Page 35 of Love Under Snowfall

Crackling laughter boomed through the device because of course her brother would hold down the push-to-talk button for that important message.

“How is that even possible?” he asked after a hearty bout of giggles.

Benjamin stepped forward, crowding Frankie’s space with his size and wafting testosterone. The heat and spice of his breath puffed beside her as he leaned down and engaged the PTT.

“It was my fault, Johnny. She was too busy helping me figure out this whole snowshoeing thing.” He turned, breath hot and sweet on her chin. “I distracted her.”

He released the button, and the knuckle of his thumb grazed her neck, just above her thundering pulse. Goosebumps splashed over her despite the flames licking at her core. She shivered from his nearness and the lingering sensations of his lips on her skin.

“We’re just about to backtrack,” Frankie explained, taking a wise step back and shaking her head. “See you in ten.”

Space. She needed space.

She couldn’t think straight with him so close. It had been so long since she’d had any physical contact with a man. No wonder she’d reacted the way she did. She wanted to blame him, claim he took advantage of her self-imposed celibacy, but the accusation wouldn’t hold up because how would he have known? And if she was being honest with herself, she was the one who inclined her chin and leaned into him, subtly offering.

He took her up on that offer. So easily.

Simmer down, woman.

“Get your stuff.” She took another step back, increasing the necessary distance between them. “We need to rejoin the group.”

“Francesca, I—”

“Forget it.” Another retreating step. “We got caught up.”

Frankie touched the crown of her head then scanned the ground for her beanie. She’d taken it off once they neared the drop-off and lost track of it when Benjamin had—

He knelt, picked up the lavender knit hat that lay abandoned in the snow and took a step forward, holding it out to her. Impulsively, she took another stride backward.

“Wait,” Benjamin gasped.

Frankie didn’t remember much after that, aside from the feeling of snow breaking away like loose sand under bare feet. She watched Benjamin’s eyes widen in horror as he lunged forward. But she quickly descended, sinking, sliding, then somersaulting down a slope. Trees, snow, peaks, and cloudy gray sky spun round and round, causing a dizzying fear to rise in her chest.

Then the world went dark.

Chapter nineteen

Benjamin

Benjamin watched, frozen in terror, as Francesca careened down that snowy embankment. Her body cartwheeled, wholly consumed by gravity’s greedy pull. Arms and legs jerking in all directions like some abused ragdoll in the hands of a four-year-old tyrant. Her descent was endless, until her wild, helpless grunts and gasps halted with a sickening thud. Her body struck a boulder at the base of the ravine. Silence followed—thick and ominous.

The same silence that had, only moments before, filled Benjamin with peace now ignited and sizzled like a thousand lit fuses looped around his torso.

“Shit! Shit shit shit!”

The moment of impact played over and over in his ears as he slid off the trail, displacing sheets of snow with each plunging step. He could barely pull his broad shoes to the surface before more of the powdery stuff broke out from under him. There was nothing solid to cling to and he lacked the skill to maneuver down to where Francesca lay limp at the base of a snow-coated rock.

“Oh, god. Oh, shit.”

Unable to steer with any real accuracy, he prayed he’d end up somewhere stable enough to gather his bearings and get to Francesca’s side. Landing about fifteen feet from her, Benjamin managed to slow his rapid descent as he approached a cluster of small evergreens. The flowing snow piled up against it, giving hima stable landing spot.

The only problem was that as he stopped, the snow above him continued to slide, and by the time it calmed, he was buried waist-deep. At that same moment, the clouds seemingly cracked open and released an aggressive flurry.

“Goddammit!”

He ferociously clawed at his icy constraints, scooping chunks of powder away from his body while continuing to watch Francesca’s motionless body. The rapidly accumulating flakes glimmered against her golden braids, swiftly blotted out the flaxen strands, which had once played with the twinkle of her amber eyes.

“Francesca!” he shouted. Fear contorted his voice into one he didn’t recognize. It bounced from one side of the valley to the other and back in a mocking echo. “Francesca, can you hear me?”

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