot where it ached and my fingers grazed a soft cotton bandage.

"Don't touch it," I heard you say and my eyes flew open at the sound of your voice.

"Who are you? Why am I here? What do you want?" I spit out rapid-fire questions at you, but you just smiled.

"Relax, okay? You fell and hit your head the last time you tried to get up. I had to use a few butterfly closures, but I think it will heal all right." Your voice was soothing, but I still felt uneasy.

"What am I doing here?" I whispered.

"We got stranded in the snow," you explained. "We'll have to dig out and then I can take you to Frost Fire."

At the time, I accepted your explanation because my head hurt so bad and I was still so woozy. And you said you'd take me to my friends. The questions wouldn't come til later.

"Do you have anything I can take for my head? It really hurts," I told you.

You disappeared and quickly came back with a bottle of water and two white pills. When you handed them to me, you smiled again and I realized how good looking you were. You had a chiseled jaw and a square chin and your smile made your eyes light up. 

Your eyes. I knew I'd seen your eyes before. I mean, even before you rescued me on the roadside. They were a lovely golden brown. I was sure I hadn't ever seen that color before. 

I still felt uneasy, but after about ten minutes I relaxed and started to doze off again. You sat next to me, holding my hand lightly and rubbing your thumb over my knuckles.

I still had questions, so many questions, but all I wanted to do was to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I woke up the third time, you were still there, sitting in a small chair next to me, sleeping. You were still holding my hand, which I found strangely comforting. I examined your face as you slept. You looked so peaceful.

And you were so beautiful with your long, dark eyelashes and your pretty, perfectly shaped mouth. Your features were so delicate, yet still manly. 

I laid there for a long time, trying to figure out if I should believe you, if I could trust you. Had we really gotten stranded. I didn't remember seeing snow in the forecast, but then again, I didn't really check into it much before I left. You looked like an innocent little boy while you were sleeping. You had rescued me after my tire blew out. You hadn't hurt me, as far as I could tell, and you bandaged up my head after I fell. 

I lifted the blankets to see what I was wearing. I still had on the same clothes I had been wearing when I left Grand Forks - even my boots. I wasn't wearing my parka, though. Even so, it was highly unlikely that you had touched me inappropriately. 

But still, could I trust you?