Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
“Have you ever had a snowball fight?”
Crow grunted, which I took as a no.
“Have you ever just played? Had a good time?”
He gave me that smoldering look, peering at me through the strands of his hair, the verbal no unneeded. Crow hadn’t had a childhood, not really. He hadn’t been raised with any other kids, and had never gone to school, and his father probably taught him those things were beneath him.
“We’re going outside to play in the snow. I don’t care if we’re too old for that kind of thing.”
He frowned.
“It’ll be fun.”
“Too cold.”
“We won’t stay out long, and we’ll stay close to the house. That way, if we need to, we can come right back inside.” I walked over and straddled his lap, facing him. “Please, Crow. I want to give you this.”
He sighed, and I knew I had him even before he let out a soft, “Don’t know how to say no to you.”
“Yes!” I jumped off him, gathered our dishes, and brought them to the sink. I washed them quickly, knowing Crow wouldn’t go anywhere without them taken care of, then grabbed his wrist and dragged him to our bedroom.
He made me wear long johns beneath my pants because Crow was a bit of a daddy, even if he didn’t know it. When we were back in the living room, he was tossing boots, beanies, gloves, scarves, and jackets at me.
It wasn’t snowing at the moment, but the ground was covered in white as far as the eye could see. I was lucky I didn’t fall and bust my head open when I practically bounded down the porch stairs. After finding a good spot, I dropped onto my back, opening and closing my legs and moving my arms to make a snow angel.
I’d landed in a deep spot, snow just falling on top of me as I wiggled to get out of it, before the rough sound of Crow’s laughter made me stop and look up at him from where I was half-covered in snow. His laughter was one of my favorite sounds. I loved it when I was able to make him let loose that way. Crow kept such a tight rein, struggling to let happiness in, that when it bubbled out of him, it filled me with the sun, made it shine out of me uncontrollably.
“Oh, that’s funny, is it?” I asked, struggling to get up.
“Come on, little lamb.” He walked over, took my hand, and tugged me to my feet.
Crow came out every day to clear a path to the shop and the greenhouse, making sure he could get where he needed to go. He led me to the barn, where he kept his truck during the winter. It also housed the truck he was rebuilding, and the snowplow, but he led me toward the back, and my eyes widened. “A snowmobile! Can we ride it?”
This grunt was different from his no earlier, so I grinned. I was learning to understand Crow even when he didn’t use words.
“You’re going to have to teach me. I wish it sat two people.”
“Older ones do. I’ll ride with you at first. I’ll stand in front, you sit on the seat.”
“Okay.”
Crow pulled it out and started the machine. He put the only helmet on me, and while I wanted to argue, I knew that if I did, we wouldn’t ride. “I’m not going to go too far or too fast. Make sure you hold on.”
I rolled my eyes because no shit. I didn’t plan on letting myself tumble off the back of his snowmobile.
“You’re cute when you’re annoyed.”
My gaze snapped to his. Crow had never said something like that to me before. I hadn’t thought it was something he would ever be able to say. “Pout more often. Got it.”
He shook his head and smirked, in a way he wouldn’t have done a month before, then signaled for me to sit on the machine and climbed in front of me, standing up.
“Ready?”
“Yep.”
Crow pressed a button, then turned the throttle, and we started to move. He wasn’t lying when he said he wouldn’t go fast, but still my heart cranked up a notch. Snow flew out behind us, the cold air whipping around us as Crow drove.
He made a bit of a sharp turn, my body moving with it, and a laugh fell out. He increased the speed, trees and the world flashing by us. I wanted one of these. Badly. Before next winter, I would have to find a way to—no. I nipped that thought in the bud. I couldn’t think that way. Couldn’t let myself believe Crow would keep me.
We rode around for a while, and I could tell Crow liked it, could feel the excitement radiating from him. He wanted more, wanted to go faster, and I couldn’t help wondering if this was what he did to give himself a little adrenaline rush during the winter; if he hadn’t done it at all yet because of me.