Page 6 of The Alien Reindeer's Bounty
It’s not like they were boyfriend and girlfriend. They weren’t dating. She had no reason to be jealous or to miss him so much it made her chest ache with emptiness. They were just friends, and wasn’t that the bitterest pill to swallow? Her crush intensified and he remained as oblivious as ever.
Or he knew and feigned ignorance to spare her feelings.
Yeah, there was no good way of looking at the situation.
Her arms and calves ached by the time she reached the empty summit of the hill. The only bright color she saw was an empty chip bag caught in the bramble. The snow tube landed on the ground and she tossed herself down, ass bouncing in the tube. “I’m not doing this again. One and done.”
“Ready?” Mads loomed over her, grinning, then placed his hands on the tube.
“No. I’m not ready!”
“You look ready.” He pushed, sending her down the slope facing the wrong way.
“Sommerfeldt!”
His laughter rang through the cold air as she watched him grow smaller and smaller as she rushed down backward, clutching the snow tube. Throwing one hand over the side, her gloved fingers plowed through the snow and twisted her around to face the correct direction.
Surprise drifted into laughter when her tube slowed and hit a snowbank. Mads launched his down the hill, whooping all the way down. He came to a stop not far from her.
“That was a mean trick,” she said and tossed a handful of snow at Mads.
“Again!”
“I’m not walking up there again.” She flopped back down in the snow tube and crossed her arms. Lazy? Absolutely.
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and pulled Odessa to her feet.
Nose to nose, their breath hung in the cold air. The scent of pine needles and smoke clouded her senses. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned in, breath hot on the shell of her ear and she shivered. He whispered, “I’ll make it worth your while.”
Ten minutes later, Odessa stood at the top of the hill. Taking the knit hat off her head, she wiped the sweat from her brow like a sweaty snow bunny. Super sexy, right?
“Hey,” Mads said, stepping closer. Nowhewas a sexy snow bunny. Hat lost in the last run down the hill, his dark hair stuck up in every direction. Instead of making him look like a disheveled vagrant, he looked like he tumbled out of bed after a fun romp. His cheeks were pink from the cold and his lips were an inviting raspberry.
“Hey,” she replied.
He wore a thin jacket, which hung open over a faded black T-shirt, no scarf, no gloves, well-worn jeans that hung on his hips, and hiking boots.
“How are you not freezing?” Odessa tugged the jacket closed and zipped it up. The act felt intimate and familiar, like they routinely dressed—and hopefully undressed—each other.
“You keep me warm,” he said. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her forward until their chests touched.
She looked up at him, blushing furiously and desperately trying to remember how to breathe.
His head dipped down, his lips pressing against hers in the softest, sweetest suggestion of a kiss. Her first kiss—their first kiss. She gasped and their breaths mingled, breathing as one. His forehead rested against hers.
That was it? Soft and sweet was all right, but in no way did it satisfy the fire burning in her.
“I want a do-over.” Odessa grabbed the lapel of the jacket and pulled him down, slamming her mouth onto his. Her tongue licked the seam of his lips and he opened to her. She poured every ounce of longing, every restless night spent dreaming about him, and every bit of frustration when they sat together, watching a movie but not touching.
Stretching up onto her tiptoes, she gave him everything in her heart because it belonged to him. It always had, since the first day the girl in the forest found the boy with antlers. He was her best friend and she wouldn’t go through this life without him. He had to know. It was obvious.
He growled, low and rumbling, like thunder, and electricity zipped through her. His arms tightened and they stepped back. She didn’t care, as long as he never let go and never stopped kissing her.
Her step faltered, slipped, and they tumbled backward. A sharp tooth nicked her lip and the taste of copper flooded her mouth.
“Are you okay?” He arranged her on his lap, sparing her from sitting in the snow.
“You bit me.” She pressed the back of her gloved hand to her busted lip.
