Page 25 of Ice Melts

She just felt so right, so good, so much a part of his plan for the future it was as if they were already together.

But he needed a sharp reminder that she was very much not his yet, and might never be. Tomorrow would be a rough day indeed, or next week, whenever someone cleared the roads. Hissmile grew. This was the most perfect scenario he could have ever hoped for, stuck at the lake house with Sarah. If only they didn’t have so many outside distractions to worry about. He ran his hand down her hair. It was also so silky-smooth looking. “Is this ok? You have soft hair.”

“Mm. I like it.” She relaxed further into him but then stiffened and sat up. “But Travis, what are we doing?” She lifted her head and her eyes held mischief and just the tiniest hint of insecurity.

“We are embracing this gift of time together at the lake house. I’ve been looking for a reason to call you for a long time. I…” He looked away. Now was not the time to make some big declaration. He wasn’t ready to risk such a thing and he guessed she wasn’t ready to hear it.

“What are you trying to say?” She leaned forward so that he could talk to her full in the face which terrified him a little bit.

“I’m…not sure I’m trying to say anything at the moment. I mean, can’t I just enjoy being with you, cuddling on the couch, touching your hair…I’ve been wondering what it felt like for years. Can’t I just see what I think about all this before I have to know?” He shrugged and hoped that was the least scary version of what he was really feeling inside which was a raging hope that he could one day at last date the woman.

She studied his face. “You’re interested in cuddling on the couch?” Her mouth turned up. “Touching my hair?” Her grin grew.

“All right, and other things. Not just that. But yeah. I have been, for awhile.”

Her eyes lit up and for a moment he was more relieved than terrified.

“Why didn’t you say anything? Call, or even text me?” She tilted her head.

“Sarah, you’ve been writing inflammatory articles about me for months now. I just kind of thought it was obviously not the time.”

“Point made, but those are articles were not about you.”

He just stared back. There was nothing to say to that. They were sort of about him, about his sport, affecting him as a person.

She looked away. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“How sorry?” He picked up her hand and laced their fingers together.

“So sorry…I’ll let you pick the movie.” She held out the bowl of popcorn. “And I’ll pop more popcorn when we run out.”

“Fair. Okay. I’ll consider it.” He brought her hand up to his cheek. It was an odd gesture, kind of like a hug. “I’ve missed you. This is nice. And I just want to spend some time with you.”

“I’d like that. And it looks like we have all the time in the world right now.”

He nodded. “Exactly.” He pulled her closer and then lifted his phone. “And I don’t know about you, but all the drama out there is disturbing my peace. Can we just turn these things off?”

She hesitated, just for a moment, but he saw her uncertainty. He held his breath. And then she nodded. “Good idea.” She reached for hers, glanced at the screen and lost a little color in her face, but she turned it over, turned it off and put it on the end table. “There. That whole mess will be there when we come back.”

She snuggled back into him. “Now, what are we watching?”

He moved her hand to his mouth and placed his lips on the back of it. “Thank you.”

She nodded against him.

He didn’t dare move, breathe too hard or count himself too lucky or it would all go away. This was his chance. He better not blow it.

He turned on a show. It didn’t even matter which one. He picked a good adventure with a strong romance arc and spent the entire movie more aware of her, every shift of her weight, the softness of her skin and warm body snuggled into him than he was of anything happening on the screen.

About halfway through the show she fell asleep. Her breathing levelled out and every now and then her arm twitched. They were both tired. He smiled and chuckled to himself. Then he lifted her in his arms, careful not to shift her weight too much. She wasn’t a tiny woman but it took such little effort to carry her. He held her close and then stepped carefully into the front bedroom.

Her eyes fluttered open when he pulled the covers up to her chin. “Did I fall asleep?” Her mumbled sleepy voice was probably the sexiest thing he’d ever heard. He tried not to notice, but there it was.

“You did.” He brushed the hair from her face. “I tried not to wake you.”

“I’ll get back up.”

“What? No, no. Sleep. You’re exhausted.”

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