Page 71 of First Echo

"Where are we going?" she asked once we were out of earshot, her voice a mixture of nerves and excitement. “And that wasn't exactly subtle, you know."

"No, it wasn't," I agreed, still leading her away from the main slopes, away from prying eyes and curious whispers. "And we're not going back to the room."

"We're not?"

"Trust me," I said, glancing back at her with a smile I couldn't suppress. "I know a better place."

Instead of heading toward the lodge, I guided her off the main trail, down a narrow path dusted in pristine snow. We moved in comfortable silence, our linked hands swinging slightly between us, our breaths creating small clouds in the crisp air. The path wound through a stand of pine trees, their branches heavy with snow, creating a natural tunnel that felt like it was leading us into another world—one where nothing existed but the two of us.

Finally, we emerged into a small clearing at the top of a gentle slope. At the bottom, half-hidden by a drift of snow, were two wooden toboggans leaning against a tree trunk.

Madeline stopped, staring at the sleds, then at me, her expression caught between disbelief and amusement. "Are we seriously sledding right now?"

"It's called tobogganing," I corrected, already walking toward them, tugging her along with me. "Don't insult the tradition."

"You're kidding," she said, but she followed me anyway, her steps quickening to match mine.

"You wanted to skip the run," I pointed out, releasing her hand to brush snow off one of the sleds. "This is better."

"Better than warm blankets and a bed?" she challenged, one eyebrow raised, a teasing note in her voice that sent heat racing through me.

I grinned, looking up at her as I positioned the toboggan at the top of the slope. "You already had the bed. Time to round out the vacation package."

"And what exactly does this package include?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest, but the smile playing at the corners of her lips betrayed her amusement.

"Speed, bruises, adrenaline, and a dangerous amount of charm," I replied without missing a beat, dropping into the front seat of the sled. "It's a full experience."

"You're unbelievable," she said, shaking her head, but she was laughing now, the sound free and unrestrained in a way I'd rarely heard from her.

"Yet here you are," I pointed out, patting the space behind me. "Get on, Maddie. Don't make me beg."

Something flickered in her eyes at the nickname—surprise, pleasure, a hint of heat. "Tempting," she said, but she was already moving toward me, settling onto the sled behind me, her thighs bracketing mine, her chest pressed against my back.

Her arms wrapped around my waist, holding tight, her chin resting on my shoulder. The fit of our bodies was so perfect it made my breath catch. Even through layers of winter clothing, her warmth seeped into me, her breath warm against my ear as she whispered, "If we fall, I'm suing you."

I smirked, unable to resist turning my head slightly so my lips nearly brushed her cheek.

"Well, you better hold on tight then, Maddie—wouldn't want you to fall for me twice in 24 hours."

She let out a breathy laugh that I felt more than heard, her arms tightening around me. "You aresocheesy."

"You didn't think that last night," I murmured, lowering my voice to a register that made her shiver against me. "Nowdid you?"

Her sharp intake of breath was all the confirmation I needed. I could almost feel the heat rising to her cheeks, could picture the flush spreading across her skin.

"I hate you," she said, but there was no conviction in it, only a breathless kind of want.

"You really don't," I countered, confidence surging through me at the way her fingers flexed against my stomach.

"Shut up and go."

"Gladly."

I pushed off with my hands, sending us hurtling down the slope with a jolt of speed that had Madeline squealing in a mixture of terror and delight. The wind whipped past us, stinging our cheeks, sending snow spraying up on either side as the toboggan picked up speed. Madeline's grip on me was almost painfully tight, her face buried against my shoulder, but I could feel her laughing, could feel the rush of joy that matched my own.

The slope was steeper than it had looked from the top, the toboggan flying over small bumps that sent us temporarily airborne before crashing back down with teeth-rattling impact. I steered as best I could, leaning into turns, using my weight to keep us on course, but there was an element of reckless abandon to it, a surrender to gravity and momentum that couldn't be fully controlled.

We hit a particularly big bump near the bottom, launching us into the air. For a suspended moment, we were weightless, flying, and then we crashed back down at an angle that sent the toboggan careening sideways. It flipped, sending both of us tumbling into a drift of soft powder, a tangle of limbs and breathless laughter as we rolled to a stop.

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