Page 38 of SnowBound

How could something so right last only mere hours? The thought our story would be over in a couple of hours hurt more than it should.

Star-crossed lovers.Again, that was how this felt.

I kissed him back with everything I had.

Our tongues danced together. Our bodies molded to perfection. This was the most perfect Christmas gift a girl could ever ask for.

I was breathless and surfing a high I never knew could exist.

“Wanna get out of here?” I asked when we broke apart. “I’m famished.”

“Not sure food is mandatory to survive anymore, don’t you think? I bet we could last days by sampling each other.”

“But there wouldn’t be any of you left afterward.” I pouted. “And I kinda like having you here.”

“Will I be allowed to hold your hand and kiss you if we go?”

I nodded.

“For the record, and please make the jury take notes, I’m never going back on that chair.”

I nodded thrice.

“Then I accept this deal,” Andy said, peppering kisses all over my chest. “Don’t move. I’m sealing this deal.”

A loud laugh escaped my mouth at the sight of him being joyful. I did it. I chased away Andy’s sulk. Happy Andy looked so much hotter than his grumpy counterpart. My heart did a victory dance. Warmth spread through me at the thought I brought sunshine into his dark night.

We stood, and before I could start dressing up, he slapped my ass cheek, and I gasped.

“God, you have the most perfect ass. I noticed it when you walked into that café.”

I pushed his chest with both hands. “Such a pervert.”

“Only for you.”

“Rewind a sec. You noticed me first?”

“Yeah. Well before you looked my way. I was just too stubborn to talk to you.”

Seconds later, I got pushed into the wall, and his mouth landed back on mine in a bruising kiss. As if Andy was marking his territory. Branding me as his. “I’m rectifying the situation right now.”

My arms wound around his neck, and I deepened the kiss, wanting to burn the moment to my memory.

“Girl, we better get out of here, or I’ll eat you up all over again, and we’ll never leave. Pancakes?”

“Nah. I want nachos. I spotted a Mexican joint earlier. This night has been nothing like I predicted, so we better end it on a high note and unpredictable manner.”

Amusement played on his face. His dark hair was disheveled now and lips, a darker shade of pink. Andy looked thoroughly fucked, and I could only wish I looked the same. “Love how you think.” He kissed me once more before picking up our discarded clothes from the floor and handing me mine.

* * *

Sitting next to each other, we sipped on water as we waited for our order to be served. Andy’s fingers were intertwined with mine and rested on my thigh.

“Any special plans for the Holidays?” I asked, trying to sound more cheerful than I felt inside. My throat tightened as the seconds we had with each other flew away.

“Christmas is usually spent only with Ma. Then I’ll go out with my friends. And we’ll have a New Year’s bash in a basement somewhere. Normally, we would drive to my aunt’s on January second for a week—she lives in Mississippi—but since I have engagements back in New York, I’ll miss it this year. I’ll fly back instead. What about you?”

“There’s this party I need to attend tonight. Then it will be mostly me and myself hanging together for two weeks before I return to my dorm. My parents aren’t the festive types. They usually attend some dinners and church meetings I don’t care about, and I spend my nights watching Christmas movies or reading. Sometimes I wish I had a pet to keep me company when I spend time there.”