I’m placing the final piece of our snowman, the head on top of his layers of body, when I feel something hit my back. The giggle that follows has me turning to see Aspen with a snowball in her hands, ready to fire.
“Oops.” She shrugs.
“Oops? Did that snowball just fall out of your hands?” I ask. Bending down, I grab my own pile of snow and pack it tight in my hands, forming a perfect ball. “Is that how you’re going to play it?” I toss the ball up gently and smirk.
“It was an accident.” She takes a step back.
“Why don’t I believe you?” I take a step forward. Raising my arm, I aim and fire. The snowball hits her right in the chest. She stands still, looks down at the snow on her coat, then fires one back. Back and forth, we throw handfuls of snow at one another. I chase her around the snowman, and although she’s fast, I’m faster. Snaking my arm around her waist, I swing her around and fall back into the snow, with her landing on top of me.
We’re both laughing and breathing heavily. Reaching up, I move her hair out of her eyes. “Hey.” I smile up at her. She moves to sit up, which has her sitting on my hard cock. Even through our layers, I know she can feel it. I open my mouth to say something smooth, but I can’t for the life of me think of anything. Me, Conrad Riggins, can’t find the words to say to a beautiful woman who’s straddling his lap. I open my mouth to try again but don’t get the chance because Aspen does it for me, smashing a handful of snow on top of my head.
“Oh, it’s like that.” I grab my own handful of snow, which has her scrambling from my lap, and the chase begins. She rushes up the front steps, but before she can get the door open, I grab her around the waist and turn her to face me. I hold my handful of snow over her head.
“Uncle,” she says with a laugh. The sound warms me from my head to my toes.
“I don’t know. I think it’s payback time.”
“Conrad, please.” Those hazel eyes of hers stare up at me, and I know that I could never deny her anything.
Instead, I step forward, causing her back to press against the side of the cabin. Dropping the snow, I place my hands flat on the cabin over her head. She tilts her head back to look at me. She’s so fucking beautiful; she takes my breath away. I lean in, not really thinking about the consequences. All I know at this moment is that I need to kiss her. I need to taste those soft lips. Her tongue peeks out and licks her lips, and I lean in a little closer. I’m going for it. It’s a kiss. What’s the harm in a kiss?
Our lips are a breath apart when her cell phone rings. I watch as she blinks hard three times, and just like that, the spell is broken. Dropping my hands, I take a step back, giving her the space she needs to dig her cell phone out of her pocket.
“Hey,” she answers breathlessly. “No. Conrad and I just built a snowman.” I assume she’s talking to Aurora. “Let me call you back. We’re heading in now. Let me get out of all of these clothes.” She nods even though the caller can’t see her. “Great. Give me ten.” She ends the call. “That was Aurora. She was calling to check on things. I have to tell her about all this snow. Look, the path you shoveled is already covered again.”
“Let’s get you inside and warmed up, and I’ll pull up the weather report.”
“What good is that going to do us? They didn’t call for this.” I can hear the frustration in her tone.
“Surely by now, they know what’s up. Come on.” Lacing her fingers with mine, I push open the door and lead her inside. Together we peel out of our clothes, and I stoke the fire, adding wood. “I’ll make us some hot chocolate.”
“Thanks, Con,” she says, taking a seat on the couch, covering her lap with a blanket. “Hey, Rory.” I hear her say before I disappear into the kitchen.
I can tell she’s talking, but with the noise I’m making, I can’t hear what she’s saying. The cabin is huge, and the distance between us is what we need, what I need. I almost kissed her. I almost crossed a line that we wouldn’t be able to uncross. I don’t know what the hell has gotten into me. Grabbing the can of whipped cream from the fridge, I add a healthy amount to both mugs and carry them into the living room.
“Hey, Con’s here, hold on. I’ll put you on speaker.”
I hand her a mug as she places her phone on speaker, setting it on the couch. I take the other cushion. “Who we talking to?” I ask, taking a sip of my hot chocolate.
“Hey, brother,” Grant says.
“What’s up?”
“How’s the weather?”
“Shit. It’s still snowing. We have about two feet out there now.” There’s no use in hiding it from him.
“Oh, no,” Aurora says.
“I haven’t checked the details, but I’m sure it’s going to be fine.”
“We’re here, and we’re going to stay on top of it. Hopefully, it stops soon, and the roads can be cleared,” Aspen tells them.
“Have you seen any trucks?” Grant asks.
Aspen looks at me and bites her lip. She knows the answer. “No. Not yet. Ours isn’t passable. But you know, as soon as the snow stops, they’ll be all over it. They always are.”
“Yeah,” Grant agrees. He knows this is how things go, but I get it. He’s getting married to the love of his life, and he wants it all to go off without a hitch. It’s just immediate family, and I have no doubt my parents and brothers will do whatever it takes to get Aspen and Aurora’s parents here as well as the rest of the family. We will have a wedding. It just might look a little different than they originally had planned.
“Too early to stress just yet,” I tell them.
“Keep me posted?” Grant asks.
“You know it.”
“Thanks, brother. Aspen, thanks for being there. Both of you. We appreciate you taking care of things.”
“Not much we can do right now.”
“But you’re there,” Aurora tells her. “We know firsthand what’s going on. That means so much to us. Thank you both.”
“We’ll keep you posted.” After a round of goodbyes and promises to keep them updated, we end the call.
“Is this wedding going to happen?” Aspen asks, biting down on her bottom lip.
“Yeah, it’s going to happen. We might not have the caterers and the decorators to do their job, but I promise everyone will be here, and we will have a wedding.”
“How are you so sure?”
I sigh. “This is going to sound conceited, but it’s the truth. Money. My family has the means to get everyone here, even if we need to do it by chopper. The wedding will go on. It just won’t be the one they planned.”
“Oh, thank God.” She’s genuinely relieved. Not a single flinch when I mentioned our family’s money. That does nothing for my need to kiss her. She’s different from anyone I’ve ever met. Most women’s eyes light up when I mention my family and money. Not Aspen. She’s just worried about her sister getting the wedding of her dreams.
“I’m going to go see if I can figure out what’s wrong with the water heater.”
“You need me to come with you?” she offers.