Blake was a little ways ahead, but stopped and turned around. “You okay back there, princess?”

I waved him on. “Don’t worry about me!” I shouted. Picking up my pace, I reached down and grabbed a handful of snow. Each step he took, I did double to catch up to him. My fingers were numb from the snow, but I was almost there. Just a few more steps . . .

Blake sidestepped and tackled me out of nowhere, making me scream. His feet slipped and we both fell to the ground, laughing as we rolled around in the snow. He ended up pinning me to the ground, his legs straddling my waist and his body flush with mine. I shivered and it wasn’t because of the snow.

“You should know better than to sneak up on someone like me,” he said. His eyes strayed to my lips.

“I didn’t think you’d hear me,” I whispered breathlessly.

“You’d be surprised what I notice, princess.” He trailed a finger down my cheek to my rapidly beating heart. “Like how your heart is racing right now. I didn’t know I had that effect on you.” I blew out a nervous breath and he smiled, his lips getting closer to mine. “Tell me what you want,” he murmured.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because once I say the words, I can’t take them back.”

He brought his hands to my face, his thumbs tracing my cheeks. “Maybe this will help.” His lips closed over mine and I melted against him, willingly giving in. I’d never been kissed like that and I didn’t want it to stop. I wanted more. He pushed his tongue inside and I moaned as the heat rose between my legs. Holy hell, I wanted him. Rocking my hips up into him, I dug my nails in his back and he growled, pulling away.

“Fuck, Hadley.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, breathing hard.

He brushed the hair off my face and kissed me again. “You make me want things I can’t have.”I nodded. He said exactly what I was thinking. “I know how you feel.”