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‘That’s because you’re in my house. It’s freezing outside. We won’t stay out for long and we’ll do something flat so that it isn’t strenuous.’
‘What do you think I am?’ She frowned as she fastened her boots, determined not to show him what a struggle it was. ‘Pathetic?’
‘No. Seven months pregnant.’ He stepped forward, zipped up her jacket and handed her a hat. ‘Wear that.’
‘I’ll get hat hair.’
‘Women.’ He rolled his eyes and walked towards the door. ‘Better hat hair than hypothermia, sweetheart. Wear it.’
He drove to a lake that she hadn’t visited before and parked the car. ‘We’ll just walk around the shore path. Very gentle and easy.’
It was a perfect clear day, crisp and cold but fresh and invigorating. The snow crunched underfoot and Miranda stamped her foot down into virgin snow. ‘Don’t you just love that?’ She couldn’t hold back the grin. ‘Being the first person to touch the snow?’
‘Just as long as the mark is caused by your foot and not your bottom.’ He took her arm. ‘I know I’ll be on the receiving end of a lecture about your independent nature, but hold onto me or you might slip and break something. Perhaps we shouldn’t have come.’
She lifted an eyebrow. ‘You think I’ve forgotten how to walk?’
‘No. I think the ground is slippery and your weight distribution has shifted.’
‘You’re just looking for an excuse to touch me.’ She was teasing but the look in his eyes made her smile fade.
‘I don’t need an excuse, Miranda,’ he said softly, his eyes burning into hers. ‘When I think the time is right, I’m going to touch you and we won’t be by a frozen lake when I do it.’
Suddenly she found it difficult to breath. ‘Jake—’
‘We agreed not to get serious today.’ He stroked a hand down her cheek and then turned away, adjusting the rucksack that he always carried on his back. ‘Come on, walk. But hold my arm so that you don’t slip.’
Feeling slightly weak and shaky, she did as he instructed, her fingers curling into the solid swell of his biceps. She wanted to ask what he meant but she was afraid of stirring up something she wasn’t able to handle.
They walked for about half an hour and Jake stopped and pulled out a flask. ‘It’s cold today. The temperature is dropping. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have more snow.’
‘Is the lake really frozen?’
‘Only around the edges. It’s very deceptive. The ice is extremely thin. Last year we had to rescue two children who thought it would be fun to skate and fell in.’
‘Oh, my goodness.’ Miranda took the hot drink from him gratefully. ‘How did you get them out?’
‘We balanced logs on the ice and used the ropes from our climbing gear.’ They drank and talked and then Jake stuffed the flask back in his backpack. ‘Have you finished? We probably ought to be making a move.’
‘Let’s go a bit further before we turn back. It’s so lovely to be outdoors.’
His blue eyes gleamed. ‘Can this possibly be the same girl who was wearing trainers and not much else when I met her on Christmas Day? I thought you were a city girl.’
‘Not any more.’ She shook her head and glanced around her wistfully. ‘I never want to go near a city again. The baby and I are going to live here happily ever after.’
‘That sounds lonely.’
Aware of his searching gaze, she blushed slightly. ‘I don’t think so. As you once said to me, families come in many different guises.’
‘I meant, lonely for you.’ He stepped closer to her. ‘Aren’t you a little young to be dismissing the male species from your life?’
It was impossible to look away and her heart fluttered and skipped at the look in his eyes. ‘I’m trying to keep my life simple.’
‘Is that right?’ Somehow his head had moved nearer to hers and now his mouth hovered, tantalisingly close. She stared up at him, hypnotised by the slightly slumberous look in his eyes. His jaw was rough with stubble and he looked more handsome than any man had a right to look, and her body’s reaction was as intense as it was instant.
Her legs wobbled, her insides tumbled and swirled and that was before he even touched her. Perhaps he knew the effect he was having on her because the last thing she saw before his mouth came down on hers and her eyes drifted closed was lazy amusement in those wicked blue eyes.
Then he kissed her and she slipped into his kiss as easily as she had that first time, on Christmas Day.
