Page 77 of If You Were Mine (After We Fall 3)
“Come here, I want to show you something.” I grabbed Theo’s gloved hand in my mitten-covered one and tugged him through the snow toward the tree with the tire swing. It was late afternoon, but we’d only just gotten out of bed a little bit ago. It was still snowing and the temperature was only about twenty-eight degrees, but the wind had died down a bit, and I felt plenty warm.
“Aha, there it is.” Theo grinned when he saw it. His smile was so different today—he was so different. Still the same guy who loved to tease me and laugh (he was endlessly amused by all the accoutrements of the “cabin” as he was fond of calling it, complete with air quotes), but gone were his guarded responses and wary expressions. No shadow fell across his face when I asked about his past, his family, or his feelings. I can’t say that he appeared to enjoy talking about himself, but he was doing what he’d said he would—letting me in.
“That’s the swing you were scared of falling off?” he taunted.
“Yes.” I giggled. “In my defense, it seemed higher up when I was little.”
He shook his head, laughing. “Get on it. I’ll push you.”
I put my legs through the tire and held on to the sides. He grabbed me by the waist, pulled me back, and let me go. I laughed, stretching my legs out in front of me and my head back as I swung through the air, snow flurries drifting down around me. When I slowed down, he gave my legs a shove so I spun around in dizzying circles.
“Stop!” I shrieked, breathless with laughter. “I won’t be able to walk when I get off.”
He held it still and I waited a moment before getting off, hoping the world would stop spinning. But when Theo leaned down and kissed me, I felt even more light-headed.
“Was it fun?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Not afraid of falling anymore?”
“Nope. I’m getting braver by the day, aren’t I?”
“You are. I’m very impressed. Next I’m going to work on getting you to submit some artwork.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and got off the swing. “Next you’re going to work on building that business of yours. I don’t want you supplementing your income by hiring yourself out as a Hottie anymore.” I thumped him on the chest. “You’re my hottie. And I don’t like to share my toys.”
He smiled and wrapped his arms around me. “I promise you, I’m all yours.”
I’d never get tired of hearing that.
We spent another hour out in the snow—making snow angels, throwing handfuls of snow at each other, trying to catch snowflakes on our tongues. We attempted a snowman, but the snow was too soft for packing. Eventually the wind picked up and our fingers and toes grew numb, so we went inside to warm up.
Theo built a fire in the fireplace while I hunted for the ingredients to make real hot chocolate for us. Then he stood rapt at my side as I warmed milk, sugar, a cinnamon stick and a vanilla bean in one pan and melted good dark chocolate in the double boiler.
“What is that thing?” he asked, his face scrunching up. His hair was a damp, tousled mess, but he looked so adorable, I had to smile.
“It’s a double boiler. Don’t worry, you don’t need one.” After removing the stick and bean from the milk, I carefully poured in the melted chocolate.
“What if I want to make fancy ass hot chocolate for my girlfriend one day?”
My heart knocked crazily against my ribs. “Then you can use mine.” I whisked the chocolate into the milk, and threw him a suspicious look over one shoulder. “Assuming the girlfriend is me.”
“Um, your ass is phenomenal, your cooking makes my mouth water, and you give the best blowjobs known to man. It’s totally you.”
“I knew it. You just drove up here for the food and the sex.”
“I’d be lying if I said those things weren’t tempting.” Moving behind me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my neck. “But you know that’s not why I’m here.”
“I know.” Smiling like a lovestruck teenager, I added a tiny pinch of salt and chili powder, then shook him loose. “Shoo. I have to get this off the heat.” He let me go, and I poured the fragrant chocolate into two hug mugs. “Let’s drink it over here by the fire. I’m still freezing.” I set the mugs on a tray along with a bag of marshmallows.
“Oh my God. Marshmallows?”
“Marshmallows. Your favorite thing.”
He tugged a strand of my hair. “You’re my favorite thing.” A pause. “But now I have an idea that involves marshmallows too…”
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