Page 58 of Living La Vida Mocha
“Of course, come on. I have the most perfect spot for us.” He dragged me past the food trucks, around the skating rink, and halfway across the field until we stopped under a tall tree – the kind of tree that in the summer would be fabulously full of leaves and shade a great area – maybe even make for a cozy picnic spot with a blanket.
Once under the naked tree branches, I pressed my back against the sturdy trunk and watched the snowflakes continue to dance to the ground.
Carter stepped closer and tugged on the neck of my jacket, wrapping it tighter over me. “You’re going to catch a cold if you don’t stay warm.”
I laughed but appreciated the gesture. “I can’t catch a virus just standing outside exposed, I have to be within the vicinity of someone who is sick.”
“That may be true but keeping warm will help.”
“And you’re going to keep me warm?” Sure, it was ripe with wanton desire, but kissing Carter had been one of my favourite activities.
He pulled my toque down over the tips of my ears. “I can try.”
With a tip of his head towards mine, his heated lips brushed against mine, igniting an instant fire deep in my soul. The longer he stayed attached, the more the snowflakes were going to puddle on my jacket and hat. Carter’s kisses were incredible, but to feel them bring me back to life, that was magical.
He broke us apart. “I sure do love kissing you.”
“As do I.”
Somewhere, far off in the distance, a countdown began from ten, and it forced my gaze away from him over to the giant tree in the distance.
Feeling flushed with a radiant heat, I twisted slightly away from Carter. “The tree lighting?”
He stepped behind me and dropped his chin onto my shoulder.His breathy voice tickled my ears.“Just watch.”
As the crowd chanted down to zero, the giant tree lit from the bottom up in a slow, dazzling display of twinkling, coloured lights. As the star on the top lit up, fireworks launched into the sky.
The first blast propelled me backward into the manly wall of Carter, and he snuggled tighter to me.
“I should’ve warned you about the fireworks, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Oh, it’s a surprise all right.” And one I couldn’t tear my gaze away from.
Watching – and then feeling – each mini-explosion set my senses on overload in a way I was starting to crave. I wanted more, and needed more, and spending time with Carter was absolutely everything I craved within my soul.
I couldn’t wait to move here permanently and start a business, but I had to wait until the ink was dry to say anything since bad luck followed me like a lost puppy.
I turned to Carter and tipped my head up, exposing my neck to the biting cold. Flash by dazzling flash, I watched the fireworks in his gaze until I closed my eyes and pressed into him for a kiss that rivaled the most colourful and explosive fireworks.
Chapter Sixteen
The call kept ringing until just before it went to voicemail, a breathless voice answered. “Hello?”
“Amanda?” It sure didn’t sound like her, and I double-checked I had called her number.
“Yeah, it’s me. Sorry, I just finished a workout.”
I triple-checked the time. It was two in the afternoon – a weird time of the day for a … Oh, the lightbulb went off.
“I’ll call you back.”
“It’s all good. I’ve got a moment. Silas just started making a late lunch. What’s up?”
“You just claimed first dibs with that comment. Silas?”
Her breezy sigh crossed the phone line. “Yeah. New beau. Broke up with Kevin at that new place over on the east end. I just couldn’t be with him anymore. It was so blah. Even the breakup was boring. He simply shrugged and said he was cool with it before he got up, shook my hand, and stuck me with the bill. Can you believe that?”
I laughed out loud. She sounded more upset about having to pay the bill than anything else. “Had you ordered yet?”