Page 21 of Snow Much Trouble

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“I move very fast. I’m…efficient.”

I try not to laugh. Her outrage sounds fake to me but I don’t want to be disrespectful. I start to shift away from her.

“You have a hard on,” she accuses.

That gives me pause. “No, I don’t.”

Well. A slight one. Most of that is all me.

“Seriously again?” she asks, and now she sounds curious. Intrigued. Maybe a little turned on.

“I’m a shower, not a grower.”

“Oh.” Then she punches her pillow and flops her head away from me. “Well, now I’m offended for a totally different reason.”

That makes me chuckle. “Care to explain?”

I know what she means. I just want to hear her say it.

“Nope.”

“I shared something very personal with you,” I murmur, even as I shift a few inches away from her. “I think you should share something personal with me.”

“What did you share with me that was personal? I’m sure every human you meet gets treated to your bourbon snobbery instantly.”

She knows I’m referring to the shower versus grower thing.

And that I’m teasing her.

Mostly.

I was curious to see if she would flirt back.

“I told you my middle name,” I say.

Lauren relaxes and says softly, “Louise.”

It makes my heart squeeze just a little. “That’s a lovely middle name.”

I run my fingers down Lauren’s arm.

“Mm. That feels nice.”

It does. Even if it’s not her bare skin. I can still smell the lingering scent of peppermint on her and feel her warmth.

She sounds relaxed.

So relaxed that in a minute she’s asleep.

I shift closer again, adjusting the blanket to make sure she’s covered everywhere. I can’t sleep. So I just watch Lauren and the fire, adding wood when needed.

It occurs to me I haven’t been this still or this content in a very long time.

It’s fucking nice.

Just…fucking nice.

Lauren

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