Page 198 of Love Among the Ruins
Soon, the atmosphere relaxed as the champagne and wine flowed, and their bellies filled.
Eleni sat back and looked around the table, her heart as full as her stomach. The last few months had been a whirlwind, and the start of a brand new year held so much promise. She couldn’t imagine what this year would bring.
A few hours later, they bade their goodbyes, promising to come back after they had been skiing.
The snow crunched beneath her boots as they left Dominic’s parents’ place and walked to the car. Their bodyguard lurked in the shadows. She’d become so used to him that he might as well have been invisible.
“Where are you going?” Dominic called out. He stood by the Jeep, the dark night hiding his features.
“Snow!” she shouted. Arriving only a short time earlier, they’d only had time to dump their luggage at the cabin and get changed before coming to meet his parents. She hadn't had a chance to fully appreciate the snow yet. Under the cover of darkness wasn't the right time either, but the dull crunch of soft, powdery snow enchanted her. She bent down and touched it gingerly, rubbing her fingers around the flakes and watching them disappear. Dominic crouched down beside her.
“Look,” she said, grabbing a handful of snow. “It’s so soft.”
He laughed.
“Don’t laugh at me! I've never seen it before.”
“Enjoy.”
She scooped up a handful and got up slowly.
“Don't,” he cautioned as if he could read her mind.
She wasn't going to, hadn’t planned to, but he'd planted an idea. She threw it at him.
“Huh.” He stood up slowly, hands on his hips. She scooted away, looking over her shoulder to see him scooping snow in his hands. He raced up to her and threw it. The spray of feathery snow landed on her arm.
And inflamed her senses.
If that's what he wanted ...
She grabbed armfuls of more snow, made it into a ball, but before she could throw it at him, a lump of snow landed on her other arm. Then another ball landed on her hair, then another one on her leg.
They came quickly, like balls from a tennis ball machine.
She squealed.
And just like that, her first snowball fight began. She and Dominic raced around the grounds outside his parents' chalet, like giddy teenagers.
Until she suddenly felt very cold.
And started to shiver.
“What is it?” Dominic rushed to her side.
“C-c-c-cold.”
Her new suede boots were wet and her feet were starting to get cold. She rubbed her arms.
“Come on.”
They rushed into the car, and he turned on the heater at full blast. Her teeth chattered all the way home. She could not get warm. It probably didn’t help that she only had on a dress underneath with a ridiculously thin, long cardigan over it. She hadn’t come prepared for a full-blown snow assault.
When they reached their log cabin, Dominic helped her out of the car and they rushed inside. She rubbed her hands together in vain trying to get warm and desperately failing.
He looked worried. “You're not used to it. I should have told you to layer up. I should have insisted on a hat, gloves and scarf at least.”
“I’m n-n-not a …ch-ch-child, and we h-h-had f-f-fun…” she stammered, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.
