AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No! You wouldn’t,” she laughs as she hustles as fast as she can away from me. She doesn’t get very far before I’m on her.
“You started the battle, pumpkin. I’m going to bring the war!”
“Ah! Lola! Figgy! Attack your dad. Save me!” The dogs do the complete opposite. They bound back and forth between us, trying to catch as many snowballs as they can.
For the next couple minutes, we throw snowballs back and forth. Penny is still recovering, but she’s moving a lot better than she was.
It’s only when I notice her shiver that I cease fire and concede. She throws her last snowball, a direct hit to my chest, and I dramatically fall to the frozen ground.
“A hit! A hit!” I cry out into the bright day. The dogs circle, excited to have someone on their level. To my surprise, Penny walks up to me and falls to the ground at my side. She radiates happiness as she turns to look at me, her smile as bright as the sun. I should look away, but I can’t.
God, she’s so beautiful. Inside and out, even with all her sass. Even with the last dredges of a cold and a bit of discoloration around her temples, she takes my breath away. Instinctively, I reach over and push a strand of hair back under her hat.
Her breath hitches, and her eyes grow wide at my gentle touch. Slowly, so slowly I think I’m imagining it at first, she rolls into me until half of her body is on top of mine.
At the first touch of her lips against mine,the world shifts.
Pulling back, I watch with utter fascination as her lashes flutter before she lifts her eyes and hits me with sparkling blue. Her full lips, now plump and pink from kissing, tilt in a shy smile.
“I think I’m ready to go inside now,” she says, and I try not to read too much into her words. We just shared our first kiss. I don’t want to rush anything, even if everything feels right in this moment. Perfect.
We have time now. To get to know one another on a new level. It’s finally our time.
Chapter Eight
Penny
Inever understood the craze movies, shows, and books put around first kisses. Everyone acts like they are the best things ever. An indication if he isthe oneor if the relationship stands a chance. In all honesty, when I knew a first kiss was coming with men in the past, I always stressed about where my hands should be, and were my lips at the right angle? I was stuck in my head and not really enjoying the moment.
Until Carter, that is.
Sure, I was the one to make the move, and I was thinking about a million things before our lips met. But damn, as soon as my mouth touched his, everything stopped. All I saw, felt, smelled was him.
He took control quickly, pulling me into his side and gripping my scarf where it was wrapped around my neck. After that, I was mesmerized. Bound to him by an invisible string. I never wanted it to end.
But we couldn’t make out in the snow all day. Even if I wishedwe could.
As I think back on the kiss now that I’m bundled up on the living room couch, my lips are still tingling. Touching them, I realize I’m smiling like a love-struck fool. Maybe I am.
If you asked me two days ago if I would give in to my crush on Carter and make a move, I would have laughed in your face. There was too much standing between us—at least I thought there was.
The last day showed me otherwise. Everything else, I know we could work out.
Shaking out of my thoughts, I roll off the couch and head to the kitchen. I need to do something other than obsess about the best kiss of my life and the man who is currently upstairs taking a shower. My appetite is making a comeback, and I swear I saw cookies on the counter earlier.
The counters are clear as I begin my hunt. Not familiar with Carter’s house, I have no option other than to open every drawer and cabinet to find what I’m looking for. It’s also a not-so-sneaky way to learn more about Carter.
Moving to the cabinets closest to the sink, I open the first one and freeze. It takes a second for me to understand what I’m seeing, and when it hits, I gasp.
“What the hell is this?”
“My hot chocolate cupboard.”
I didn’t realize I spoke out loud and jump at Carter’s voice behind me. Turning to him, I place my hands on my hips and give him a confused glare.
“What the hell, man? How could you keep something like this from me?” I demand, turning back to the cabinet and straining my neck to read all the labels. “There’s such a thing as Oreo hot chocolate?”
Carter chuckles at me, not saying anything as I keep reading out brands and box labels.
