Page 42 of Tye

The sleigh lurched, and Ice grabbed me as I realised we were back at the Hall. Christian looked over his shoulder at us as we pulled into the stable.

“I’ll put the sleigh away and brush the horses down. You two get lost before everyone descends on you,” he ordered.

“Thanks, bro,” Ice replied as he helped me down.

I snagged my scarf, and a grin crossed Ice’s lips.

“Do you have some washing to do?” he whispered in my ear.

“Yes,” I answered, refusing to blush.

Ice chuckled.

“Let’s go get it and stick it on. Anyone over the age of ten is expected to wash their own clothes. Mom has a laundry room, luckily, or we’d all be fighting. Come on,” he said and pulled me into the kitchen.

Mrs Ames and Erin looked up as we walked past.

“Are you having dinner tonight, Tye?” Mrs Ames asked.

“Please. But I will collect it if that’s okay,” Ice replied.

“I’ll put aside two trays for you,” Mrs Ames offered as Ice dragged me.

“Thanks, Mrs Ames,” Ice called over his shoulder as he pushed his head through the door. Once he was assured his siblings weren’t waiting for him, he yanked me through, his mind clearly on a mission.

???

Once I’d shoved the evidence of our raunchiness in the washing machine, Ice tugged my hand and led me to a tower. As we walked up the stairs, he told me it was his mother’s private tower, which made me baulk, but Ice said he had permission. Right at the top was a Chinese-decorated room.

I was bemused when Ice introduced me to the Chinese Tea Ceremony. It was just another chance for him to charm me, and it succeeded. Ice was pulling out all stops to win me over, and he wasn’t failing.

“I need to get out of here,” Ice said to me, startling me.

“That sounds like an escape plan,” I replied.

“I’ve been cooped up here for nearly two weeks. Mom wouldn’t let me move at first, she had Dad threaten to tie me down. But as much as I love the Hall, I need a change of scenery. How are you driving in snow?”

“Pretty confident. Do you have snow chains for the tyres?”

“Yeah, Dad and Fanatic fitted all our cars with them when we heard the forecast,” Ice answered.

“Where do you want to go?”

“I really don’t care. None of us like being cooped up.”

“Rapid City? The clubhouse? Pizza?” I asked.

“Pizza and a drink would be nice,” Ice mused.

“Done. Come on, let’s move. You better tell Mrs Ames we won’t want dinner,” I said.

“Girl. Behave. By the time we get into town, it will be one p.m. I’ll be starving by the time we arrive home,” Ice replied, looking offended.

“You had all those pastries and snacks on the sleigh ride!”

“I’m a growing boy,” Ice teased, and I laughed.

“I can’t imagine paying your food bills. Phoe must spend a fortune each week.”

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