“Hey!” I took off after them, pumping my arms and legs with all the stamina I had left.
Cole reached the tree first, his fingers brushing the fabric as Kip crashed into him, sending them both stumbling sideways. I skidded to a halt behind them, watching as they playfully grappled, each trying to reach the scarf while blocking the other.
It dangled above them, and without thinking, I raised my hand, focused on the red fabric, and felt my fingers tingle. The scarf untangled itself from the branch and floated into my waiting palm.
Both men stopped wrestling to stare at me.
I blinked at the scarf in my hand, then at their shocked faces, and made the only reasonable decision—I ran.
“That’s cheating!” Kip’s indignant cry followed me as I dashed back toward our snowmen, the scarf trailing behind me like a victory banner.
Heavy footsteps crunched through the snow as they gave chase. I wove between the trees, laughing as I heard them cursing behind me. My heart pounded, not with anxiety or fear, but with genuine excitement.
I reached my snowman and triumphantly wrapped the scarf around its neck, turning as Cole and Kip stumbled to a stop, faces flushed and eyes bright.
“Victory is mine, reindeer boys!” I struck a dramatic pose beside my snowman, one hand on my hip, the other patting its scarf-adorned neck.
I barely had time to gloat before the magic took on a life of its own. The sparks weren’t just dancing around my fingers anymore; they were everywhere, creating a shimmering aura around me and my snowman. It was beautiful and controlled and exactly what I’d been trying to achieve all day.
The sparks danced around me, and for once, it wasn’t scary or overwhelming; it was beautiful.
Kip’s eyes widened, tracking the blue lights. “Holy shit, you’re doing it!”
Cole’s expression softened with pride. “Joy was the key.”
The magic pulsed brighter, the sensation like champagne bubbles fizzing through my bloodstream. Before I couldrespond, Kip rushed forward, scooping me into his arms and spinning me in a dizzying circle.
“You’re a natural!” He whirled me around, my feet lifting off the ground as snowflakes swirled in our wake.
My hands gripped his shoulders for balance, and when he set me down, his face was inches from mine, eyes dancing with the reflected light of my magic. Neither of us moved for a heartbeat.
I’m not sure who closed the distance first, but suddenly Kip’s mouth was on mine, his lips cold from the winter air but quickly warming against my own.
When we broke apart, Cole stood watching us, his eyes dark with intensity. The surrounding temperature shifted, and the snow beneath our feet melted, steam rising in wisps around our ankles.
Kip’s fingers traced my jawline. “I think we’ve found an even better way to channel your joy.”
Cole stepped closer, the three of us forming a triangle in the middle of the winter wonderland. He cupped the back of my neck, his thumb stroking behind my ear in a way that made me shiver.
I rose onto my toes, claiming his mouth with mine. His kiss was commanding in a way that made my knees weak.
Kip’s hands found my waist, his chest pressing against my back as Cole continued to kiss me. I was sandwiched between them, surrounded by their warmth.
“Your leggings are getting wet.” Kip’s fingers toyed with the waistband.
Confused, I pulled back from Cole just enough to speak. My leggings were tucked into my thick socks and boots. “What?”
“Let’s make sure it’s not from the snow.” Cole knelt and unlaced my boots. The intimacy of this massive man on his knees carefully removing my footwear caught me off guard.
As Cole set my boots aside, Kip’s fingers hooked into the waistband of my leggings, slowly dragging them down my hips. “Lift your foot.”
I balanced against Cole’s shoulder as I raised each sockedfoot, allowing Kip to pull my leggings and underwear free, exposing my lower half to the winter air. The contrast between the cold against my bare skin and the heat of their gazes made me gasp.
Cole rose to his full height, towering over me as his hands spanned my waist. “So beautiful.”
Kip pressed against my back again, his hands sliding down to cup my bare ass. “Perfect.”
I should have felt vulnerable, half-naked in the middle of a snowy field, but instead, I felt powerful.
