She thinks on it for a moment, and I can see her brain working overtime while she wars with herself. “Okay,” she breathes out. “Thank you.” She seems almost embarrassed by accepting my offer.
I tuck her hair behind her ear and press a kiss to her forehead. “You can do this. I believe in you.”
Her eyes hold mine as a single tear escapes down her cheek. “You do?”
“Yes.” I truly believe it. This woman is going to do amazing things one day, something I’m not sure I’m going to get the chance to witness.
A playful smile tugs at her mouth. “You’re a real softie at heart, aren’t you?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that…” I puff out my chest for effect and she pushes against me, laughing.
“Just admit it, that tough, ‘I hate Christmas’exterior is just an act, right? Deep down, you’re just warm and soft and mushy inside. You can tell me, I promise I won’t blow your cover.”
I’m definitely not soft and mushy, or at least I never used to be, after my ex-wife left me, I vowed to never allow myself to lose myself to a woman again, but here I am, staring down at a woman who has captured my heart in a matter of a few days. This woman is changing me in ways I never thought possible. I’m feeling things I thought I’d locked away but somehow she found the key to my heart and stole it away.
“I’m not admitting to anything.”
“I’m sure I can persuade you somehow,” she says suggestively with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
I grip the front of her coat and tug her close, covering her lips with mine. She moans against my mouth as her hands come up to my face. Her touch sends sparks of electricity through my body. All I can think about is slamming her up against a tree and sinking into her tight, warm body, to hell with the snow and anyone who may pass by.
“We should stop,” I say against her lips, “the ideas I’ve got in my head right now…”
“You’re probably right,” she sighs, pulling back reluctantly.
She tips her head back to look up at the sky which is covered in a thick layer of grey clouds that threaten even more snow. She inhales deeply and smiles. “I love winter. I love the scenery, I love how cosy it feels in front of the crackling fire while it’s cold and snowing outside. I love that I can do this…” she falls back into the snow, giggling, spreading out her arms and legs, making an angel in the snow.
Her red wine hair is a stark contrast against the pure white snow beneath her and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful.
Romeo bounds over and sniffs at Lorna’s face, clearly confused as to what she’s doing.
“Royce! Join me.”
I shake my head. “No thanks.”
“Come on! Humour me.Please,” she begs with a pout.
How can I refuse?
I roll my eyes before sinking down next to her. I lie back in the snow, the cold seeping through my clothes almost immediately and begin making a snow angel.
What the fuck am I doing?
If my employees could see me now they’d think I was nuts, but strangely, I’m having fun. I can’t honestly say I’ve had fun in averylong time. When you own a multi-million dollar company like I do, days off and time to havefunare few and far between.
I’m staring up at the sky when something cold hits me on the cheek, disintegrating into tiny pieces. I look to my left to find Lorna’s eyes on me her hand covering her mouth as her body shakes with laughter.
“Did you just initiate a snowball fight Miss Wright?”
“Why, I think I did, Mr Cole,” she grins playfully.
“Then prepare to lose.” I grab a handful of snow and slam it down onto her chest, the snowball exploding in a million directions.
She screams, scrambling to her feet as I rise from the snow. She bends to gather some snow into a ball and rears back her arm, ready to throw it at me. Romeo darts in between us, wanting to join in the fun.
I stalk towards her, gathering my own weapon, moulding it into a ball in my fist. “Do your worst,” I challenge with a grin.
Without a second’s hesitation, she hurls the snowball at me and I duck just in time as it flies over my head. I throw mine and it hits her on her side. I dart forward and she squeals, taking off in a run.
