“Go away. Just let me be.”
The nose punched at my head, then my numb fingers.
Then he nosed under the sand, to put my hand on its snout.
My eyes opened and the white and tan dog stared at me with big beseeching brown eyes.
His fur was warm, even in the still falling snow.
“What happened?”
I blinked up at the new voice.
The dog nudged me until I flopped onto my back. I squinted at the halo of blond above me.
“Hey, buddy.” Her voice was surprisingly husky. “Where did you come from? Is this your owner?”
“No,” I rasped.
“Not your dog?”
I wasn’t sure if I shook my head or not.
“Hmm. Okay, let’s get you out of the snow. Why are you half naked? Did you have an event?”
I frowned. “Event?”
“Yeah. Do I need to dial 911?” She patted her pockets.
“No. Just leave me.”
“That’s not very neighborly of me.”
Golden girl. Warm. Right now she was dotted in icy white over a purple parka with…was that pink fur? “Why would you care?”
“Because I am a good person.” She wrapped her hands around mine and tugged until I sat up.
The dog barreled into me and I hissed as his icy wet fur hit my chest.
“Why are you out here without a shirt on?”
Because I’m an ass.
Didn’t seem like the thing to say so I kept my mouth shut.
“C’mon.” She pulled again and the dog got up and went around to nudge me from the back.
“I’m too big.”
“Yeah, well, I happen to be very strong.”
I grunted as she yanked me up onto my hip. Okay, she was pretty strong for a little thing, but for fuck’s sake, she would end up in the snowy sand with me.
I hissed as I rolled onto my knees to push myself upright.
She gasped. “Oh, your hands.” She shoved her hands into her pockets and came back with pink mittens with chicks on them. “Here.”
“I am not—” I cut myself off as she slid the wool over my hand. They barely fit, but were oversized enough to get over my fingers. The instant difference from elements to wool made my pain receptors fire.
