Montana Sky

hard on her butt. With her breath gone, she stayed where she was, sunk to the waist, while Tess rolled over and spat out snow.
    “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Struggling to sit up, Tess narrowed her eyes at Lily’s giggles. “What’s so goddamn funny? We’ll be buried any minute, and they won’t find us until the spring thaw.” But she felt her own laughter bubbling up as she studied Lily, sitting in a deep throne of snow like some miniature ice queen. “And you look like an idiot.”
    “So do you.” Breath hitching, Lily pressed a snow-coated glove to her heart. “And you’re the one with a beard.”
    Philosophically, Tess swiped the snow off her chin and tossed it into Lily’s face. It was all they needed. Despite the mule kick of the wind, they scooped snow into lopsided balls and pummeled each other. Shrieking now, scrambling to their knees, they heaved and tossed and dodged. They were no more than a foot apart, so aim wasn’t a factor in the battle. Speed was all that mattered. As snow slapped herface and snuck down the collar of her coat, Tess had to admit that Lily had her there. She might appear delicate, but she had an arm like a bullet.
    There was only one way to even the odds.
    Tess tackled her and sent them both rolling. Laughing like hyenas, white as snowmen, they plopped on their backs to catch their breath. Flakes drifted down on them, huge and heavy, with the iced edges smoothed out.
    “We used to make snow angels when I was a kid,” Lily said, and lazily demonstrated by skimming her arms and legs over the snow. “And once it snowed enough for us to be out of school for two days. We built a snow fort and an army of snow people. My mother came out and took pictures of it.”
    Tess blinked up, trying to see the black sky through the curtain of white. “The one and only time I went skiing, I decided snow and I weren’t compatible.” She mimicked Lily’s moves. “I guess it’s not so bad, really.”
    “It’s beautiful.” Then she laughed. “I’m freezing.”
    “I’ll buy you a huge mug of coffee laced with brandy.”
    “I’ll take it.” Still smiling, Lily sat up. Then her heart leaped into her throat, blocking the scream. Her hand clamped over Tess’s as the shadow moved, became a man. Came closer.
    “Did you all take a tumble?”
    Tess’s head jerked around, her pulse roaring in her ears. They were alone, she thought in panic, too far from the house for a shout to carry over the wind. The image of the butchered deer reared up in her mind, turning her to helpless mush.
    The flashlight, she thought, as her eyes darted right and left. He had one, the beam strong enough to blind her while keeping him in silhouette. She wanted to run, ordered herself to run, to drag Lily with her, but she couldn’t seem to move.
    “You shouldn’t be out here in the dark,” he said, and stepped closer.
    Now she moved, survival instincts springing free like a cat out of a cage. She bounded up, snatched a log from thewoodpile, and prepared to swing. “Stay back,” she ordered, and despite her shaking hands the order was strong and firm. “Lily, get up. Get up, goddamn it.”
    “Hey, I didn’t mean to spook you.” He angled the light so that it played along the snow. “It’s Wood, Miss Tess. Billy and me just got in, and the wife thought you might need some help up here.”
    His voice was easy, nonthreatening—even, Tess thought, slightly amused. But they were alone, basically helpless, and he was a strong man with his face still in shadow. Trust no one, she decided, and took a firmer grip on the log.
    “We’re fine. Lily, go inside and tell Bess that Wood’s here. Tell her,” she hissed, and Lily finally snapped into action and moved.
    “No need to put Bess to any trouble.” Wood angled the flashlight toward the woodpile, skimmed the beam over the trampled path to the house. “The wife’s got supper on for me, but I can haul some logs in for you. Power’s bound to go before long.”
    Completely alone with Wood now, Tess prayed that Lily was inside and alerting Bess. Fear licked along her spine with a sharp-edged tongue. She took one step back, then two. “We’ve already taken some in.”
    “Can’t have too much in this kinda storm.” He held the flashlight out to her, and she jerked back, visualizing a knife. “You want to take this,” he said gently, “I’ll load up.”
    Still poised to run, Tess reached out, took the light. Wood bent to the pile as Lily came flying