Page 97 of Ice To Meet You

“I’m going in to land,” the pilot said over the radio.

Antonio looked over his shoulder again, sending me a grin. “Make it a smooth one. We’ve got precious cargo onboard.”

Yay for privacy.

The helicopter landed in a pitch of snow and ice. My goggles and gloves fended off the glare of light and the whip of frigid air as I stepped onto the crisp snow.

The crew and other passengers around me unloaded their gear. But all I could worry about was the bite of the wind and what Matteo would say when he saw me.

I tightened my eyes into the dazzling white distance, my breath catching in my throat. There stood Matteo, looking at the slope below, hands on his slim hips. His head was slightly bowed but when a guide shouted something in his ear, he spun in my direction.

He trudged back up the hill, his powerful legs making quick work of the climb. When he arrived, an enormous roar bellowed behind us, followed by a high-pitched whine.

He pointed to the snow beneath our feet, guiding me to a crouch as the helicopter took off to head back down the mountain. The first one must’ve left before we landed.

As the wind from the blades buffeted us together, he held me tight to his body. Even with his mouth covered by a balaclava, his warm breath made it to my ear. “It’s okay. It’ll be gone in a second,” he shouted.

When the noise and wind settled, Matteo pulled me upright and wrapped his arms around me in one swift motion. “What the hell are you doing here? Antonio radioed our guidewhen you jumped on board, but I couldn’t believe it until I saw you.”

“I’m doing what you said. I’m taking a risk—choosing a different path from the safe one I usually pick. You know, a sexy zip liner once told me that facing your fears is good for the soul. Yes, I’m terrified of all the things that could go wrong now, and in our future, but I’m ready to take a chance. On us. If you’ll have me.”

The moment the words left my lips, he pulled the material of his balaclava from over his mouth. “You know I will,” he whispered.

He tightened his grip, pulling me in for a kiss. But instead of his beautiful, sweet breath at my mouth, my goggles clashed against his sunglasses with aclunk.

Matteo laughed as pillows of condensation clouded around us. With a shake of his head, he reached up. “Close your eyes.” His fingers brushed my temples as he gently lifted my goggles, pushing them to the top of my helmet. Then, he took off his sunglasses and slid them onto my face.

“There,” he murmured, trailing his eyes over my face, half-lidded, burning with something that sent warmth curling through my chest. He cupped my cheeks with his gloved hands, the pressure firm but tender, the material cold against my skin.

"Dio, I love you," he whispered, his voice thick with something unspoken and wild.

Then he brought his lips to mine—cold and tentative at first, but as we lingered, as we breathed each other in, the ice gave way to something softer. Something warmer. Something that felt like home.

All too soon, he pulled away. A guide clapped him on the back and Matteo glanced over his shoulder at Antonio. He squinted back in my direction, then grinned. “I’m going to need those glasses back.”

Again, I closed my eyes, and he took his sunglasses,returning my goggles to my face. He paused. Though I couldn’t see his eyes, somehow, I knew he was looking at me.

“Do you have sun barrier on?” he asked, and I nodded. I’d helped myself to a sturdy dollop of the cream at the airstrip. “Then you’re ready.”

My belly shifted. Was I really? He pulled up the bottom of my balaclava, covering my mouth, and secured the strap of my helmet.

“Thank you for coming,” he said, checking it was tight enough.

I giggled, my breath warm against the fabric of my gear. “You might not be saying that in a few minutes. You promised to get me down safely—I think I’m about to put your skills to the test.”

Though I could only see the very edges of his eyes, they crinkled, and I knew he was smiling. “I’ll take care of you.”

“Hey, lovebirds,” Antonio shouted, coming over to stand with us. “What’s the plan?”

“First, introductions,” Matteo said, passing his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer.

“This is Esmé.”

Antonio’s brows curled behind his sunglasses. “Then who’s Claudette?”

I shook my head with a laugh. “It’s complicated.”

Antonio’s head bobbed between us. “I can’t keep up.”

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