Chapter 13 Sleds and Snow
The morning sun spilled across the house bright and clean against the snow that blanketed the world in glittering white. The storm had scrubbed the sky to crystal, and everything outside looked untouched, soft, serene.
Jake padded into the living room in thick socks, hair still rumpled from sleep, a gentle smile tugging at his mouth. “Perfect day for sledding,” he said quietly, almost to himself. Then he looked at me. “If you want to.”
I grabbed my coat before anyone else moved. “I do let's go.”
Josh looked up from tying his boots, his expression settling into that warm, quiet approval reserved only for me. “Yeah?” he said softly.
“Yeah.”
Mike shrugged into his jacket. “Then sledding it is.”
Patrick grabbed gloves from the counter, already heading for the door.
Outside, the snow was dazzling, piled high and soft under our boots. The sledding hill behind the house glowed in the sun. Jake walked beside me, smiling into the cold air.
“Feels good out here,” he said.
“It does,” I agreed.
He bumped his shoulder lightly against mine. “Race you to the top later.”
“Only if you promise not to let me win.”
He gave a soft laugh. “I never let you win.”
The smile he sent me warmed somewhere deep in my chest.
Josh handed me a sled. “You pick where we start.”
I sat at the top, and he settled behind me, legs bracketing mine. The closeness hit me like a soft, warm shock. His chest pressed to my back, steady and solid. His hands slid forward to grip the sides of the sled, his forearms lightly brushing mine.
“You ready?” he murmured.
His breath warmed the side of my neck.
I swallowed. “Yes.”
He nudged us forward.
For the first few seconds, the world was nothing but motion — crisp air rushing past, snow spraying up like glitter, laughter spilling out of me without permission. Josh tightened his arm around my waist when we bumped over a dip, his chest vibrating with a surprised laugh against my back.
Then we hit a patch of uneven snow, the sled spinning slightly before tipping. We tumbled into a soft drift at the bottom — limbs tangled, breathless.
I blinked snow from my lashes and realized I’d landed partially on top of Josh, my hands pressed to his chest.
“You okay?” he asked, voice low and warm.
“I’m good,” I breathed.
His gloved hand brushed snow from my cheek, slow and deliberate. That simple touch sent heat curling through me, tightening low and deep.
“You did great,” he murmured.
My pulse jumped. “We crashed.”
“We landed with style,” he corrected, a small smile touching his lips.
Before I could come up with a reply, he leaned in. The space between us seemed to fold in on itself.
He kissed me softly first — teasing and warm. But when I slid my hand along his jaw, he deepened it, his fingers tightening lightly at my waist. The world went quiet, save for the sound of our breaths mingling in the cold air. His mouth moved against mine with slow confidence, claiming and groaning at my whimper.
When he finally pulled back, we were both panting, and the look in his eyes made my stomach flip.
A soft crunching sound broke the moment. Jake approached at an easy pace, sled tucked under his arm, his expression warm and slightly amused.
“You two good?” he asked, voice teasing.
I felt my face heat. “Um—yes.”
Josh sat up, brushing snow from his jacket. “We stuck the landing.”
Jake’s eyes flicked between us, his gaze knowing, “Looked like a good run,” he said with a smirk.
“Want help carrying the sled back up?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I’ve got it.”
He smiled again before dipping down to kiss me. I sighed into the kiss, starting to wish we had stayed inside. Jake straightened up, giving me a heated look that made me think he was wishing we had stayed inside as well before turning and trudging a path through the snow.
I stood and brushed snow off my thighs. Josh rose beside me, leaning close enough that I felt the warmth from his coat even in the cold.
“I love watching your reaction to my brother. Next time,” he growled, voice dipping low in that way that unraveled my spine, “I’m finding us a quieter hill.”
My breath caught. “Next time?”
His slow smile said everything. “Definitely.”
I followed him back up toward the sunlight, sled in hand, pulse still fluttering from the kiss. The cold air bit my cheeks, but heat lingered beneath my skin, humming through me in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature.
Jake glanced back once, just long enough to meet my gaze and smirk.
“Perfect day for it,” he said.
And somehow, it was.