The weather had rapidly deteriorated. Considering it had almost frozen Ashby’s balls off twice in the last hour, he couldn’t say he was thrilled as he and Trent stepped back out into the howling wind and thick, heavy snow.

“Merlin!” Trent bellowed.

The door to the resort slammed shut behind them. Ashby couldn’t really make anything out in the flurry. It was too early in the day for the lights to be on around the pool. The sky was a dark iron gray, hardly letting any sunshine through to help with visibility.

“Merlin!” Ashby also yelled at the top of his lungs. “Shit, Trent,” he said, trying not to become panicked. “We’re never going to find him in this weather.”

“Yes, we will,” Trent said. “We have to.”

He reached out and took Ashby’s hand so they could slowly move through the snow together. Ashby could just about make out the sauna building to the left, but it was difficult to see where the swimming pool was.

“Should we text the others and let them know he’s definitely outside?” Ashby called over the wind.

“Let’s just look a minute,” Trent called back.

Fuck Kiefer. What kind of bastard put a puppy in danger just to spite someone? The old Ashby might have fallen into a pit of guilt that Kiefer was essentially doing this because Trent stopped him from ‘having’ Ashby. But the new Ashby didn’t have a single fuck to give about that. He absolutely should not have shagged Kiefer for any reason when he didn’t want to. It definitely wasn’t his fault that the twisted psycho was now trying to hurt him, Trent and Trent’s family anyway he could. He was a maniac and deserved to be behind bars.

Ashby’s ears just caught something that made him stop. He tugged Trent so he would pause too. “Did you hear that?” he asked.

“What?” Trent asked, shaking his head. The wind was roaring and howling like a wounded beast. Or…was that whimpering Ashby could just make out?

“I think he’s close,” Ashby cried, trying not to get emotional. He needed to concentrate, not panic. “Merlin? Merlin! Good boy, come here!”

Trent shook his head. “I don’t hear anything?”

But Ashby knew there was something drifting on the violent winds. He lifted his arm up to try and stop the snow from flinging into his eyes as he moved to the left where he thought the sound might have come from. He wished he had his ski goggles on.

“Merlin? Good boy, come here, sweetie!”

Both he and Trent froze at the same time. “There!” Trent cried, pointing. Ashby had to agree. There was definitely a yowling sort of whimper coming from in front of them. They hurried forward. Trent only just pulled Ashby back before he ran over the lip at the edge of the pool.

“Oh, shit!” Ashby said, clinging to Trent to stop himself from falling. Then he gasped in realization. “You don’t think…?” he said, looking up at Trent.

The yelps came again. This time, Ashby could make out a faint sound of splashing.

“He’s in the pool!” they cried together.

Ashby didn’t even think. He let go of Trent, unzipping the big coat he’d borrowed and throwing it to the ground. “Wait, Ashby,” Trent said. But Ashby was already running down the steps into the heated water.

“Merlin!” he yelled, dragging him and his saturated clothes further into the pool. The steam and snow made it impossible to make anything out. “Merlin, baby, come here!”

Splashes from behind told Ashby that Trent had followed after him. Ashby waded on, only able to see about a foot in front of him in any direction. The warmth of the water was a sharp contrast to the evil, icy winds cutting through the top half of his body. Where the water splashed up and made his clothes and skin damp, the air was even more biting. Ashby sunk down further to try and stop his teeth from chattering.

The splashes in front of him were getting louder. Ashby lifted his feet and swam blindly toward the noise. Then the steam parted to reveal poor Merlin, soaked to the skin, struggling desperately to keep his head above water.

“I’ve got him!” Ashby screamed. He lunged forward, kicking and thrashing until he scooped the little guy into his arms, holding him to his chest and taking his weight.

Within seconds, Trent’s muscular arms were wrapped around Ashby and Merlin both, supporting them as they huddled together in the rippling water sloshing around their shoulders.

“Oh, good boy! Good boy!” Ashby said. He allowed himself a little sob as the puppy wriggled in his grip, whimpering and licking his and Trent’s faces.

Trent kissed Ashby’s temple, pressing his lips to his skin for several seconds. “Well done,” he said. “Let’s get inside.”

They began the difficult task of pushing their way back through the water. Merlin wasn’t exactly convinced about venturing back out into the biting cold and begin squirming, trying to stay in the warm water.

