Rosa stood up, found her jumper, and pulled it on. "Because I'm not ready for that. This is all so… It's been a few hours of us talking and—"
"Making love…yes," Billy said, standing up and rebuttoning her jeans.
"Yes, and I think we shouldn’t rush into something and make declarations just yet."
"I just want to shout it from the rooftops." Billy smiled, cupping Rosa's cheek. "But I get it…you need time and—"
"Weneed time, Billy. It's been a long time since you were anything more to me than…" Her eyes cast downwards.
"Say it," Billy encouraged.
"Fine." Rosa brought her gaze back up, chin out. "It's been over a decade since you were anything more than the woman who broke my heart and abandoned me…and I can't just switch back into who we were before that…I need time. I need spaceto process, and we will not disrupt our child's life unless we are absolutely sure this is what we both want."
"Okay, we can do it your way," Billy acknowledged. "But…right now, here, it's just us, and I think we should make the most of that."
"Really? What do you propose we do?" Rosa stepped closer. It was all just too easy, wasn't it? Frighteningly easy to do the very thing she'd just said she wasn't sure she could—step back into it.
"Firstly, I'm going to put more wood on the fire. Then secondly…I'm getting the duvets from the beds, and then…" Her eyes scanned down Rosa's body. The jumper wasn't quite long enough to cover the nakedness of her lower half. "I'm taking that jumper off again…"
"Oh, what if…" Rosa lifted the hem and raised it over her head. "It's already off?"
"I guess you'll find out in a moment when I've completed my other tasks," Billy teased. Fingertips lifted to brush across a taut nipple. "I love that I can do that again."
Rosa chuckled and grasped Billy's wrist, pulling so her palm covered her breast. "I like it when you do."
Silence settled between them. Slowly, deliberately, Billy’s hand moved, cupping the weight of Rosa's breast, her thumb circling the nipple until it hardened beneath her touch. Rosa's breath caught but she didn't look away. Their eyes held—dark and intent, searching, remembering.
Billy's other hand found Rosa's waist, fingers splaying against bare skin. Rosa's pulse quickened beneath Billy's palm, her chest rising and falling faster now. Still, neither spoke. The fire crackled. Snow whispered against the windows.
Billy's thumb brushed again, firmer this time, and Rosa's lips parted on a silent gasp. Her hand came up to rest against Billy's chest, feeling the rapid thud of her heart. They stood like that—suspended—touching, breathing, existing only for each other in the flickering candlelight.
Chapter twenty-two
Meredith brought a platter of sandwiches into the lounge. Schultz led the way, carrying the biggest lantern they had, lighting the path back from the kitchen.
"Did you get through?" she asked Imogen, placing the large plate down. Hands reached in and began grabbing.
"Yep, they're fine," Imogen said, shoving half a triangle of ham and cheese into her mouth and chewing. "Said the power is out."
"Imogen, don't speak with your mouth full, it's not very ladylike," Meredith cautioned.
"Sorry," she said with her mouth full and a grin.
Robbie picked at the crust of a triangle. “The snowstorm is pretty awesome for the plan, though, isn’t it?”
“Yep,” Janka added, nodding and chewing. She glanced at Meredith and quickly stopped talking to finish her bite.
“Almost perfect.” Meredith chuckled. “It’s a good job that Schultz and I filled the fridge.”
“Do you think it will still be snowing in the morning?” Robbie asked. “Not sure we will get much skiing in.”
“No…maybe we can go sledding, though.” Imogen’s eyes widened at the idea. “That would be cool.”
"I think we will see what Carl suggests," Schultz said from the armchair. "He's the expert."
Imogen shrugged. "I guess." She smiled at them. "I'll take no skiing if it means they spend more time getting to know each other properly again."
Robbie sat back in her seat, the last piece of sandwich eaten. "Of course, it could go the other way."
