AllFreeNovel
Share Us
10
CERYS
Ella hopsaround the garden in her blue boots, cheeks reddened by the cold. The snow stopped falling long enough to take advantage of the white playground so I swaddle Ella in coat, scarf, and gloves and follow her out. If she sings ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?’ one more time I’ll scream. Ella saw the movieFrozenonce and she’s obsessed.
I’m midway through rolling a snowball into something large enough to make the snowman’s body when another ball sails over my head and hits the wooden garden fence. I look round at a laughing Liam. Seeing him jolts my heart every time, as if he’s an apparition from my past returned to remind me about younger days.
The Liam I knew years back was scrawny—he isn’t a solid, gym-honed guy but his lean muscle gives him a wiry strength I find more attractive than beefy guys. I grit my teeth against my body’s flaring to life as his green eyes meet mine. His long red hair is pulled back into a ponytail and his full mouth tilts at one corner in response to my scrutiny. I know I shouldn’t engage with him, but it’s difficult.
Liam’s attitude toward me is gentler than before he left St Davids. Well, more than gentler if you count the kiss.Kiss. I look away before he recognises the desire I’ve tried to hide from him for the last couple of days.
“Bad shot,” I say.
“Oh, if I’d wanted to hit you, I would. I wasn’t sure how you’d react though.” Liam bends down and scoops more snow into his hand, then pulls his arm back as if about to throw the ball at me. Instead, he drops the snowball.
“You made the right choice,” I reply, pouting in warning.
“You can help build a snowman,” Ella says. “Mummy is too slow.”
“Because you keep stomping on the balls I make,” I say and poke her.
Ella giggles. “I like snow.”
Liam rubs his cheek. “Sure, I’ll help.”
He’s wearing his beanie and a leather jacket but doesn’t have gloves on, but Liam sets about rolling snow into a ball. He’s incredibly patient with the four year old who throws snow at him, and as he retaliates with snowballs of his own I brace myself for one headed my way.
While they play and fall in the snow, I keep my distance from the exchange. Hearing Ella laugh after days of quiet sadness makes and breaks my heart. Liam knows everything about mine and Ella’s situation now and, for some reason, is making an effort to be nicer to Ella, which is kind of him but hurts too. Not because he emphasises how little attention her dad would give her, but because his friendship and affection will leave us after Christmas.
“Let’s finish Olaf, Ella, it’ll be dark soon,” I say.
Liam and Ella are covered in snow with matching red faces. I shake my head at them both. “I’ll need to run you a warm bath when you get inside, missy.”
Liam runs his tongue along his teeth as he approaches. “Will you help me with warm bath, too?”
His words trip the switch that causes arousal, and my hardening nipples have nothing to do with the cold. I frown at the teasing grin I expect on his face. Instead, there’s an unmistakable look of desire in his eyes.
“Your hands must be freezing,” I say, pointing at his red fingers.
Liam places an icy palm on my cheek. “Yup.”
“Jesus, Liam! That’s cold. Go inside.”
“When we’ve finished Ella’s snowman.” His palm remains on my cheek too long to miss the intimacy of the gesture, and he gazes at my lips before blinking and removing his hand.
I duck my head and focus hard on the task, fighting my own foolish need to touch this man. Liam remains where he is and I tense against his next word or touch. Ella comes to my rescue as her snowball smacks Liam on the side of the head. I chew down on my mouth suppressing a giggle at his shocked look.
Liam cocks a brow at my amusement, snow sliding down his cheek. “Funny, huh?”
“Kind of.”
“Oh, yeah?”
As soon as Liam scoops snow into his hands, I know what’s coming. “Don’t you dare!”
“I’ll give you first shot.”
“I grew out of snowball fights, thanks.”
