Melting the Snow | 18+

|| O N E ✶ The Blizzard ||

As she walked through the deserted aisles of the supermarket, her heart grew heavier. She would miss this place. Working here had provided her with a second family, one who'd supported her throughout the toughest years of her life. Losing a mother at seventeen should never happen to someone.

In the corner of her eye, she caught something that shouldn't be there and turned to find a discarded crate. It was half empty, and she understood one of her colleagues had stopped everything to leave for the evening. Alright, restocking shelves wasn't the most enjoyable thing to do, but seriously?

No one was working tomorrow, which meant it would stay like this for two days. With a resigned sigh, Octavia went to finish the half-done job. As she placed the cereal boxes in their spots, she had to admit this was one thing she wouldn't miss.

"Seriously, do I need to kick you out?" came a devilish voice to her left.

Startled for the second time tonight, she dropped the box she was holding, turning to the intruder and his furry companion by his side. "Caleb, stop scaring me on purpose!"

"I'm not doing it on purpose; you're always jumpy. Now, go home. We've had your going-away party at lunch. You can't have cold feet."

"I don't have cold feet. I'm just doing one last tour of the place because I'll miss working here."

With a dubious expression, Caleb came toward her. His closeness caused a burst of warmth to travel through her body, as always. He bent down to pick up the box she'd dropped, and after a quick inspection to see if it was damaged, he put it on the shelf.

With him so close, she caught his scent, something manly and strong that never failed to make her knees weak. She could see with precision his signature stubble, the wrinkles in the corner of his eyes from smiling too much, the thickness of his dirty blond hair...

Oh Lord, she had many fantasies that started with Caleb helping her restock the shelves. They usually ended with him pinning her against said-shelves and savagely making love to her. That was exactly where her mind took her, daydreaming about Caleb ramming inside of her with passion, their low grunts resonating in the empty aisle.

"You're going to forget about us the instant you start your new job," he explained, taking her out of her fantasy. Darn it. She was staring again. Luckily for her, his eyes were still focused on the boxes in front of him. "You're always doodling in your notebook, so you'll love doing it for a living. You'll be better off, but I can assure you this place will miss you, kiddo."

Octavia's jaw clenched before she could prevent it. Maybe she didn't see him as old, but he most certainly saw her as young. It didn't matter if she was twenty-three now. In his mind, she'd always be the same as when she started working here – a skinny, awkward sixteen years old girl with braces and acne.

"Now, go home, Vee. The blizzard is getting serious," he insisted, turning to the front windows where they could see the wind raging outside, blowing millions of snowflakes in the dark night, only visible in the yellowish glow of the street lamps.

She hated driving in the snow, so she really should go before it got any worse. Turning to Caleb, she forced a smile on her face, ignoring the pain in her chest. "Well, goodbye, then. It was a pleasure working for you, Cal."

"The pleasure was all mine," he replied, shaking the hand she was offering. His palms were always so warm.

Sadness threatened to overtake her, but she quenched it and bent to pet Vixen. "Bye, bestest girl. Be good with your dad."

The dog looked at her with her head tilted to the side, as if she knew something important was happening. Octavia still remembered when Caleb had first brought her in four years ago, the cutest little puppy with a floppy ear. He didn't come to work with her often, but still, the dog and Octavia were fond of each other. She was Vixen's appointed godmother, after all.