“Madeleine!”
She laughed at his use of her full name. “Have you never been in a snow fight?”
“I can’t say that I have in years.”
“I suppose you are no good at having fun.”
Sebastian narrowed his gaze in a way that made her skin prickle—half mischief, half warning.
He bent, scooping snow with long fingers.
Maddie’s eyes widened. “Oh no you don’t!”
Too late.
He tossed it, fast and without ceremony, and she only just side-stepped in time. Her boots sank half a foot into a soft drift, snow clinging to her skirts, but she didn’t care. She dropped to scoop her own handful, cold biting her gloves, and lobbed it toward him with a triumphant whoop.
It smacked the side of his head with a glorious thwack.
She punched the air. “Yes! Headshot!”
He turned slowly, snow in his hair, a smear of slush dripping down one brow.
“How is this possible?” he asked, dumbfounded. “How are you so good at this?”
“I’ve had some practice,” she said sweetly.
“You are enjoying this far too much, I think.”
“It’s quite rejuvenating, I daresay. Exceptionally good for the mood.”
He snorted and shook his fingers, sending snow flurries flying. “Now you’re just mocking me.”
She gave him her most innocent look—one he clearly didn’t buy.
“My fingers are bloody freezing.”
“Can’t take the cold?” she teased. “Then surrender and I shall show mercy.”
“I never surrender.”
“Neither do I.”
That was apparently the wrong thing to say. He lunged, and she squealed as snow exploded at her feet.
Another snowball, this one striking her leg. The chill bit through her skirts, but the ripple of thrill was entirely unwelcome.
Or rather, far too welcome.
She bent and scooped a fresh handful, her breath catching as he grinned—grinned!—and ran in a wide arc to dodge. Too slow. Her snowball hit him square in the shoulder.
He clutched the spot, dramatically staggering backward as though mortally wounded. “I shall never recover.”
“You’ll live.”
“But I may never live to truly love.”
“Such a loss,” she called, laughing as she danced backward. She hadn’t laughed like this in ages—not the well-mannered chuckles of polite company, but a bubbling, unrestrained, childish joy that left her breathless.
