“So what are you two going to get up to in Seattle?” Kole asks.
“I don’t really know. It would be fun to go out for once. Maybe go to a bar to drink and dance. I definitely need to go shopping for some new pajamas while I’m there.”
Kole laughs. “The silk nightgowns not your style?”
I shake my head. “I prefer something that doesn’t look like it’s straight out of a lingerie catalog.”
“That’s too bad. I quite like seeing you in those nightgowns.”
I cock my head at him, but he just shrugs.
“How much farther?” I ask before my cheeks start to pink.
Kole abruptly pivots, looking down at me with a grin before swooping me up and taking off. I wrap my arms around his neck, clinging to him as the wintry air breezes past us. When Kole finally stops, the world slowly comes back into focus. He sets me back down and spins me around by the shoulders to reveal a deep blue, frozen pond. A few feet away there’s a bench with two pairs of skates, and along the back edge of the pond sits a log cabin.
I whirl back around to face Kole. “How did you find this place?”
He takes my hand, guiding me over to the bench. “I’m not exactly sure when I came across the pond, but about two years ago, I decided to build the cabin.”
“What?” I gasp. “You built that?”
His jaw goes slack. “I’m offended you sound so surprised.”
“I just didn’t take you for the builder type.”
Kole drops down to his knee and slips my boot off, replacing it with one of the skates.
“One of these days, you’ll learn that I’m a man of many talents.” When he looks up at me, his white eyes seem to shine even brighter.
“You know what I have learned?”
“What?” he asks, continuing to tighten the laces.
“That you like to take care of people.” His head snaps up, his face pinched with confusion. “You’re always doing things for me. Like today, you made my favorite breakfast and warmed up the car. Even now, you’re lacing up my skates, even though I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself.”
He laughs and drops his gaze to work on the other foot. “I think you just bring it out in me.”
“Because I’m human?”
“No.” He rests his hand on my knee, making electricity hum throughout my entire body. “You bring it out in me, because I enjoy making you happy.”
There’s a lump in my throat that I try to swallow back down.
What am I supposed to say to that?
“That’s a good thing, Grey.”
“I know.”
A taunting grin pulls at the corner of his mouth. “Then why do you look like you’re about to be sick?”
“I don’t look like that! I just… I—”
“It’s okay,” Kole interjects, giving my leg a comforting squeeze. “I know you’re not used to being cared for.” He places my foot back down and reaches for my hands to pull me up. Everything seems to still as he looks down at me, still holding onto my hands. “Just know that when it comes to me, you’re going to have to get used to it.”
I bite down on my lip, fighting back the smile. “I think I can do that.”
“Good.”
