Page 84 of Loyally, Luke
“What?”
Without repeating himself, he took the sled from her hand and threw it to the ground. “Get on. We’ll go faster with more weight.” Before she fully comprehended what was happening, she’d slid to a sitting position. The sled jerked into motion and Luke took a running jump and joined her, slowly situating himself behind her, and they took off faster than any of her previous runs.
His arms caged her in on both sides, his strength surrounding her as the cool air stung her cheeks.
“Steer to the right.” His voice came near her ear. “Let’s show Jamie how it’s done.”
Ellie wasn’t certain how they were going to show Jamie “how it was done,” but she relaxed back into Luke’s hold and pulled the rope to the right. The sled followed her guidance and, within a few seconds, they slid past a wide-mouthed Jamie.
“What’s the matter, Jamie? Too much snow in your boots slowing you down?”
“Watch out, Cade!” Jamie called.
Cade turned at the sound of his name as Ellie and Luke neared him, but in his turning, he redirected his sled into their path. Luke placed his hands over Ellie’s on the ropes and jerked the sled in a different direction, barely missing Cade as they passed, but in doing so, their sled edged over the steepest part of the hill.
“Luke!” Ellie called, pressing harder back into his chest, her gaze focused on the fast-approaching forest at the bottom of the hill.
He attempted to turn the sled away from the trees, but the incline and speed proved against him.
“Let go of the ropes, Ellie.” His low comment lingered in her ear.
She obeyed. The trees edged closer, and in one smooth motion, Luke released the rope, tightened his arms around her, and rolled with her off the sled, his body buffering hers against the impact.
For a second, all went quiet and still. One of his arms pillowed her head against the snow and the other kept a tight hold around her waist. He’d burrowed his head against hers as they rolled, and now he pushed up on his palms. His gaze roamed over her face, those brown eyes taking in every detail.
Her breaths puffed shallow.
His look of concern slowly melded into something much more... tempting, warming the air between them.
His attention dropped to her lips and then returned to her eyes, one dark brow jutting high.
She stared back, her chest rising with her breaths, every prolonged second increasing her hope that he would breach the short distance between them.
With a little growl, he shook his head. “You sure don’t make this deal easy, Princess.” He sighed and rolled off her, placing his hands on hers to help her to a sitting position, his gaze sending off signals her pulse understood. “Because all I want to do is kiss you until you forget we’re in the middle of the snow with a bunch of wild kids all around.”
From the few previous experiences she had with his kiss, she didn’t doubt his abilities. “You’re wonderful, Luke Edgewood.”
He tilted his head and studied her a moment, the slightest beginning of a frown flickering into place before he drew in a breath and stood, offering her his hands to draw her to a stand. “I think that was ten times better than any movie-worthy sled ride I’ve seen. What do you think?”
He changed the topic for her sake. For both their sakes.
Despite what they both wanted—this perfect dream of a romance—it couldn’t be theirs, could it?
But was it really possible to embrace the now? Enjoy what time they had for the next two weeks in order to carry these wonderful memories with them into the future?
Before she could broach the subject, a group of children and adults broke the intimacy of the moment to see if they were safe and well.
Ellie caught Luke watching her, those dark eyes offering such tenderness, such focus.
Yes, she was well.
But her heart was anything but safe.
Not from heartbreak.
Because she knew for a fact she was falling in love with Luke Edgewood.
Chapter15
