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๐ฒ๐ผ๐โ๐ผโโ๐ โ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ ๐ฒ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ by Amber Kelly releases on November 12th. Check out this sneak peek!
PRE-ORDER/ ADD IT TO YOUR AMAZON WISHLIST!
๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐๐ฉ: https://forms.gle/J8vXBC8gnnQPeEz8A
What to expect:
๐️ Haunted Mountain Resort
๐ป Meddling Ghost
๐ฟ Sexy Ski Instructor
✍️ Romance Author FMC
❄️ Forced Proximity
❤️ She’s Sworn Off Love
Excerpt:
The streets of downtown Wildhaven are bustling with visitors. Snow blankets the sidewalks, and the glow spilling from the shop windows makes the whole town feel warm and inviting despite the cold. Somewhere down the block, a group of kids shrieks with laughter, their boots crunching over the fresh powder as they chase one another around a snow-covered bench.
I tuck my hands deeper into my coat pockets and glance at Gaige.
“It's been a long time since I had this much fun.”
The words slip out before I can think better of them.
He turns his head toward me, and for a second, his teasing expression softens.
“Me too.”
I stop walking and stare at him. “Really?”
“Really.”
He reaches over and takes my hand. Threading his fingers through mine.
“Besides, I can’t blame you for having fun. I’m one hell of a date.”
I narrow my eyes. “And you had to go and ruin a perfectly lovely evening.”
“Did I?”
“Yep,” I say, snatching my hand back.
He gives me that infuriating grin. “What are you going to do about it?”
Oh, he has no idea how badly he has miscalculated.
I stop beside a snow-covered planter, crouch, and scoop up a fistful of powder.
His gaze drops to my hand.
Then slowly lifts to my face.
“Don't.”
I smile sweetly.
“Don't what?”
“Aspen.”
I toss the snow at him.
It catches him squarely in the chest, scattering across his open jacket and clinging to the shirt underneath.
For a second, I admire my aim.
Then I look up at him.
Uh, oh.
Gaige stares down at the snow dusting his flannel, then lifts his eyes to mine with an expression that sends a shiver down my spine.
“You shouldn't have done that.”
I take one cautious step backward.
“Done what?”
His eyebrows rise.
I take another step.
He pulls his hands from his pockets.
I back up another step, laughing despite the sudden awareness that I've made a terrible tactical error. The man is an athlete, a former hockey player, and a cowboy used to the snow. I'm pretty sure all of those require a certain level of physical coordination that I absolutely do not possess.
“You know what your problem is, sweetheart?” he asks, advancing toward me.
“You'll need to be more specific.”
“You think you can start something and walk away without consequences.”
I glance at the snow between us, then back at him.
“I'm pretty sure that's how most snowball fights work.”
“Snowball fight?” He gives a low laugh. “Is that what you think I’m talking about?”
I swallow a smile.
“Aren’t you?”
He shakes his head.
I take another step backward, holding up my hands in mock surrender.
“Okay, okay. Truce.”
“Too late, sweetheart.”
He keeps coming.
I glance down at the snow piled along the edge of the sidewalk and make a split-second decision.
If I'm going down, I'm taking him with me.
I bend to scoop up another fistful, already imagining the satisfaction of landing one right in the middle of that ridiculously handsome face.
I don't even get the chance to pack it into a ball.
A startled squeal bursts out of me as Gaige lunges.
One second, I'm crouched beside the sidewalk. The next, he's got an arm around my waist, and we're tumbling sideways into the soft bank of snow lining the walkway.
We land in a flurry of white powder, my laughter erupting before I can catch my breath. Snow flies everywhere, dusting my hair and slipping down the back of my coat. Gaige lands beside me, bracing himself on one elbow so he doesn't crush me, his other arm still wrapped securely around my waist.
For a moment, neither of us moves.
Then I look at him.
His dark hair is dusted with snow. His cheeks are flushed, and his eyes are bright with laughter. He's grinning like a man who has just won a prize.
“You tackled me!”
“You threw snow at me.”
“You can't tackle a girl for throwing snow at you!”
“Pretty sure I just did.” He rolls onto his back. “And you're a terrible snowball fighter. Slow as Christmas.”
I gasp in outrage. “I didn't even get a chance to make the snowball before you charged me, you brute.”
I smack his shoulder with my gloved hand.
He catches my wrist, laughing, and for one reckless second, we're back in that closet, all tangled up in each other with nowhere to go.
Except this time, there's no excuse for the way my gaze drifts to his mouth. No panic. No need for distraction.
His laughter fades.
The sounds of downtown carry on around us—the distant hum of traffic, the crunch of footsteps on the sidewalk, and the faint strains of Christmas music drifting from the rink behind us. But here, in this little pocket of snow, everything feels strangely warm and quiet.
Gaige brushes a snowflake from my cheek with his thumb.
“You okay?” he asks.
I nod.
“Yeah.”
His eyes search mine, and that teasing smile softens into something that makes my chest feel tight.
“Good.”
He doesn't move away.
Neither do I.
And that's when I realize something far more alarming than the fact that a grown man just tackled me to the ground.
I don't want him to move away.
I want to stay right here, laughing in the snow with his arm around me, while the rest of the world carries on without us.
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