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“So how come I never knew you were a cheerleader?”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
“Such as?”
He didn’t have the code to my vault yet. Chances were he never would. “I don’t know.”
“Were you involved in any other sports?”
“Not really.”
I only cheered for one year. After that my mom couldn’t afford to drive me to the meets or get me a new uniform.
As if sensing how much I hated talking about my past, he changed the subject. “They’re saying we might get a foot of snow by midnight.”
“I thought we were only supposed to get five inches.”
“I overheard the guys at the hardware store talking. They updated the forecast. Now they’re predicting as much as two feet.”
“Ew. Seriously?”
He laughed. “Don’t you like snow?”
“What’s to like about it?”
He shrugged. “You’re a student. You might get a snow day.”
I also might lose some appointments next week if the roads were bad. “I’d rather be in school.”
“I’ve never met someone who didn’t like a blizzard. They’re the best kind of snowstorms because everything shuts down. You have no choice but to be lazy and enjoy it.”
“Snow sucks. It’s messy and dirty and turns people into idiots. Everyone’s running around like it’s Black Friday and there’s a mad rush on shovels.”
“I think you missed a major defining moment growing up.”
“Probably.”
He went to the kitchen and returned with another helping of noodles. Maybe he actually did like it.
“You know what we’re going to do tonight?”
“What?” Apparently, we weren’t just having dinner.
“We’re gonna build a snowman.”
“Um, no.”
“Yup. As soon as the ground’s covered enough, we’re going to bundle up and play in the snow.”
“I hate the snow.”
“That’s because you’re playing in it wrong. Trust me. You’ll have fun.”
I didn’t play in snow. It ruined my shoes. And I certainly didn’t trust him. All I could picture were wet socks and cold cheeks and freezing fingers.
“Can’t wait.”
24
Avery
After finishing the dishes, we watched a comedian do standup on Netflix. I was getting tired, but every time I shut my eyes, Noah nudged me, reminding me not to fall asleep because we had a date at midnight.
Outside, the sky wore a gossamer mask of powder, and the glass on the windows was starting to crystallize with frost. It was a white nightmare, and he was going to make me go out there and do things in the cold.
The show ended, and he shut off the TV. As he stood and stretched, a delicious slice of his smooth belly showed.
“Okay, time to get bundled.”
I groaned, totally content snuggled under a blanket on my couch. “Are you really going to make me go out there?”
“Yes. Go put on warm clothes. I’ll meet you back here in five minutes.”
“I don’t wanna.”
He was already walking out the door.
A few minutes later he was back, wearing flannel pajama pants and a thick hoodie. I also wore a hoodie but paired mine with a frown.
“Give me your feet,” he said, coming over to the couch.
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
I rolled my eyes and lifted up my foot. He covered my wool sock with a plastic bag.
“Now, the other one.”
“I do believe serial killers are supposed to dice up their victims before they start the bagging process.”
He covered my other foot. “That’ll keep your socks dry.”
I raised a brow. “Impressive.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of teabags. “Put these in your mittens.”
“Are we having a tea party?”
“They’re hand warmers.” He shook them as if activating something.
The second he placed them in my palm heat warmed my hand. Okay, this wasn’t starting out so bad.
“Come here.” He held up a jar of Vaseline, and I drew back.
“What are you doing with that?”
“It’s for your cheeks. It’ll keep them from getting chapped.”
I grimaced as he slathered a thin layer over my face. Next, he gave me lip balm and wrapped my neck in a long scarf.
“Where did you get this?”
“My nana made it.”
Aww, he has a nana. I don’t know what was cuter, his grandmother knitting him a scarf or the fact that he called her Nana without blushing.
“Where are your boots?”
I frowned at my bagged feet. “I don’t have any without heels.”
“What about those wooly things girls are always wearing?”
“UGGs? They aren’t meant to get wet.”
He shook his head. “I’ll never understand women’s clothing. We better double bag your feet.”
Once my sneakers were on, and my coat was buttoned. I felt like the little brother who couldn’t put his arms down in A Christmas Story. As much as I was dreading the cold, I was starting to sweat under all these layers and wanted to get someplace cooler.
Noah faced me and shoved my wool hat on my head. “You’re adorable.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
Actually, he looked hot as fuck in his hoodie and PJs with his duffel coat overtop. He pulled on a black beanie hat and enhanced the look to SWAT team sexy. He was SWawt!
