Page 70 of Unleashing Chaos

“Much. And I can see all those sexy curves now. Throw on your boots and let’s get out of here.”

After driving for forty-five minutes, we pull off onto a crude road in the middle of nowhere, and his SUV cruises over every bump. Snow covers the pine tree branches, and the sun beams down on an ivory blanket, making it look like a million diamonds on the ground.

We park on the side of the road next to several other cars. Children with sleds and snowboards zip down the sides of what appears to be a huge white bowl. Parents stand at the bottom with their phones out, capturing every moment. On the far side of the basin is a log cabin with smoke billowing from the chimney and people walking out with steaming cups in their hands.

“What is this place?” I ask.

Jace opens the back door to his SUV and pulls out the two sleds we brought from his garage. “It’s private land. The owners were ski instructors at the top resorts for years. When they had grandkids, they wanted a safe place for them to learn snow sports. It’s the perfect place for a beginner.”

He picks up one sled and passes me the other, then holds out his hand to me.

I thread my fingers with his and say, “That’s amazing. How did you know about it? It’s way out here in the middle of nowhere.”

His eyes scan the area, and I can tell the memory is bittersweet. “My dad used to bring me out here every year on the first good snowfall of the winter. It didn’t matter if it was a school day. We dropped everything, it was just him and me. As I got older and had friends who wanted to learn to ski or snowboard, we’d head out here.”

“I can’t imagine how much you miss him,” I say as we walk to the edge of the hill. “Besides Mandis, my dad was my best friend growing up.”

“Yeah, he was the best,” Jace says, and I can tell by the way he says it that he wants to change the subject.

I grip his hand tighter, and we both look over the ledge. The hill isn’t the biggest one on the property by any means, but I’ve never gone sailing down a slope on a contraption made of wood and metal before, and I’m a little terrified. This just doesn’t look safe; not that I’m the most careful being in the three realms or anything, but this seems purposely reckless.

The sled in my hand suddenly feels like lead instead of wood. I drop it to the snow and look at Jace with wide eyes. “I don’t think I can do this.”

“What do you mean you can’t do it? You literally just sit down and slide.”

I shake my head, staring down at the bottom of the bowl. Little kids jump off their sleds when they reach the end of their ride, cheering and running up for another go. But up here on top of what may as well be the new Mount Everest, I don’t think I can do it.

I turn around at the crunching of snow and creaking of wood. Jace sits at the back of the sled holding out his hand to me. “Jump on, we’ll go together.”

With a deep breath, I nod and tuck our other sled safely under a nearby tree then settle in front of him. “Are you sure this is okay, us both being on here like this? I’m a lot heavier than these little kids.” I say, my heart beating faster as he wraps his arms around my waist.

Jace scoffs and tightens his grip on me, moving my hair away from my neck. He plants a kiss on my spine and whispers, “Please, Desi. I could toss you around my bedroom without even breaking a sweat.”

My lips part and I think I’ll combust when I can’t press my thighs together, but my misery is short lived because he takes that opportunity while I’m distracted to release me and press a palm to the ground, pushing us forward.

I scream as we fly down the hill, and Jace laughs as he holds me tight. The chilly wind whips at my face, and my stomach plummets. It’s as if my entire life flashes before my eyes. At the same time, the thrill of the ride doesn’t last long enough. We scoot along the flat ground, and Jace digs his heels into the snow to stop us.

Looking around my shoulder at my face, he asks, “How you doing, princess?”

I laugh and lean back against him, resting my head on his shoulder and looking up into his twinkling gray eyes. “Fantastic! Let’s do it again!”

We run up the hill and slide back down at least a dozen times. Jace tries to get me to ride down by myself, but I refuse. I enjoy him wrapped around me as we laugh and scream. Parents waiting for their children at the bottom of the bowl are amused by us, but I don’t care. His proximity is worth all the pointing and giggling.

By the end of our sledding adventure my leggings are soaked with melting snow and my teeth are chattering. Jace gathers our sleds and carries them to the SUV. He starts the vehicle and cranks up the heat before loading everything in the back.

Sliding behind the wheel, he asks, “Are you hungry?”

“Starved.” I lift my sunglasses from my face and prop them on the top of my stocking cap. “Is there anywhere on the way home that we can get a hot bowl of soup?”

“Sure,” he says, pulling his visor down and looking in the mirror. “Oh, I didn’t put enough sunscreen on. I got a windburn.”

My brows pull together. “Windburn? What the hell is that? Like a sunburn?”

He glances over at me, studying my face, his mouth twisted into a confused grimace. “Kinda. It’s when the wind sort of chaps your skin—” He cuts himself off and reaches over to grip my chin, turning my face toward him so he can see me better. “How did you dodge the burn? Did you put on sunscreen this morning?”

I shake my head. “No. I’ve never worn sunscreen or taken medication in my life. I’m immortal, remember? Demons, and angels for that matter, don’t get sick or suffer any kind of human ailment. That includes sunburns, windburns, acne, colds, anything like that.”

“So you admit that you’re always perfect. Humble.”

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