AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They were temporarily banned from the stables last spring,” Zadie said, with a laugh.
MarryMe frolicked in the snow around everyone - pouncing on invisible enemies left and right. Vivi cackled as she watched the dog play.
“Juno, will you be our timer?” Eli said.
“Wouldn’t be Christmas break if I didn’t,” Juno said, pulling out her phone.
“Declan is winning, so he will get to go first once the timer has started, then James, Will, me, and finally Eli,” Keene said. “Whoever chops the most logs in two minutes wins.”
“Ok, I’m going to count down from three,” Juno said, fiddling with the timer on her phone. “Three, two, one. Declan, go!”
The girls whooped and hollered as Declan started chopping log after log.
“James, go...now Will...Keene, it’s your turn...Eli, start!” Juno called until all of them were chopping at once.
Liv stared at Will - shirtless, his muscles rippling as he swung his ax over and over again. Sweat trickled down his brow.
“Time!” Juno called. “Count your logs.”.
Liv couldn’t take her eyes off Will, leaning against his ax...catching his breath. Her mind flashed back to the times they were together - his skin against hers, his scent; the strength of his body as he moved over her.
She bit her lip.
“Keene is the winner!” Juno declared. “An amazing comeback...one for the books.”
“Who’s up for a snowman building contest?” Eli said, playfully tossing a snowball at Declan.
“Snowman or snowball?” Declan said, throwing a snowball back.
“Maybe both,” Eli said.
“At the same time?” Declan said.
“You guys are nuts,” Zadie said. “Who’s building a snowman with me?”
“Vivi and I will help,” Elizabeth said.
Will walked over to her. Once he was closer, she could see beads of sweat on his chest. He was still breathing heavily.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek.
“You didn’t have to come outside,” he said.
“And miss that?” she said. “Not a chance. So you do this every year?”
“Yeah,” he said. “One of our many holiday traditions. Normally we go sledding and down to the local town for caroling and a Christmas Eve service.”
“Are you staying in because of me?”
“No,” he said. “The roads aren’t passable. Snow fell all last night. We won’t be able to get out for days.”
She shivered and pulled her jacket tighter. The snow had started falling again.
“Let’s get you back inside.”
—
“Hey Liv,” Brooklynsaid. “Do you want to help judge the gingerbread house competition?”
