Page 16 of Snowed In With You

‘Trust me?’ He asked, his hand outstretched and I didn’t have to think about it before placing mine in his. His grin was so broad it made my heart stop before starting back up again at double speed.

It was surprisingly calm outside. The snow still poured down but the wind had eased and for a moment we just stared out at the white expanse, our breaths fogging the air around us.

‘It’s beautiful,’ I said and he murmured an agreement, catching my hand in his again and moving just a little bit closer to my side before stepping away and throwing himself down into the snow at our feet. It puffed up in a powdery cloud and I shrieked. ‘What are you doing?’

He was laughing as he looked up at me from the ground, ‘Join me.’

I hesitated for a moment and then shrugged, why not? I folded myself down into the snow a little more gracefully and released abreath in a sigh as my head met the cold snow and it soothed the bump still high on my head.

‘Are you ready?’ he asked and I had no idea what he was talking about as he grabbed my hand in one of his and then spread his arms and legs out wide, raising an eyebrow to encourage me to do the same. I mimicked him and then laughed as he tugged my hand up and down, moving his legs in time, making slightly messy angels in the snow.

‘You know, I don’t think I’ve ever made a snow angel before,’ I smiled as we lay there afterwards, staring up at the sky as snow drifted down onto our faces, tangling in our hair. The cold slowly seeped into me but I didn’t mind, it wasn’t until I started to shiver that Fletch stood and I followed suit. Our angels laid deep into the snow, interlinked at the arms and I turned to Fletcher with a smile, taking in the lightness of his eyes, the relaxed, happy look on his face.

I stepped a little closer and his gaze dropped to my mouth. I licked my lips and he looked like a man starved. Linking my arms around his neck, I pressed myself against him, shuddering as his heat warmed me.

‘Can I kiss you?’ he asked softly, the fog of our breath intertwining and his blue eyes deepening when I nodded. ‘Thank fuck,’ he gasped, bringing his hands up to clasp my face and lowering his lips to mine.

It was like all of our other kisses and yet somehowmore. Maybe because I was actually sober this time, or maybe because something delicate and fragile was growing between us and I realised I wasn’t scared to let it in any more. Fletch wasn’t the person I’d thought he was after that morning I’d woken up alone –if anything, he was everything I’d hoped he could be and things I’d never even guessed at.

I pulled back from the kiss and his lips curled in the same soft smile I knew I was probably wearing too. His hand found mineas we walked the short distance back to the lodge and for the first time, I was grateful we’d been forced onto this trip together.

Chapter Thirteen

Sara

We knocked the snow off of our boots at the door and I shivered as Fletcher brushed snow off my shoulders, back and butt. I raised an eyebrow at him when I turned around and he looked at me with wide-eyed innocence, ‘You had snow all over you,’ he turned around and threw a grin over his shoulder. ‘Do me?’

I knew his choice of words had been deliberate but I ignored them as I ran my hands over his back and ass, hearing him mutter a curse as I took my time.

‘I think you got it all,’ he said at last, turning around and grabbing my hands with a searing look in his eyes that made heat pool in my core. I grinned cheekily and walked into the lodge, relaxing as the warmth of the fire hit me. ‘I’ll go and make us some hot drinks.’

I called out my thanks and then jumped as the sound of my phone ringing reverberated around the lodge. The storm really must have been clearing up if I actually had signal again.

My feet pounded up the stairs to my room to try and reach it in time and I winced as the movement sent pain shooting through my head again, not for the first time in my life I wished I was less clumsy.

‘Hello?’ I answered quickly without checking the caller ID and smiled as my brother’s voice sounded on the other end of the phone.

‘Sara! Glad I finally caught you,’ Rob said and I pulled my phone away from my ear and saw I had three missed calls.

‘Oh, sorry, I was out in the snow and didn’t bring my phone. There’s been no signal here the last couple days.’

‘That’s alright, I was just phoning because Tanya and I have managed to book another flight, so we should get in tomorrow morning!’ He sounded excited but all I felt was a surprising surge of panic and disappointment. This would be mine and Fletcher’s last night alone together.

‘Oh,’ I said, working to get some enthusiasm into my voice, ‘that’s great!’

‘How’ve things been going there?’

There was an odd note in Rob’s voice that I couldn’t quite place but I shrugged it off as I answered, ‘Yeah, it’s been fine. Not much to do though, we lost power for a day or so.’

‘Ah crap, that sucks. Well, anyway, we should be with you guys by late morning tomorrow I think–’ a voice murmured in the background and Rob laughed, ‘–yeah, so we’ll see you then. I’ve got to go… do something for Tanya.’

I grimaced,newlyweds. They weren’t even subtle about it. ‘Sure, safe flight. See you guys tomorrow.’

I hung up feeling a little deflated. I’d expected to hate every second of this trip, but once Fletch and I had cleared the air between us I’d actually been having a good time – head injuries notwithstanding. More than just being here in the lodge though, I’d had a good time withFletchand, if I was being honest with myself, I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather have been here with.

‘Hot chocolates are ready!’ Fletcher called from downstairs and I called back as I dropped my phone to the bed and made my way back to him. ‘Were you on the phone?’ he asked as I drew closer and accepted a mug.

‘Yeah,’ I said glumly, ‘Rob and Tanya have managed to get a new flight now the storm is passing. They’ll be here tomorrow.’

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