Boots crunching on the frozen ground alerted her to his approach. “Hey, Trace! Do you need help with something?”
She glanced up the path to his cabin. A light bobbed as he came toward her. She could use some oxygen but she doubted he had any on hand. “I was just talking with Mila for a bit.” She sounded breathless as she started toward him. And nervous. Oh, well.
“I saw that. Didn’t want to interrupt.”
She could see his face now and the outline of his body. The shivers started all over again. “She had to tell your mom a fib. I hate that.”
“I had to do the same. She asked me if I wanted to go, too. Here, let me take that.” He reached for the bag.
“What did you say?” She handed it over and walked beside him as he lit their way back to the cabin.
“I told her I was looking forward to a warm fire and rereading the latest M.R. Morrison book.”
“Sounds nice.”
“It is.”
“I miss reading by the fire on winter nights. I did that all the time before I moved into town.”
“You’re welcome to sit by mine whenever you want.”
“Thanks, but it’s probably a bad idea. I should buy a little electric one.”
“Not the same.”
“I know, but let’s be realistic. Do you see us being able to do that?” Between the climb and his body inches from hers, she was puffing.
“Maybe. It’s something to shoot for. Want to stop for a minute?”
“I’m fine. Just out of shape.”
His soft chuckle slid over her like a caress. “I’m not touching that comment.”
“I’m also nervous as hell.”
“Me, too.”
“It doesn’t show.”
“That’s because my clothes are hiding the sweat trickling down my back.”
“Why are you nervous? You were the one who wanted two weeks.”
“I sure did. With that much time I had room to mess up. “
“Like I said, if you do, that’s better in the long run, so messing up isn’t even an option.”
“Right.”
“Although Mila said telling you that would invite you to switch on the afterburners.”
That surprised a laugh out of him. “She said that?”
“Yep.”
“That’s funny. She knows me better than I thought she did.”
She gulped. “Look, I didn’t mean?—”
