There's Snow Escape(14)

“Yes. Things here are not like earth,” Brecc said. Her intense gazing of the snowflakes dissolving in her hands coupled with the smile on her face encouraged him and Eros. He hoped she liked the mountains.

“It’s still so beautiful,” she muttered. “So very different and beautiful.” She glanced up and met Brecc’s gaze. For a moment, she wasn’t guarded like before. Instead, he saw the genuine child-like curiosity in her eyes.

“We have a bit of a hike,” Eros said, his gaze roaming her face. “Are you sure you feel like walking up this mountain?”

She squinted towards the sky. “I have no idea. I can’t even tell how high this is. I can hike some, but the truth is in this weather I won’t be very good.”

Eros nodded. “We’ll carry you.”

“What?” she gasped, taking a quick step back.

Brecc moved closer, not stopping until she was safely in his arms.

“You’re insane!” she shouted over the howling wind, her voice getting shrilly from cold and shock. “I’m going to break your back. I’m a big, big girl. Put me down.”

He glanced at her face, loving the ribbons of crimson on her cheeks. She was beautiful anyway, but when she blushed she looked so innocent. “Relax. I can hike this mountain with someone three times your size on my shoulder. You’re tiny and barely weigh a thing.”





ELEVEN



Barely weighed a thing? She questioned his sanity more and more each time he spoke. She glanced at Eros who shook his head with a stern expression on his face. “Let us carry you, Charlotte.”

With her arms around his neck, she held on to him. She wore a pair of sweat pants that on earth would allow her to stay warm while comfortable. Here, it was like she was standing outside naked. She was glad when he started taking long strides to get her to the top of the mountain.

“It’s freaking cold, isn’t it?” she muttered, hugging Brecc tighter. The guy gave off body heat like a furnace. She wanted to shove her face in the curve of his neck and hide from the growing winds.

“Lean your head in so you’re not so cold,” he ordered.

She opened her mouth to argue with him over his tone, but decided against it. She’d traveled all over earth and had never felt this cold in her life.

The trek up the mountain didn’t bother her so much once his body heat warmed her. After an hour of hiking faster than she’d ever been able to, they reached a flat area where she saw what appeared to be a town. Cabin after cabin set far enough from each other to have privacy but still close to be in neat little rows.

“This is so cute!” The cabins all had chimneys and snow covering their rooftops. As they walked along the main road, she saw faces gazing out the windows.

They got to the end of one road and took a lone path. After about five minutes of intense walking, they rounded a bend and a big two story cabin came into view. The door opened and a woman stood waiting.

She turned to Brecc, meeting his blue-eyed gaze dead-on. Geez, the man had eyes on him. She could see the desire in his gaze, but she also saw the wall. As far as she was concerned, she wasn’t looking to fix a man. She didn’t have time or patience for that shit. She needed someone who knew what he wanted and worked just as hard to get it.

“You can put me down now.”

He stopped a few yards from the front of the cabin and put her on her feet. Her snow boots did little to keep her feet warm. Even though they were the best for climbing back on earth. This planet had seriously cold weather.

She turned to the cabin and smiled at the woman. “Hi, I’m Charlotte. You must be Alessandra.”

“I am.” Alessandra smiled and gave her a welcoming hug. “Let’s get you inside and warmed up.”

They rushed into the cabin where the air was nice and warm. Like Alyx’s castle, it was decorated with simplicity but everything made Earth’s antiques look like something out of a catalog. The wood furniture looked hand carved with images one normally found in a museum.

“Are you okay?” Alessandra asked. “You’re staring around like you’re scared.”

Charlotte laughed, walked closer to the fire, and took the one seat she didn’t mind wetting with the snow off her coat. “Your home is gorgeous, but everything looks so valuable and priceless. I’m afraid to touch anything.”

Alessandra glanced at Brecc and Eros and broke into giggles. “Trust me when I tell you our furniture can withstand anything. My little one is crawling and nothing has broken or fallen over. You’re fine.”

That made her feel better. She unzipped her coat and handed it to Alessandra who had her hand out for it. “Thank you.”