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'Nothing at all,' she said as she stooped to retrieve the box of oats. 'Just a little tired. I was reading until very late.'
'Yes. I saw your note.' He poured himself some coffee and gave her a cool smile. 'What were you working on? Anything in particular?'
'I was looking through my cardiology textbook,' she told him, skimming over the fact that she'd barely taken in anything she'd read. Her mind had been well and truly on other things. Him.
'Were you preparing for your interview?'
'Yes.' She made some porridge for Phoebe, careful not to look at Zach. If she didn't look at him she could pretend he wasn't there. And then maybe she'd stop shaking.
Zach glanced out of the window and sipped his coffee. 'There's snow on the fells. How do you fancy taking Phoebe sledging?'
'Yes, yes.' Phoebe bounced happily in her chair. 'Phoebe sledging.'
Sledging.
In the snow.
Snow was cold. If things became too desperate maybe she could push some down the neck of her anorak to cool herself down.
'Good idea.'
She served the porridge, made herself a piece of toast— which she didn't touch—and then busied herself getting things ready for their outing.
By the time they were ready to leave she had Phoebe warmly dressed in an all-in-one skisuit and furry boots.
Zach left his car by the side of the road and the three of them scrambled up the side of the fell until they reached a suitable slope.
'Nice.' Phoebe bent down and tapped the snow with her mitten and then plopped down onto her bottom. 'Phoebe slide.'
'Wait.' Zach laughed and lifted her onto the sledge before climbing on himself and holding onto the ropes. 'OK, off we go.'
They shot down the
slope, Phoebe whooping with delight, and Keely watched with a smile and a lump in her throat.
Oh, she loved them both so much.
Then Zach dragged the sledge back up the hill and it was her turn. She settled herself behind the little girl, held her tightly and then shot down the slope so fast that she gasped with fright.
The sledge hit a bump and they both tumbled off into a pile of soft snow.
'More. More.' Phoebe bounced up immediately, totally undaunted by the crash, but Keely lay still for a minute, slightly winded.
'Are you all right?' Zach strode down the slope, scooped his daughter into his arms and then held out a hand to Keely. 'Come on.'
He hauled her upright and she stumbled against him, feeling the hard muscles of his thighs pressing against her.
For a moment their eyes locked and she knew that he was remembering their kiss. Then his jaw seemed to tense and he released her, swinging Phoebe onto his shoulders and jogging back up the slope with her, leaving Keely to drag the sledge after them.
Desperate to relieve the tension between them, Keely bent down and scooped up an armful of freezing snow and then crept up behind Zach, raised her right arm and aimed the ball of snow with deadly accuracy.
It hit his body with a satisfying, muted thump and he turned, .his eyes gleaming as he prepared himself to retaliate.
'Keely, Keely—you really shouldn't have done that.' He was laughing now and she gave a shriek as he lowered Phoebe to the ground and bent to pick up some snow to throw.
'Phoebe, save me!' Keely turned and ran as fast as she could in her cumbersome boots, but he caught her easily, stuffing the snow down the neck of her jacket while she shrieked for mercy.
Phoebe joined in, dancing around with excitement, and soon it was all-out war. By the time they eventually arrived home, all three of them were soaked and laughing.
