Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
“Do you all have gloves?” I ask.
“We’ll be fine without,” Rudy says as he and Nick head for the door.
I tell them I’ll come out as soon as I change my clothes, and Jasper and Felix follow the Frost brothers outside.
When I go outside a few minutes later, each set of brothers is doing their own thing. Even though the snow is falling steadily, there really hasn’t been enough of it yet to build a proper snowman, but Rudy and Nick are both rolling balls on one side of my yard, while Felix and Jasper are doing the same all the way across the yard, on the other side of the driveway. So much for the unexpected snowfall bringing them all together.
Chapter 29
I go back and forth between the pairs of brothers, helping one for a while, then the other, trying to split my time and attention equally. I’m glad they’re all here, but the tension in the air is nearly as thick as the falling snow.
The snow is beautiful, though. It’s settling onto the trees and dusting the men’s shoulders, their hair, and even their eyelashes. I try to focus on the magic of the moment, instead of the fact that I’m hosting two warring factions.
Cupid watches the activity from the front window, and when Jasper notices her, he crosses into enemy territory to say hello to her through the glass. It melts my heart to watch this big, gruff man be so tender and sweet with her.
When he waves goodbye to her, he turns and finds me watching. “Are you warm enough?” he asks.
As I nod, he comes closer and brushes snow from my hair, then wraps his arms around me in a warm hug and presses a kiss to the top of my head. Though this is neither the time nor place, my body floods with desire, as memories of our night together play in my mind.
He doesn’t hold me for long, but it’s enough to both excite me, and annoy the Frost brothers, who abandon their snowman project and start throwing snowballs at each other, presumably as an outlet for their irritation. While they’re only targeting each other, the looks they give the Winters make their frustrations clear.
I look toward Felix’s side of the yard, wondering if I should go over to help him with the ball he’s rolling to put atop the snowman base. When I turn back to Jasper, he’s bent over, scooping up a handful of snow, and a wave of dread passes over me.
“I don’t think—”
Before I can manage to tell him it’s a bad idea, he takes aim and hits Rudy square on the shoulder, the snowball shattering and leaving behind a big white smudge on Rudy’s jacket.
Assuming he’s about to become a target himself, Jasper jogs away from me, behind Nick and toward the driveway. Rudy adjusts his aim and hurls the ball he was going to throw at his brother at Jasper instead, clipping his leg.
Felix’s eyes light up when he notices what’s happening, and for a silly little moment, I think this might have the potential to be a fun game the men can play together. The set of Jasper’s jaw as he prepares to throw another immediately dashes my hopes.
“That all you got?” Nick taunts as he successfully dodges Jasper’s next missile. A second later, Nick takes an unexpected hit from Felix’s side of the yard.
After that, it’s an all-out Frost vs. Winter battle, and the only thing I can do is stay out of the way. The snowmen are long forgotten, and so many balls of snow are scooped up that the yard quickly starts to look bare.
“Can’t believe I missed your big head!” Felix calls after lobbing one at Rudy and missing.
The verbal jabs start flying just as fast as the tightly-packed snowballs, and the men are putting so much force into their throws that they’re grunting as they let their weapons fly. I wince every time one of them makes contact with another.
Nick fires one at Felix. “What are they going to think when you show up at Club Red covered in bruises?”
“You want bruises?” Jasper comes to his brother’s defense with a well-aimed throw from close range.
Just as I’m ready to yell for all of them to cut it out, Rudy dives for Jasper’s legs, tackling him to the ground. Felix runs over to pull Rudy off, but changes course and decides to knock Nick down, and then the four men are in a pile, wrestling in the snow, fists flying.
“Guys, stop!”
I don’t know if they can hear me. I know it’s not my fault they’re fighting, but I’m the reason they all hate each other, and if I’d been able to make a choice, this wouldn’t be happening. “Guys! Please stop!”
I feel hopeless. Not just about getting them to listen to me, but also about finding any resolution for this terrible situation that’s causing everyone pain, now physical as well as emotional.