“We need to shuffle forward.”
“Shuffle?” I questioned, trying to turn around to catch his gaze.
“We need to move the sled closer to the edge.”
“Oh,” I said. “Okay.”
Jonah counted down, so we moved at the same time, using our combined bodyweight to push the sled forward.
The friction between us as we moved, the grind of his front on my behind.
I was getting turned onsledding.
“Again.” His voice was a low gruff, and as we reached the tipping point, I found myself wondering if he felt the same, if his reluctance wasn’t because of fear but because he had predictedthis proximity long before I had – if I was the only stupid one in this fucking sled.
I was out of time; we tipped forward, and at first the world around me moved in slow motion. As we slipped further forward, an instant was all we needed for everything to speed up exponentially.
I gasped out a scream as we accelerated, the frozen air flying over us. My body was pressed hard against Jonah, fingers gripping his thighs as his arms at my waist tightened, no space between our bodies.
At ground level, the sled kept up its speed, sliding on the frozen ground, coming to an immediate sideways halt that left us both leaning too far to one side. Gravity pulled our weight and tumbled us out of the sled, a toss of limbs and bodies hitting the snow. When we came to a stop, I blinked softly, waiting for the sharp sign of pain or injury. In the crash, I ended up rotated, my body pressing closer to Jonah’s as I protected my face with my arms.
Lying on my back, our limbs tangled, I blinked up to see the storm clouds break open and reveal a sky of bright colours. Hues of lilac and pink, ribbons of blue and green, they danced against the inky, dark, infinite night.
“Do you see it?” I murmured, my voice low as if I were afraid any noise would chase it away. “Or do I have a concussion?”
“I see it,” he said, his voice rough.
“It’s beautiful.” I couldn’t tear my eyes away, mesmerized by the beauty, each light dancing as if for our eyes only. A pocket of heaven.
There was a pause. Long enough I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me. Then, like it slipped out before he could stop it, he said quietly, “Yeah. You are.”
I turned my head, coming face to face with him as a bare finger twisted with a lock of my hair. The northern lights shoneonto his face, flashes of green and pink, highlighting his thick lashes that framed dark chocolate eyes. His lips parted, his warm, heaving breaths filling what little of the frozen air was left between us. The length of his body alongside mine was hot, reminding me how easily another naked body could help fight off a cold, lonely night.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice still that heavy weight, his skin two shades paler than it had been at the top of the hill.
No. I clearly need to get my head checked because I want to kiss you.“I’m fine.” I strangled the two words out, my entire body wound tight, my leg over his body. And yet, I didn’t move an inch. “You?”
“I’m okay,” he answered. My eyes searched his face, searching for a sign of a lie, but apart from the hat now askew on his forehead, nothing was amiss.
Nothing apart from that look on his face.
“You’ve got a little…” He trailed off, those deep eyes on my lips. I held my breath as his hand rose to my face, the delicate pad of his forefinger pressing against the edge of my bottom lip that pulled as he ran across it. His attention was fixated as he moved; I didn’t dare to look away from him.
Jonah looked relieved as he pulled his finger away. “Your lipstick got smudged. I thought it was blood for a moment.”
He lifted, showing me his hand, the ruby-red mark transferred to his fingertip.
Marked, as if he were mine.
Maybe he could be.
“Kit…” he trailed off, my name on his lips a loaded gun. One that screamedGo. “I’m having a hard time not kissing you.”
My single remaining thread of self-control snapped, and my lips pressed against his. He reacted immediately, his hands skimming up the curve of my body, pulling me closer to him, his mouth moving against mine.
It was every bit electric as I thought it would be, sparking fireworks down every nerve, every inch of my body.
I pulled back the fraction of space that I could bear, looking down at his red-stained mouth.
