“Ah!” Sherilyn was so engrossed in the conversation over the phone that she missed her step and plunged her right foot squarely into a puddle. In the snowy winter weather, her sole was instantly enveloped by an icy chill.
Looking down, her white sneakers were completely drenched. She quickly lifted them, water sloshing inside, sending a chill straight to her heart! Oh right, the phone call!
Sherilyn hadn’t forgotten about it, but when she checked her phone, the call had already disconnected.
Who could it have been?
A wrong number? Some prank call, or maybe just another one of those annoying ads?
Sherilyn had a feeling… none of those guesses were right.
“Sherilyn!”
Gilbert had arrived, parking his car by the roadside and rushing over to her, grabbing her hand, “Let’s go.”
Reaching the car, Gilbert opened the door for her.
But Sherilyn didn’t hurry in, instead gripping his arm, “Hold on a second.”
“What’s up?”
Sherilyn didn’t answer, but instead, with one hand holding onto him, she slipped off her right shoe. Only then did Gilbert notice her soaked shoe. “What happened? Did you fall?”
“No.” Sherilyn shook her head, “Just wasn’t paying attention and missed my step.”
Gilbert took the shoe from her hand, helping her into the car.
Today, David was driving.
Gilbert took hold of her foot, and Sherilyn instinctively pulled back, asking, “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” Gilbert chuckled. “Taking off your sock? With your shoe soaked like that, there’s no way your sock is dry.”
“I know.” Sherilyn felt a bit embarrassed, glancing at David. “I can do it myself.”
“Don’t move.”
Was Gilbert going to let her? He grabbed her ankle firmly and pulled off her sock in one swift motion.
“What’s the big deal? It’s not like I haven’t done it before.”
“Hey!” Sherilyn’s face turned red, “Mind your words!”
Gilbert paused, then got it – she was feeling shy. He smirked. “Alright, I’ll drop it.”
Sherilyn tried to pull her foot back.
“Stay still!” Gilbert didn’t let her.
Frowning with displeasure, he commented, “This cold? Your feet are nearly frozen. Is this the temperature a human’s foot should be? It’s not like you stepped in water; you must have taken a bath in ice water.”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” Sherilyn retorted, frowning.
“Women tend to have colder bodies by nature. My feet are like this, they never warm up.”
No matter how warm her shoes were, it was useless.
“Really?” Gilbert looked at her other foot, “So, this one’s just as cold, feeling like ice?” “Pretty much.”
But that one hadn’t stepped into icy water, “It’s a bit better.”
“Let me see!”
Before Sherilyn could feel embarrassed, he had already bent down, precisely grabbed her other foot and swiftly removed the shoe and sock.
Sherilyn bit her lip, her cheeks burning, “What’s there to see?”
“They’re just as cold.”
Gilbert’s warm palm enveloped her foot, and Sherilyn felt a tickle, pulling back slightly.
“Why are you moving?” Gilbert’s face
darkened, but his tone remained
gentle, “Your feet are like ice benet
let me warm them up.”
Sherilyn wondered, how? With just his palms?
Then she saw Gilbert reaching toward his waist… What was he doing?
She watched, wide-eyed, as he lifted his shirt, and then, cradling her feet, placed them against his stomach. Sherilyn was suddenly taken aback, her eyes wide as saucers, fixated on his handsome face so close to hers.
“Warm now?”
Gilbert looked up, smiling at her. His deep-set features gathered in the shadows, casting a soft glow.