Page 40 of Kiss Me

“What? You saw me fake limping toward the ski lift yesterday and decided you just had to have me?” I mock, once I finally get my voice back.

Taehyun pulls back and looks down at me, assessing. It’s as if he’s trying to figure something out.

He shakes his head before pulling me into his chest again.

“Something like that,” he finally replies. But it feels like there’s something he’s not saying.

“Some hot chocolate would be great right now,” I say on a sigh.

I don’t have time to follow up on it though, because seconds later, Taehyun’s on his feet heading to the kitchen.

“I was just mentioning it,” I call out to him from my spot still in front of the fireplace.

“The resort provided me with enough hot chocolate to feed a damn army. And I know exactly how much food that is since I was a chef during my stint in the Korean military.”

I watch him, completely naked, moving around the kitchen, preparing two mugs of hot chocolate.

When he returns, I rise to my knees to receive the Santa Claus mug he hands me.

“Mmm,” I hum as I take a sniff of the chocolate liquid goodness with just enough marshmallows. “The only thing missing are the gingerbread cookies.”

I pout since Taehyun doesn’t have those anywhere around.

“You aren’t sick of those damn things?”

“Never. They were a Christmas tradition in my home growing up. My mom and I would spend hours making them during this time of year. They became my favorite cookies after a while.”

Taehyun watches me as I take a sip of my hot chocolate.

“We’ll get some more then,” he tells me.

We.

There’s something about that word that does warms me all over. When I came to Colorado, it was just Liza and me. Though she’s a wonderful assistant, and we’re friendly enough, I still felt alone in many ways.

Hearing Taehyun use the word ‘we’ as if we’re in this week together … lessens that feeling.

“What’s that sigh about?” he asks.

I hadn’t even realized I let the sigh slip. My shoulders slump as I stare off into the fire.

“Do you want to know the one regret I have about my ankle?”

He raises a curious eyebrow.

“I miss my board,” I admit. “I’m here in the perfect place to spend my time just riding the snow, but I can’t. At least, not without the fear that someone will see me and figure out the truth.”

I lock eyes with him.

“Present company excluded.”

He chuckles.

“I never faked my injury because I hate snowboarding or because I’m tired of the sport. What I wanted was to be able to hit the slopes at my leisure, practicing the skills that appealed to me the most without feedback from coaches and trainers.

“But with Liza here and my signature braids, I’m bound to get discovered even if I’m covered from head to toe.”

I lean back against Taehyun, partially because I like being in his arms, and partially because he’s the one who pulls me into his embrace.

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