“Come here, dude,” Trent said affectionately as Ashby almost lost his hold on him. Trent easily cradled the fat puppy against his chest as they hurried up the pool steps.

Immediately, Ashby was so cold he saw stars. But Trent didn’t pause as he marched back toward the lodge door. Ashby only hesitated long enough to pick up Trent’s leather jacket as well as his ski jacket that they’d discarded in the snow.

It felt like an eternity to get through the frenzied snow. But eventually, Ashby was following Trent and Merlin through the door into the side corridor that led back into the belly of the lodge. “F-fuck me,” Ashby stammered. It was undeniably warmer inside, but the chill from the wind clung to their sodden clothes and Merlin’s thick fur. He was yowling and grousing in distress. Poor thing was probably going to be averse to baths his whole life now.

“Bar, go,” Trent grunted. “Phone, in pocket.”

Luckily, Trent had left his important possessions in his leather jacket, just like Ashby had moved his stuff to the coat pockets when he’d put it on. Neither of them had destroyed their phones by jumping in the pool. As they squelched their way down the hall, Ashby fumbled with trembling hands to remove Trent’s phone, presumably so he could call his dad.

He didn’t need to, though. As they rounded the corner, they were met with several gasps. Maeve and Trent’s dad were crossing the lobby toward the bar. As the guests nearest Trent and Ashby cried out, Maeve and Mr. Charles turned their heads to see them.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” Maeve shrieked. She grabbed Mr. Charles’s hand and the two of them joined the small crowd thronging around Ashby, Trent and Merlin as they shivered.

“He was in the pool,” Trent managed to grunt as he handed the puppy over to his dad. Mr. Charles apparently couldn’t care less that he was getting wet. He looked so happy, laughing with tears of relief in his eyes. “That asshole Kiefer Burton let him outside on purpose.”

“No!” Maeve gasped, scandalized.

“Here, boys, here.” Ashby looked around as he realized Skye had appeared from nowhere with an armful of towels from the spa. “We saw you coming in from the bar window,” she explained as she wrapped them both and Merlin in thick, fluffy towels. “I can’t believe you got in the pool in this weather!”

“What else would we have done?” Ashby said with a laugh.

Before he knew what was happening, Trent pulled him into a fierce, sodden hug and kissed his damp hair. People around them stilled in surprise.

“My boyfriend,” Trent said with emphasis to no one in particular as he looked Ashby in the eyes, “was the one who jumped in and saved Merlin. He’s a hero.”

Ashby could feel the blush rising on his face, a sharp contrast to his still-freezing skin. “Oh, uh, no, not really,” he stammered.

“Of course he is,” Maeve said. She wagged her finger in Trent’s face. “And don’t you forget it.”

“No, ma’am,” Trent said with a huge grin on his face.

“Thank you,” said Mr. Charles, nodding at Ashby. Merlin was subdued in his arms, probably finally feeling tired from his stressful ordeal. He glanced at Trent, his son. “For everything,” he added to Ashby.

Kadie and Darnell had joined the crowd. Darnell reached out and shook Ashby’s hand, then Trent’s. “Man, you guys saved the day.”

Kadie waved her hands in distress. “You need to get out of those clothes. You’ll catch your deaths!”

“I agree,” Maeve said shooing them back. “We’ll sort out this pup. You two go get yourselves warmed up.” Ashby didn’t miss the way she wiggled her eyebrows at him and he backed away before he could die of mortification.

“What about Burton?” Trent asked.

His dad shook his head. “We’ll deal with him later. This resort isn’t going down without a fight, I’ll tell you that much.”

“We can talk about it tomorrow,” Kadie fretted. “Go, go, before you ruin the carpets totally!”

Ashby laughed and let Trent lead him through the crowd that seemed to just keep getting bigger as people leaned in to pet Merlin’s head and coo over what a lucky boy he was to be safe and sound.

Ashby allowed Trent to walk him back to his room. Once the door was closed, Trent wrapped him in his big strong arms. “You’re amazing,” he said. “I’m so lucky.”

“Oh, shut up,” Ashby said, swatting his firm chest lightly.

“No,” Trent said simply with a grin. “Please get changed into something warm. I have to get you back to my cabin immediately.”

Ashby licked his lips and pulled at Trent’s shirt. “We could get naked right here,” he suggested, desire stirring in his belly.

But Trent shook his head. “My place has a log fire,” he said.

Ashby blinked. “Give me one minute,” he said.