5

The mysterious man was still looking at me, waiting for an answer, unaware what his words did to me.
"Please?" He asked, stepping a bit closer. No doubt worried I would collapse at any moment.
I looked at his face, into his eyes, and saw only concern.
Making up my mind I said, "Alright, just to my yard...thank you."
He smiled then, moving to my side and holding out his arm as smoothly as any old fashioned gentleman. I laughed a little at it but put my hand in to crook of his elbow nevertheless.
"What's so funny?" He asked as we stepped forward together.
"You offering your arm." I explained, still smiling, "Very out of place nowadays, especially in the middle of the woods. More common in the historical fiction books I read, where gentleman in top hats strolled through manicured gardens with ladies, in complicated ensembles, on their arms."
He smiled too, "I am of the opinion that the world would be better off if some of those old fashion ideas came back into practice. Some, not all. I'd keep the rights and laws we have today that have been fought so hard for but i think encouraging more honor and consideration for our fellow man would make the world a better place."
"I completely agree" I said, surprised and glad at his forthrightness. "I often read things in books that I wish could combine with present day. To be able to have the scientific advances we have now as well as the honor and loyalty of the highland Scots would be great!" I added, encouraged by his openness to express my own views that most would laugh at.
"Scots, eh?" He said chuckling.
I blushed a little and explained, "Some of my favorite books are about the Highlands. So that was first example to come to mind."
"I see."
I turned to look at him to find him smiling down at me. He smiled with his whole face, his mouth slightly crooked, a shadow of a dimple in his left cheek, laugh lines around his eyes and green eyes that seemed to sparkle. A smile started on my own face without any conscious thought. And then we were standing still in the middle of the snow covered woods, bodies turned slighted towards each other, my hand still in his elbow, now covered with his other hand. A hand that seemed to be radiating heat into my always cold hands. A bird called loudly somewhere behind us, breaking whatever hold held us. We both laughed a little and started walking again. As we moved forward over the footprints I had made on my way into the woods, there was quiet. We walked in a comfortable silence, hearing the crunch of our steps in the snow.
It should be weird to be alone in the woods with a stranger, but after my initial hesitation, it didn't feel weird. The weird part was that it almost felt normal, that walking with this man was not unusual. It felt familiar, like we had walked like this a thousand times before.
"I don't even know your name?" I said suddenly, as soon as I realized.
"I don't know yours either" he said with a smile.
"Amelia." I said with an answering smile on my face.
"Jamie. Nice to meet you, Amelia" he said. And was like a caress hearing my name on his lips. Like I had been waiting an eternity to hear it. That was weird. I have to get a hold of myself. I should not be reacting this way to a total stranger. Maybe it was the baby hormones causing me to act like this. Yes, that must be it. Just hormones, it wasn't Jamie himself causing this reaction, it would be doing the same no matter who had rescued me from the snowy forest floor.  Maybe I am just going crazy after being alone, feeling connections that weren't really there because I may be a bit lonely. Or making more of the situation that was really just someone being nice. He must think I am insane! What pregnant woman wanders alone through the woods, in the snow? And lays down in the snow then needs to be rescued? Yes, totally crazy.