Page 67 of My Greatest Joy

Fallon pours it until the liquid touches the top.

“You tryin’ to get me drunk?” I tease.

“Would it be the worst thing to happen?”

“Considering I’m the only one of us who knows how to get us back to the barn…”

“Okay, you have a point there. I’ll trade you since I had a heavy hand.” She drinks mine and laughs.

Fallon’s eyes trail over our surroundings, and she relaxes.

“Where are you taking me? To your murder cabin?” She snorts.

“Yep.” I laugh.

She bumps her body into mine but doesn’t pull away. I welcome the closeness.

“I thought I’d take you to one of my favorite spots to visit during the winter.”

“Oh, awesome.”

“Can’t wait for you to see it.” We climb up a hill, then race down the other side.

Fallon shivers, so I pull the blanket up higher around her shoulders and rest my arm around her. “For more warmth,” I whisper in a hushed tone.

“You’re my own personal human heater,” she says, and I give her a smirk, wishing that were still true. She hasn’t been in my bed since we crossed the line.

Fallon laughs, and I glance over at her.

“I just realized that the sleigh bells on the horses aren’t getting on my nerves. Usually they would.”

This comes out of left field but has me grinning. “Really? It no longer sounds like nails on a chalkboard?”

“Maybe I’m becoming immune. I almost like it combined with the horses’ hooves trotting along the snow,” she admits. “It’s kind of relaxing.”

“Color me shocked,” I taunt. “Next thing I know, you’ll be singing carols.”

She shakes her head. “Don’t hold your breath on that one.”

A cool breeze blows through the trees, and white powder kicks up in front of us. As we turn the corner, the scene is revealed, and Fallon gasps.

I bring the horses to a stop so she can take it in.

“It’s beautiful,” Fallon whispers, looking at the large frozen pond, snow-covered hills, and massive evergreens dusted in white. We stay silent as we listen to the sounds of our breathing and the wind whistling through the trees.

She pulls out her phone and snaps a picture. “I don’t want to forget this moment.”

“Me neither.” But it’s not because of the landscape.

When she smiles at me, the happiness reaches her eyes. “You know what I’ve always wanted to do?”

I search her face. “What?”

“Make a snow angel.”

I chuckle. “Then that’s what we have to do. Right now.”

Dasher hops down and runs through the snow, enjoying himself, and I tie the horses to a nearby tree. I meet Fallon on her side of the sleigh and hold out my hand. She takes it and nearly stumbles as she steps down, but I catch her.

---