Page 14 of Romanced By the Silver Fox

We tromp over to the cabin. Although the inn is busy — the parking lot is full, and I spot a snowshoeing class lining up in front of a different cabin — the other guests are far enough away that it feels like we’re alone here. In the waning twilight, all I hear is the two of us crunching through the freshly fallen snow.

“You hungry?” I ask.

“Starving.” She loosens the hood of her puffy coat, pushing it back to reveal her dark hair. “I never knew snowboarding would work up such an appetite.”

She’s looking up at me, smiling. It’s the kind of smile she used to give me when we were first dating. The sort of smile that says,oh, hello. You must be worth keeping around.

And I’m so busy staring at Genie that I don’t notice a slight rise in the ground beneath me until it’s too late. The world tilts on its axis, and I find myself lying on my back in the snow.

“Oh, no, Grant! Are you all right?” Genie’s face is concerned. She kneels in the snow, reaching for me. I sweep her into my arms and roll over so I’m on top of her. I know it’s my imagination with the thick layers of winter clothing between us, but I swear I can feel the softness of her pressed up against me.

“Ahh, you stinker!” She’s breathless, and her tone is less stern and more aroused.

Her cheeks are flushed and the long braid of her hair hangs over her shoulder.

“Did you really hurt your— ”

I cut her words off with a kiss. She’s startled, but immediately responds, surging up to meet my lips with her own. She opens for me immediately, and I plunge in, tasting the very essence of her.

We kiss over and over. The sweetness of her mouth on mine turns to raging desire. I start to unzip her jacket. I need to be closer to her, to feel her skin against mine.

“Grant,” she murmurs against my lips, “isn’t there somewhere else we could take this? Somewhere not quite so cold and damp?”

Fair point. I roll off her with a groan. I stand up and then help her off the ground, scooping her into my arms. She squeals in protest.

“You’re not carrying me to the cabin!” She attempts to wiggle out of my arms, but I’ve got her secured.

“Why not?”

“You’ve already done that once on this trip.”

“I don’t mind doing it again. I love having you in my arms.”

“Grant, no.” I can hear that she’s serious. Gently, I put her down.

“What is it?”

Genie ducks her head. She looks everywhere but at me, toying with the end of her braid.

“Genie? Sweetheart. Look at me.” Our eyes meet. The pain in hers takes my breath away.

Oh, shit. I really am an idiot. How could I forget?

I promised her that when we bought our first home, I would carry her over the threshold. Dammit. I hate that I keep bumping up against tender memories for her.

“Yeah,” she whispers. “I’m trying, Grant. I really am. But I can’t forget our past.”

“I know. I don’t want you to forget.” I tug on the end of that braid. “You and I are here to make new memories. Starting with this one.”

I scoop her up again, but this time shift her to my shoulders.

Genie laughs, wobbling a little as she settles in place. “A piggyback ride? Are you kidding me?”

“Humor me.”

She makes a skeptical noise. I can practically feel her rolling her eyes, but she locks her arms around my neck and her legs over my shoulders.

I trudge through the snow, a little slower since I’m carrying her, but it’s an easy trek. She giggles when I exaggerate my movements, zigzagging back and forth. When we reach the cabin, I kneel in the snow, and Genie slides gracefully off my back.

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