Page 91 of The Snuggle is Real
“Being your friend is a workout,” Mason said.
Charlie giggled. “Soon, you’ll be strong like Ford.”
“I don’t know if I could ever be that strong,” Mason said, giving me an appreciative once-over.
“You’re strong enough to hold me,” Charlie said, jumping and swinging from our hands.
“Oof. Just barely.”
We made it to the park and released her.
“I’ll find a good spot,” she said, racing ahead through the snow.
I reached for Mason’s hand when she was gone. He gave me a surprised smile. “Please don’t make me try to swing you with one arm.”
I laughed. “I could always try swinging you.” I gave him a playful tug, and he stumbled right into my arms.
“Whoa!” He clung to my shoulders, chest thudding against me as my hands slipped to his hips.
“Does this remind you of anything?” I asked.
He cocked his head. “I mean, sex, but we were in a bed and had a lot less clothes on…”
I laughed. “It’s a bit cold for outdoor sex, but ask me again in the summer. I wasn’t talking about that, though.”
Recognition dawned in his eyes. “Oh, you mean when Pepper tripped me up at the tree farm? Damn, I felt so clumsy.”
“Is that all you felt?”
He looked surprised. “Uh, well no. I mean, I thought you were hot from the start. Even when you were sort of annoyed I was offering you charity at the treelighting.”
“When you were busy drooling over Heath Kelly?” I said sourly.
He snorted. “Trust me, that was just fanboy stuff. You’re the one who caught my attention.”
I puffed up a little. “Good.”
“Wait. Why did you ask about that moment at the tree farm? Didyoufeel something?”
“I enjoyed it,” I admitted. “You, close to me. Didn’t know exactly why, but I liked you in my arms.”
Mason bit his lip. “Damn, I want to kiss you right now.”
I tugged his lip free, sweeping my thumb over it. I was just about to say hell with it and sneak a kiss when Charlie called out from close by.
“Guys, come on! This spot is perfect!”
We jolted apart, and Mason blurted, “I tripped. Ford caught me.”
“He’s good at that,” Charlie said matter-of-factly. “Do you think Pepper is sad he didn’t get to come with us?”
I smoothed a hand over her hair. “Pepper would probably massacre all these snowmen. We can go visit him later.”
“Okay.” She looked at the snow with a frown of concentration. “So, what now?”
Mason crouched, rolling a snowball between gloved hands. “Now we roll a ball.”
“But that’s tiny,” Charlie said.
