on my shoulders. “Right now, you’re still mine, remember? So I’m taking care of you, whether you like it or not.” I’m about to shake my head when he cups my face to stop me. “If it makes you feel better, you can pay me back.”
“Like my medical bills, and all you put out for my tuition and lodging?”
“We can just add this to the list. Now say yes, so I can show you something spectacular, something you’re not going to want to miss.”
“As long as I can pay you back.”
“Uh huh,” he says, so noncommittal I almost argue, but there is a part of me that really just wants to escape with him, so I agree.
“Fine.”
He grins, like he just won the battle of the century, but I think he already won that ages ago when he set money down to have me as his. The retail clerk steps up to us, and after ten minutes, I’m all decked out in new clothing, and ready to melt to the floor because we’re still inside and I’m sweating to death.
After he pays, we drop my backpack at the front counter, and Christian takes my hand, leading me out. “Where are we going?” I ask as the brisk air washes over me and I feel nothing but heat. He leads me down a path, going slow because of my ankle, and we come upon a shop.
“Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
I stop in my tracks when I see the long row of snowmobiles, all lined up and ready to be rented.
“Are you serious?”
“You said you wanted to see the top of the mountain.” He pulls me close and kisses me.
“You didn’t know that. I never said that to you.” At least I don’t think I did. I’d only thought it in my head, I’m sure.
“I saw the way you were looking at the ski hills when we first arrived. You wanted to go up, but had no way to get there. Now we have a way.”
Wow, he doesn’t miss a thing, and I really like that about him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“This is…this morning…the phone.”
“Yeah, sorry for not answering. I wanted it to be a surprise.” I shake my head, astounded by his sweetness. “You want to go, don’t you? It shouldn’t hurt your ankle, and this is a great way to get to the top. Wait until you see what’s up there.”
I laugh, hard, like a load has been lifted off my shoulders, and he looks at me like I might have just escaped an asylum.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Yes.” I throw my arms around him and give him a kiss. “This is a great surprise.”
“Remind me to surprise you more often,” he says as I go back down on my feet. He puts his arm around my waist, and we head inside the warm building. Less than ten minutes later, Christian is latching my helmet and helping me onto the beast of a snowmobile. I slide my hands around him and hang on.
“You know what you’re doing, right?”
“I’d never put you in danger, sweetness.”
He pats my hand, and the next thing I know, we’re on the snow-beaten trail, the wind in my face. I might have been frightened by this new adventure, going through the woods and up a mountain, but I feel completely secure as I hold on to the guy I’m really, really starting to like.
Starting?
That’s possibly a lie. I might have hated him in the past, but so much has changed since I started sharing his room. He slows and points, and I catch a bunny hopping into the snowy underbrush. A wide smile splits my lips.
“A bunny,” I squeal and steal a glance at the gorgeous, white-tipped trees. It’s quite breathtaking out here, and I really wish I could walk without fear of injuring my ankle. I wrap my hands around him tighter, and press my body to his, needing the contact as my emotions rev faster than the beast we’re on. I can’t quite remember the last time I was this happy.
We go a little further up the hill and we wave to a couple coming down on another machine. Christian slows, and points again, but I don’t see any wildlife.
“Deer tracks.”
“Amazing. Wait, are there bears here?”
“Probably hibernating right now, so we’re good.”
I relax a little and he revs the gas, and we take off again. I watch the scenery, a sense of peace washing over me,