Page 35 of Always and Forever

“Don’t rush,” she advises. “Sip slowly. We’ll get you thawed out in no time.”

The room fills with the clinking of mugs and the hiss of logs in the fire.

“What happened to the second snowmobile?” Rhia asks, snuggling closer to Lex.

“We left it in a cave we found, along with the decorations we salvaged. We thought we had more time to get back, but that blizzard arrived sooner than we expected,” Lex explains.

“I’m just so glad you’re both back in one piece. Never put me through something like that again!” I say, rubbing up and down Tiero’s back. It’s as much to reassure me he’s really here with me, as much as trying to warm him up.

“Any numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes?” Claudette asks, sounding nurse-like as she comes into the room carrying a try with bowls of steaming soup.

Thank God she’s here with us and thinking clearly. My mind is foggy, my body tiring now that the adrenaline is wearing off.

Both Lex and Tiero shake their heads.

“Good, keep moving your limbs. Gentle exercise will get that blood flowing,” she responds.

As both Rhia and I refuse to leave our men’s sides, Claudette does the running around. She hands us more blankets, and we wrap them tightly around our men.

The storm rattles the shutters, and I snuggle deeper against my love. In his arms I feel safe, knowing he’ll protect me and our child, come what may.

“Remember that storm in Scotland?” Rhia asks from her spot sitting in between Lex’s outstretched legs, his head resting on top of hers.

“That one was memorable,” I mutter, my eyelids growing heavy.

It was one of the three occasions on that trip we bumped into Lex. Sparks flew between those two then. Heck, they still do even more than two years later.

“I was really scared then. This one isn’t so bad,” she says, just as something heavy flies against the shutters.

None of us even flinch. Our cottage gives the illusion of a fortress, or maybe I’m just too exhausted to care.

Tiero draws lazy circles up and down my side as I push closer against him, and he tightens his hold on me with his other arm.

Rhia is still talking, but it sounds far away as sleep is trying to drag me under.

“Rest, angel,” Tiero whispers into my ear and then kissing my neck. “I’ll keep you safe.”

With his familiar scent and warmth enveloping me, I allow myself to drift off, knowing he’ll keep this promise until his last breath.

Chapter Fifteen

Gualtiero

Ihearlaughterbehindme as I run through the field. The grass is up to my shoulder and my head just sticks above it. I turn around and spot a head of dark hair bobbing up. Teo is trying to catch up, but he just can’t run as fast as me… yet.

I crouch low when I reach the lone tree standing tall above everything else. When Teo runs past, I pounce, and we tumble into the soft grass, laughing. My little brother giggles uncontrollably as I tickle him.

Then large arms encircle both of us. For a second, my heart stumbles until my father’s laughter joins ours, and he’s wrestling with us.

Then the moment turns serious. “Always be aware of who’s around. Then have your fun. But don’t get lost in it, or the consequences could be dire.”

He ruffles our hair as we stand up, and we make our way back to the house, my father’s hand on each of his son’s shoulders. I look up at him, but his gaze is fixed on the backdoor of the house.

Mama is standing there, waiting for us. His eyes always have a sparkle when he sees her. I nudge Mateo and grin at him. Mama is papà’s One, or so he tells us. He kisses her on the lips to greet her; it takes way too long.

She gives us both a hug as we enter.

“Did you look after your little brother?” she asks as she kisses my forehead.

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